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Question

Difficulty: MediumEliminating Wordiness

In 1913, journalist Arthur Wynne created a new game for the *New York World* newspaper. Initially called a 'Word-Cross,' this puzzle was shaped like a diamond with a hollow center. Wynne's creation proved to be incredibly popular, and it established a precedent that would soon go on to become a staple of newspapers across the country.

Which of the following is the best revision of the underlined portion?

  1. A
    established a precedent that would soon go on to become a staple of newspapers across the country.
  2. soon became a staple of newspapers across the country.Answer
  3. C
    having soon gone on to become a staple of newspapers across the country.
  4. D
    soon became a staple, of newspapers, across the country.

Answer

soon became a staple of newspapers across the country.
The correct answer is the most concise option that preserves the original meaning and is grammatically correct. Replacing the wordy clause with the active verb phrase 'soon became' makes the sentence direct and clear.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the underlined portion and evaluate its conciseness and clarity.
The phrase 'established a precedent that would soon go on to become' is overly wordy and contains redundant ideas.
ACT English questions prioritize clear, concise writing that avoids unnecessary words.
2
Evaluate the options for both grammatical correctness and conciseness.
The option that says 'soon became a staple of newspapers across the country' is active and direct. The other options either retain the wordiness or introduce grammatical errors, such as creating a sentence fragment or adding incorrect commas.
Selecting the most concise, grammatically correct option ensures the sentence is clear and effective.

Key Concept

Eliminating Wordiness
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Eliminating Wordiness

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