857. There is speculation that increasing cold weather was what may have been responsible for the Anasazi move from Mesa Verde to sites in other canyons.
(A) that increasing cold weather was what may have been
(B) whether increasing cold weather was what was
(C) that increasingly cold weather was what had been
(D) whether increasingly cold weather may have been what was
(E) that increasingly cold weather may have been
Solution:
Modifiers
Increasing is an adjective, whereas increasingly is an Adverb.
Adjectives are used to modify the nouns whereas adverbs are use to modify the verbs, adverbs and gerunds. Adverb cannot directly modify noun without using preposition between adverb and noun.
Here increasing/increasingly modifies the adjective cold which is modifying weather (noun). So, to modify adjective we need to pickup adverb rather than an adjective. In this way, choice A and B are eliminated.
In C, past perfect tense is used. Instead of that present perfect continuous is required.
In D, whether what was is awkward and leads to a poor sentence structure.
In E, increasingly (adverb) correctly modifies cold (adjective) which is modifying weather (noun).
Hence, E is the best choice.
Sentence Correction - 1000 Questions with Solution:
(A) that increasing cold weather was what may have been
(B) whether increasing cold weather was what was
(C) that increasingly cold weather was what had been
(D) whether increasingly cold weather may have been what was
(E) that increasingly cold weather may have been
Solution:
Modifiers
Increasing is an adjective, whereas increasingly is an Adverb.
Adjectives are used to modify the nouns whereas adverbs are use to modify the verbs, adverbs and gerunds. Adverb cannot directly modify noun without using preposition between adverb and noun.
Here increasing/increasingly modifies the adjective cold which is modifying weather (noun). So, to modify adjective we need to pickup adverb rather than an adjective. In this way, choice A and B are eliminated.
In C, past perfect tense is used. Instead of that present perfect continuous is required.
In D, whether what was is awkward and leads to a poor sentence structure.
In E, increasingly (adverb) correctly modifies cold (adjective) which is modifying weather (noun).
Hence, E is the best choice.
Sentence Correction - 1000 Questions with Solution: