LESSON 27 WORD ORDER (PETERSON’S TOEFL SUCCESS)

(PETERSON’S TOEFL SUCCESS)

LESSON 27

WORD ORDER

Word order is tested in both types of Structure items. SENTENCE COMPLETION All of the answer choices for a Sentence Completion item involving word order contain more or less the same words, but they are arranged in four different orders. The word order is “scrambled” in three choices; in one, it is correct. Most items involve three or four words. (A) X Y Z (B) Y X Z (C) Z Y X (D) X Z Y Word order problems are easy to identify because the answer choices are exactly—or almost exactly—the same length, so the answer choices form a rectangle. (A) so far away from (B) away so far from (C) from so far away (D) away from so far Many different types of structures are used in word order problems. One of the most common is a phrase with a superlative adjective or adverb. Word order items are the only Sentence Correction items in which the distractors may be ungrammatical. In other types of Sentence Correction problems, distractors are always correct in some context. However, at least two of the choices may be grammatical. The correct choice depends on the context of the sentence. See the first Sample Item on page 169 for an example of this. It is sometimes easy to eliminate distractors in word order items by making sure they “fit” with the rest of the sentence. If you are not sure which remaining answer is correct, use your ear. Say the sentence to yourself (silently) to see which sounds best. Sometimes in word order problems, the answer that looks best doesn’t always sound best when put into the sentence. A special type of word order problem involves inversions. This type of sentence uses question word order (auxiliary + subject + main verb), even though the sentence is not a question. When Are Inversions Used? √ When the negative words listed below are placed at the beginning of a clause for emphasis not only never not until seldom nowhere rarely at no time scarcely by no means no sooner Seldom have I heard such beautiful music. Not only did the company lose profits, but it also had to lay off workers. √ When a clause begins with one of these expressions with the word only, an inversion is used in that clause. only in (on, at, by, etc.)           only recently                     only once Only in an emergency should you use this exit. Only recently did she return from abroad. Only by asking questions can you learn. √ When sentences begin with these expressions with the word only, the subject and verb of the second clause are inverted. only if only when only because only after only until Only if you have a serious problem should you call Mr. Franklin at home. Only when you are satisfied is the sale considered final. √ When clauses begin with the word so + an adjective or participle So rare is this coin that it belongs in a museum. So confusing was the map that we had to ask a police officer for directions. √ When clauses begin with expressions of place or order, the subject and verb are inverted (but auxiliary verbs are not used as they would be in questions). In front of the museum is a statue. Off the coast of California lie the Channel Islands. First came a police car, then came an ambulance. Sample Items Andromeda is a galaxy containing millions of individual stars, but it is _______________ Earth that it looks like a blurry patch of light. (A) so far away from (B) away so far from (C) from so far away (D) away from so far The correct answer is (A). It has the correct word order for this sentence. The word order in choices (B) and (D) would be incorrect in any sentence. Choice (C) might be correct in certain sentences, but it is not correct here. Not only ______________ shade and beauty, but they also reduce carbon dioxide. (A) do trees provide (B) trees provide (C) provide trees (D) trees do provide The correct answer is (A). It correctly uses question word order after not only. Choices (B) and (C) do not use an auxiliary verb, which is required here. Choice (D) does not follow the correct word order: auxiliary + subject + main verb. ERROR IDENTIFICATION Most word order errors in written expression consist of two words in reverse order. Some of the most common examples of this type of error are given below: Error Example Correction Noun + adjectives Noun + possessive Main verb + auxiliary Adjective + adverb Verb + subject (in an indirect question or other wh- clause) Preposition/adverb-clause marker + adverb Participle + adverb Relative pronoun + preposition adverb, adjective, or quantifier + almost enough + adjective* drivers careful clothing women’s finished are a basic extremely idea Tell me where is it. I spoke to John when was he here. after immediately baked freshly bread the house which in she lives totally almost, late almost, all almost enough good careful drivers women’s clothing are finished an extremely basic idea Tell me where it is. I spoke to John when he was here. immediately after freshly baked bread the house in which she lives almost totally, almost late, almost all good enough * Enough can correctly be used before nouns: enough money, enough time. Enough may also be used before an adjective when the adjective comes before a noun. (There weren’t enough good seats at the concert.) Sample Items Goods (A) such as flowers fresh (B) and seafood (C) are often shipped (D) by air. The correct answer is (B). The adjective fresh must come before the noun flowers: fresh flowers. Visitors to Vancouver often comment (A) on how beautiful (B) its setting is (C) and on how clean is it (D). The correct answer is (D). The correct word order is subject + verb: it is. EXERCISE 27.1 Focus: Identifying and correcting word order in sentences Directions: If the word order of the underlined form is correct, mark the sentence C. If the word order is incorrect, mark the sentence X and write a correction in the blank following the sentence. ________ 1 The Douglas fir is the source chief of lumber in the state of Oregon. _____________________________________________________________________________________. ________ 2 The painted turtle is a colored brightly, smooth-shelled turtle. _____________________________________________________________________________________. ________ 3 Trained in Europe, John Sargent became an extremely successful portrait painter in the United States. _____________________________________________________________________________________. ________ 4 For thousands of years, humankind has asked the question, “How old the earth is?” _____________________________________________________________________________________. ________ 5 For thousands of years, humankind has wondered how old is the earth. _____________________________________________________________________________________. ________ 6 Ammonia, a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen, has many industrial uses. _____________________________________________________________________________________. ________ 7 The Atlantic coastline of the United States is about 400 longer miles than the Gulf coastline. _____________________________________________________________________________________. ________ 8 Identical colors may appear to be quite different when are they viewed against different backgrounds. _____________________________________________________________________________________. ________ 9 Zoos provide an opportunity to study a wide range of animals, often in their habitats natural. _____________________________________________________________________________________. ________ 10 The development of transistors made possible it to reduce the size of many electronic devices. _____________________________________________________________________________________. ________ 11 The air of the upper atmosphere is just enough dense to ignite meteors by friction. _____________________________________________________________________________________. ________ 12 Monterey, California, has long been a center for artists and artisans. _____________________________________________________________________________________. ________ 13 Cirrus clouds are composed entirely almost of ice crystals. _____________________________________________________________________________________. ________ 14 Many sailboats are equipped with small engines for times when there is not enough wind. _____________________________________________________________________________________. ________ 15 Before the 1940s, most runways were too much short for long-distance airplanes to take off from, so many long-distance aircraft were seaplanes. _____________________________________________________________________________________. ________ 16 Margaret Wise Brown was a successful writer of books children’s. _____________________________________________________________________________________. EXERCISE 27.2 Focus: Identifying errors involving word order (Note: One or two items in this exercise do not focus on word order errors. These are marked in the answer key with an asterisk.) Directions: For Sentence Completion items, mark the answer choice—(A), (B), (C), or (D)—which correctly completes the sentence. For Error Identification items, circle the underlined portion of the sentence that would not be considered correct. 1 Hills known as land islands, or salt domes, are ____________________________ Louisiana’s marshlands. (A) extremely interesting features of (B) of extremely interesting features (C) interesting extremely features of (D) extremely interesting of features 2 During pioneer times (A), the Allegheny Mountains were (B) a barrier major (C) to transportation. 3 An umbra is a shadow’s darkest (A) central part (B) where is light (C) totally excluded (D). 4 ____________________ of chamber music is the string quartet. (A) The famous most form (B) The most famous form (C) The form most famous (D) Most the form famous 5 In Philadelphia’s Franklin Institute, there is (A) a working model (B) of a human heart (C) enough large (D) for visitors to walk through. 6 Not until the seventeenth century _____________________ to measure the speed of light. (A) did anyone even attempt (B) anyone did even attempt (C) did anyone attempt even (D) did even attempt anyone 7 Alfalfa is ____________________ for livestock. (A) a primarily grown crop (B) grown primarily a crop (C) a crop grown primarily (D) a grown crop primarily 8 The Franklin stove, which became common in the 1790s, burned wood ________________________ an open fireplace. (A) efficiently much more than (B) much more efficiently than (C) much more than efficiently (D) more efficiently much than 9 Mutualism is a relationship between (A) animal species (B) which in (C) both benefit (D). 10 Reinforced concrete is concrete that is strengthened by metal bars _____________________. (A) in it that are embedded (B) embedded that are in it (C) are that it embedded in (D) that are embedded in it 11 Most southern states had set up primary school systems by the late eighteenth century, but only in New England ________________________ and open to all students. (A) primary schools were free (B) were primary schools free (C) free were primary schools (D) were free primary schools 12 Sloths are moving slow (A), shaggy mammals that are often seen (B) hanging upside down (C) from tree limbs (D). 13 Geometry is useful ___________________________ carpentry and navigation. (A) as in such diverse occupations (B) such as in diverse occupations (C) in such diverse occupations as (D) diverse occupations such as in 14 To grow well (A), a tree must be (B) well-suited (C) to the area where is it (D) planted. 15 The minerals grains (A) in basalt are much too (B) small to be seen (C) with the unaided eye (D). 16 Frank Lloyd Wright is known for (A) his original highly (B) methods of harmonizing buildings (C) with their surroundings (D). 17 __________________________ of the early years of space exploration was the discovery of the Van Allen radiation belt in 1958. (A) Perhaps the greatest triumph (B) The triumph perhaps greatest (C) The greatest perhaps triumph (D) The triumph greatest perhaps 18 Some algae are microscopic (A) and consist of one only (B) cell, but others are large plants (C) containing many cells (D). 19 A fully grown (A) male mountain lion (B) may be (C) 8 long feet (D). 20 Today ______________________________ major new products without conducting elaborate market research. (A) corporations hardly introduce ever (B) hardly ever corporations introduce (C) hardly ever introduce corporations (D) corporations hardly ever introduce 21 Across the Chesapeake Bay from the rest of the state ______________________________, whose farms produce beans, tomatoes, and other garden vegetables. (A) there lies Maryland’s Eastern Shore (B) lies Maryland’s Eastern Shore (C) Maryland’s Eastern Shore lies there (D) Maryland’s Eastern Shore lies 22 Stone fruits are fruits such as (A) peaches and plums in which (B) a hard pit surrounded is (C) by soft pulp (D). 23 Acidophilus bacteria are _________________ in an acid medium. (A) those that grow best (B) those grow best that (C) that those grow best (D) grow best those that 24 Job enrichment is a technique used (A) to increase satisfaction workers’ (B) by giving them (C) more responsibilities (D).

ANSWER KEY