The first shots of the American Revolution, fired at
The first shots of the American Revolution, fired at Lexington and Concord. Massachusetts, were, according to legend, heard around the world, but news of these shots, which were sent by swift messenger, took four days in reaching New York City as well as another additional eleven days to reach Charleston, South Carolina.
A. shots, which were sent by swift messenger, took four days in reaching New York City as well as another additional eleven days
B. shots that was sent by swift messenger took four days in order to reach New York City, and also another eleven days
C. shots that were sent by swift messenger took four days to reach New York City and another eleven days
D. shots took four days by swift messenger in order to reach New York City and another eleven days in addition
E. shots took four days by swift messenger to reach New York City and another eleven days
Please discuss the reasons to eliminate the incorrect options. What is being modified by which and that in options A,B and C.
(The first shots) is the subject and its a singular so we need to eliminate the ones with were so that immediately removes A and C.
The verb here is were sent .
The options D and E make it sound as though the shots took 4 days rather than the news of the shots which was sent by the Swift Messenger.
So we can eliminate these two options.
That leaves us with option B as the only answer.
The OA is E.
I need explanation with regards to the following:
In option A it says …… ” , but news of these shots, which were sent by swift messenger” wouldn’t which separated by the comma modify the entire phrase before it, hence modifying the news of these shots?
In option B and C what is “that” modifying…the shots?
“The first shots of the American Revolution“…. is the subject singular here
I think “which” and “that” both refer to “news of these shots”.
Problem with A is redundancy – ‘another + additional’.
