Improving Sentences
Hearing that the Statue of Liberty did not have a pedestal, a campaign was begun by Joseph Pulitzer to raise money for the construction of one.
- (A) a campaign was begun by Joseph Pulitzer to raise money
- (B) a campaign to raise money was initiated by Joseph Pulitzer
- (C) money was raised in a campaign by Joseph Pulitzer
- (D) Joseph Pulitzer began a campaign to raise money CORRECT ANSWER
- (E) Joseph Pulitzer had campaigned to raise money
Correct Answer: D
Explanation:
This sentence contains an error of modification. The introductory clause, "Hearing that the Statue of Liberty did not have a pedestal," cannot modify "campaign": a campaign to raise money cannot hear things. As it is Joseph Pulitzer who did the hearing, choices D and E initially seem plausible. Choice E, however, unjustifiably uses the past perfect ("had campaigned"), leaving D as the only correct choice. The correct sentence reads: Hearing that the Statue of Liberty did not have a pedestal, Joseph Pulitzer began a campaign to raise money for the construction of one.