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Difficulty: Very hardEliminating Redundancy

Determined to find a more efficient catalyst, the chemists adjusted the temperature of the reaction vessel; consequently, the subsequent outcome resulted in a significant yield increase.

Which of the following choices best replaces the underlined portion to make the sentence clear, concise, and grammatically correct?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. consequently, this change resulted in aAnswer
  3. C
    resulting in a
  4. D
    consequently, this change, resulting in a

Answer

The correct answer is the option that replaces the underlined text with 'consequently, this change resulted in a'.
The correct choice, 'consequently, this change resulted in a', resolves the redundancy by expressing the cause-and-effect relationship cleanly. Furthermore, it fulfills the punctuation requirement of the semicolon by forming a grammatically complete independent clause containing the subject 'this change' and the active verb 'resulted'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the underlined portion for redundancy.
The words 'consequently' (as a result), 'subsequent' (following), and 'resulted in' (caused) all express the exact same causal link, making the phrase redundant.
Identifying redundancy helps eliminate wordy and repetitive options.
2
Check the surrounding grammatical structure, focusing on the semicolon.
The semicolon separates two independent clauses, meaning the replacement text must form a complete independent clause with a subject and a verb.
A semicolon requires complete thoughts on both sides to avoid fragments.
3
Evaluate the non-redundant options for grammatical correctness.
The shortest option 'resulting in a' creates a sentence fragment after the semicolon. The option 'consequently, this change, resulting in a' also forms a fragment due to the lack of a main verb. Only 'consequently, this change resulted in a' is both grammatically correct and concise.
Selecting the most concise option is only valid if the option remains grammatically correct.

Key Concept

Eliminating Redundancy with Punctuation Constraints
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Eliminating Redundancy

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