Complete the 12 sentences below. Choose the best answer for each one.
1............... the sample is relatively small, the study raises a legitimate question about how local authorities allocate funding.
Wrong!
Use "Although" before a full clause with subject and verb; despite is followed by a noun phrase or -ing form.
2The interviews suggest that younger employees avoid formal complaints but discuss problems informally with colleagues; ............... should not be mistaken for indifference.
Wrong!
Use "This pattern" to refer clearly to the whole trend described in the previous sentence; "these" alone has no clear plural noun to refer to.
3Taken on its own, the single longitudinal study ............... that remote supervision may affect early-career researchers differently from senior staff.
Wrong!
Use "suggests" because limited evidence supports a cautious interpretation, not a conclusive claim.
4The current subsidy model is financially unsustainable; ..............., the committee recommends a gradual reduction rather than an immediate cut.
Wrong!
Use "therefore" because the second clause presents a result of the first, not a contrast.
5In her response to the policy review, Nair ............... that efficiency gains are unlikely unless training budgets are protected.
Wrong!
Use "argues" when the source advances a reasoned position that must be evaluated in a critical discussion.
6The proposed reform is ............... difficult to implement in rural districts.
Wrong!
Use "not only politically controversial but also" for the correct correlative pair not only ... but also.
7The second survey included ............... participants, so its apparently stronger result should be interpreted cautiously.
Wrong!
Use "fewer" with countable plural nouns such as "participants".
8A targeted pilot scheme may be preferable ............... a nationwide reform that has not been adequately costed.
Wrong!
Use "to" after "preferable"; the pattern is preferable to, not preferable than.
9The analysis ignores several institutional factors, ............... public trust and administrative capacity, that strongly affect implementation.
Wrong!
Use "such as" to introduce examples; "as" alone does not work in this example-listing frame.
10The coding procedure is transparent; ..............., it excludes several cases that do not fit the researchers' categories.
Wrong!
Use "nevertheless" because the second clause qualifies the first by introducing an opposing consideration.
11The author cites the available ............... but does not explain why contradictory findings were excluded.
Wrong!
Use "evidence" as an uncountable noun in standard academic English.
12Presenting the percentage without the underlying numbers may lead readers ............... the scale of the problem.
Wrong!
Use "to misinterpret" because the structure is "lead someone to do something": 'lead readers to misinterpret'.
Exercise complete
0 out of 12
correct answers
Answers
- Although the sample is relatively small, the study raises a legitimate question about how local authorities allocate funding.
- The interviews suggest that younger employees avoid formal complaints but discuss problems informally with colleagues; This pattern should not be mistaken for indifference.
- Taken on its own, the single longitudinal study suggests that remote supervision may affect early-career researchers differently from senior staff.
- The current subsidy model is financially unsustainable; therefore, the committee recommends a gradual reduction rather than an immediate cut.
- In her response to the policy review, Nair argues that efficiency gains are unlikely unless training budgets are protected.
- The proposed reform is not only politically controversial but also difficult to implement in rural districts.
- The second survey included fewer participants, so its apparently stronger result should be interpreted cautiously.
- A targeted pilot scheme may be preferable to a nationwide reform that has not been adequately costed.
- The analysis ignores several institutional factors, such as public trust and administrative capacity, that strongly affect implementation.
- The coding procedure is transparent; nevertheless, it excludes several cases that do not fit the researchers’ categories.
- The author cites the available evidence but does not explain why contradictory findings were excluded.
- Presenting the percentage without the underlying numbers may lead readers to misinterpret the scale of the problem.