Participles and quantifiers

Question

Hello,Could you help me with these?1) Of the ... machines invented in the late 19 century, ... had a more impact on the US economy than the automobile.a)plenty / few   b) many / none2) ... in the region ever since he was born, he didn't hesitate to be our guide during the expedition. a) living    b) to be living    c) to have lived    d) having been living   e) to have been living

Avangi · Accepted Answer

Hi, c.c.

Would you mind giving us your opinions on these first? (Then we can correct them.)

Thanks. - A.

Cybercrystal · Answer

For the first one I'd say A, but I can't explain why B is not ok, and for the other one I'd say C

Avangi · Answer

cybercrystal1) Of the ... machines invented in the late 19 century, ... had a more impact on the US economy than the automobile.

a)plenty / few b) many / none

This turns out to be a history question as well as a grammar question. Both choices are grammatically correct in the second "blank."
By the way, "had a more impact on X" is ungrammatical.
You can say, "had more impact on X," OR "had a greater impact on X."

Personally, I thought there were many machines invented in the late 19th century.
But "Of the plenty machines" is ungrammatical, so we must choose "Of the few machines."

So if there were only a few machines invented, it would not make much sense to say that many of them had more impact than the auto.
Most of us know historically that the impact of the automobile has been tremendous. None has been greater!
(None had more impact than the auto.)

The use of the past tense "had" makes us wonder if the question refers only to the economic impact during the late 19th century.
The present perfect would make more sense: has had more impact.

cybercrystal2) ... in the region ever since he was born, he didn't hesitate to be our guide during the expedition.
a) living b) to be living c) to have lived d) having been living e) to have been living

In my opinion, both (a) and (d) are correct. My guess is that your teacher wants (d).

Participles and quantifiers

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions