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Question

Difficulty: MediumParallel Structure

An environmental scientist is writing a report on a wetland field study. Arrange the following segments to construct a grammatically correct sentence that maintains a parallel structure.

  1. 1To assess the health of the wetland, the field team planned
  2. 2to document the native plant species,
  3. 3measure the water acidity levels,
  4. 4and record the population of migratory birds.

Answer

To assess the health of the wetland, the field team planned to document the native plant species, measure the water acidity levels, and record the population of migratory birds.
The correct order begins with the main clause introducing the team's plans, followed by the full infinitive phrase 'to document the native plant species' to establish the grammatical pattern. The remaining actions are parallel bare infinitives, with the coordinating conjunction 'and' correctly introducing the final item in the sequence.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the introductory independent clause that sets up the action of the sentence.
The segment 'To assess the health of the wetland, the field team planned' must come first as it contains the main subject ('the field team') and verb ('planned').
An independent clause or main introducing phrase must establish the sentence structure before any list items can be introduced.
2
Determine the first item in the list of planned activities.
The segment 'to document the native plant species,' must follow the introduction.
The verb 'planned' requires the infinitive marker 'to' (i.e., 'planned to document'). This initial 'to' establishes the grammatical framework for the subsequent items in the parallel list.
3
Arrange the remaining items to maintain a consistent grammatical structure and logical flow.
The segment 'measure the water acidity levels,' must come next, followed by 'and record the population of migratory birds.'
To maintain parallel structure, the remaining actions in the list must be bare infinitives ('measure' and 'record') that share the initial preposition 'to'. The segment beginning with the coordinating conjunction 'and' must go at the very end to properly close the list.

Key Concept

Parallel structure in infinitive lists
Estimated Time:1m 15s
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Topics

Parallel Structure

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