Question in-the
In the historical novel The Surrender Tree, Cuban American author Margarita Engle uses poetry rather than prose blank the true story of Cuban folk hero Rosa La Bayamesa.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
tells
told
is telling
to tell
In the historical novel The Surrender Tree , Cuban American author Margarita Engle uses poetry rather
Medium-difficulty · SAT Reading & Writing · Form, Structure, and Sense — Parallel structure. Read the question above, select your answer, and check the full explanation below to understand exactly why the correct choice works.
Answer explanation
Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of finite and nonfinite verb forms within a sentence. The nonfinite to-infinitive “to tell” is correctly used to form a nonfinite (infinitive) clause that explains the reason Engle uses poetry in her novel.
Choice A is incorrect because the finite present tense verb “tells” can’t be used in this way to explain the reason that Engle uses poetry in her novel. Choice B is incorrect because the finite past tense verb “told” can’t be used in this way to explain the reason that Engle uses poetry in her novel. Choice C is incorrect because the finite present progressive tense verb “is telling” can’t be used in this way to explain the reason that Engle uses poetry in her novel.
More Form, Structure, and Sense practice questions
- In 1929, Edwin Herbert Land invented a polarizing filter that was featured in a
- The Globe Theatre in London is a reconstruction of the famed venue where many
- The radiation that ______ blank during the decay of radioactive atomic nuclei is known
- Earth is not a perfect sphere. Due to the ______ blank gravitational pull, Earth
- Slam poet Elizabeth Acevedo’s debut novel The Poet X , winner of the 2018
- Increased gender diversity is revitalizing the field of economics, according to
- In 1903, environmentalist John Muir guided President Theodore Roosevelt on a scenic,
- Woven from recycled yarn and hand tufted using a carpet weaving technique passed down
Browse all Expression of Ideas practice questions or return to the full SAT question bank.