Vocabulary 4000 - Noel's ESL eBook Library

Idiom & Usage 157
4. The Democrats have accused the Republicans of resorting to dirty tricks by
planting a mole on the Democrat’s planning committee and then used the
information obtained to sabotage the Democrat’s campaign.
(A) used the information obtained to sabotage
(B) used the information they had obtained to sabotage
(C) of using the information they had obtained to sabotage
(D) using the information obtained to sabotage
(E) to have used the information obtained to sabotage
Choice (A) is incorrect because the simple past obtained does not
express the fact that the information was gotten before another past
action—the sabotage.
Choice (B) is incorrect because used is not parallel to of
resorting.
Choice (C) is correct because the phrase of using is parallel to
the phrase of resorting. Further, the past perfect had obtained
correctly expresses that a past action—the spying—was completed
before another past action—the sabotage.
Choice (D) is incorrect because using is not parallel to of
resorting and the past perfect is not used.
Choice (E) is incorrect because to have used is not parallel to of
resorting and the past perfect is not used.
Solutions to Drill VI
1. Regarding legalization of drugs, I am not concerned so much by its
potential impact on middle class America but instead by its potential impact
on the inner city.
(A) but instead
(B) so much as
(C) rather
(D) but rather
(E) as
The correct structure for this type of sentence is not so much by
_____ as by _____. The answer is (E).