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Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

Is there a grammatical error in this sentence?

"Although the candidate promised both to cut taxes and improve services, he failed to keep either of the promises after the election."

This is a SAT verbal section practice question. My mother says either should be neither. My brother thinks the sentence does not have any grammatical error.
Is there any grammatical error in the above sentence?
  

Top answer

Hi Anon; I think that the conjunction "both" is misplaced. It needs to join the two verb+object phrases, after the infinitive marker "to". Although the candidate promised to both cut taxes and improve services, he failed to keep either of the promises after the election.

— AlpheccaStars

  • Hi Anon; I think that the conjunction "both" is misplaced.
  • It needs to join the two verb+object phrases, after the infinitive marker "to".
  • Although the candidate promised to both cut taxes and improve services, he failed to keep either of the promises after the election.
  • Regards, A- s
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4 Answers
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Hi Anon;

I think that the conjunction "both" is misplaced. It needs to join the two verb+object phrases, after the infinitive marker "to".

Although the candidate promised to both cut taxes and improve services, he failed to keep either of the promises after the election.

Regards,
A-
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AnonymousIs there any grammatical error in the above sentence?
I don't see one. neither certainly won't do in place of either.

CJ
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AlpheccaStarsto both cut
But won't that split an infinitive? I don't know how strict the SAT people are about split infinitives, but I wouldn't chance it if it were me!

CJ
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The other alternative is to add a second infinitive marker in front of the other verb+object phrase.
I considered that, but the first sounded more natural.
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