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Difficulty: MediumAdjective and Adverb Usage

Despite the sudden drop in temperature, the engine of the vintage tractor started surprising easy on the first try.

Which choice best replaces the underlined portion of the sentence?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. surprisingly easilyAnswer
  3. C
    more easier then expected
  4. D
    easily and without difficulty

Answer

surprisingly easily
The correct answer is 'surprisingly easily' because the verb 'started' must be modified by the adverb 'easily' to describe the action, and 'easily' must be modified by the adverb 'surprisingly' to describe the degree.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the grammatical role of the underlined phrase.
The phrase modifies the action verb 'started' to describe how the action occurred.
Identifying the verb determines what part of speech is required to modify it.
2
Determine the correct word forms for the modifiers.
The verb 'started' requires the adverb 'easily.' In turn, 'easily' must be modified by the adverb 'surprisingly' rather than the adjective 'surprising.'
Adverbs are required to modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.
3
Compare the options to find the one that uses correct adverbs without introducing wordiness or spelling errors.
The option 'surprisingly easily' is grammatically correct and concise.
This option avoids the adjective-adverb confusion of the original phrase, the redundancy of 'easily and without difficulty,' and the homophone and double comparative errors in 'more easier then expected.'

Key Concept

Adjective and Adverb Usage
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Adjective and Adverb Usage

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