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Lcchang Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

TOEIC/ to develop or developing

Igor Sikorski was the first person _____ a modern helicopter.

(A) to develop
(B) the development
(C) developing
(D) developed

The answer key says A is correct, that's for sure, but I wonder why C can not be the answer too.

I suppose:

Igor Sikorski was the first person who developed a modern helicopter.
= Igor Sikorski was the first person developing a modern helicopter. (I cut out "who" and made "developing" as a present participle.)

Is my inference correct? Please advise.

LCChang
  

Top answer

There's nothing wrong with your logic. ), the next, the last or the only: It was the last train to leave the station. Roger Bannister was the first man to run the mile in under four minutes' time.

— Cool Breeze

  • There's nothing wrong with your logic.
  • ), the next, the last or the only: It was the last train to leave the station.
  • Roger Bannister was the first man to run the mile in under four minutes' time.
  • The next bus to arrive was the 95 from Nothingville.
  • CB
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3 Answers
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There's nothing wrong with your logic. English usage just very strongly prefers the infinitive (to develop) instead of the present participle (developing) in relative clause equivalents if the antecedent includes an ordinal (the first, the second, the third etc.), the next, the last or the only:

It was the last train to leave the station
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This is the very precious knowledge I have soaked up today. Thank you so much.
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"C" sounds like a possible correct answer, But it's not and the reason is because "developing" is a present participle which causes disagreement with "was the first person".
Try this on for size: Marco Polo was the first European to visit Mongolia. "Visiting" will not work.
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