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Difficulty: MediumAdjectives, Adverbs, and Modifiers

Read the sentence below and answer the question that follows.

"While inspecting the refurbished hydroelectric facility, the chief engineer noticed that the secondary turbine was running __________."

Which of the following modifier phrases correctly completes the sentence?

  1. A
    exceptional smooth
  2. exceptionally smoothlyAnswer
  3. C
    exceptionally smooth
  4. D
    exceptionable smoothly

Answer

The correct phrase is 'exceptionally smoothly' because an action verb requires an adverb modifier, which can itself be intensified by another adverb.
The phrase 'exceptionally smoothly' is correct because the action verb 'running' requires the adverb 'smoothly' to describe the manner of operation, and 'exceptionally' functions as an adverb of degree modifying 'smoothly'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the element being modified in the sentence.
The target word is the action verb 'running'.
Action verbs describe actions and must be modified by adverbs, not adjectives.
2
Determine the grammatical form required for the primary modifier.
The word modifying 'running' must be the adverb 'smoothly'.
Using the adjective 'smooth' to describe how an action verb functions is grammatically incorrect.
3
Determine the grammatical form required for the degree modifier preceding the adverb.
The intensifier modifying the adverb 'smoothly' must also be an adverb ('exceptionally').
Adverbs of degree modify adjectives or other adverbs, requiring the '-ly' suffix in this context.
4
Verify vocabulary choice to avoid paronym confusion.
'exceptionally' means to an unusual or extraordinary degree, whereas 'exceptionable' means open to objection.
The sentence requires an adverb meaning extraordinarily well, making 'exceptionally smoothly' the only correct choice.

Key Concept

Adverbial Modification of Action Verbs and Distinction of Paronyms
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Adjectives, Adverbs, and Modifiers

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