Question 189·Hard·Form, Structure, and Sense
Hoping to improve residents’ access to fresh produce, _____ partnered with local farmers to convert several vacant lots into community gardens.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
For this type of Standard English question, first identify what role the blank plays (subject, verb, connector, etc.). Then read the full sentence with each option and ask: Does the structure stay clear and active? Does any opening modifier (like Hoping to...) logically describe the subject that follows the comma? Eliminate answers that create dangling modifiers, awkward passive constructions (were ... by), unnecessary wordiness (it was ... that), or incorrect pronoun use. Choose the most concise option that keeps the meaning logical and the grammar standard.
Hints
Focus on the opening phrase
Look at Hoping to improve residents’ access to fresh produce, .... Whatever comes right after the comma must be the one that is doing the hoping. Who logically has that hope?
Identify the role of the blank
The blank comes just before partnered with local farmers. Think about what the subject of partnered should be. Which choices put a clear doer of the action before partnered?
Watch for passive and wordy constructions
Some options turn the sentence into passive voice (using were ... by) or add extra words like it was ... that. On these questions, prefer a clear, active, and concise subject–verb structure when it is grammatically correct.
Check pronoun and noun logic
Ask whether the main noun in each choice can logically be both the one "hoping" and the one "partnering." Also, notice whether any choice uses a pronoun like who for nonhuman groups, which can be a problem.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the sentence structure
The sentence starts with a modifier: Hoping to improve residents’ access to fresh produce, ... followed by a comma and then the main clause.
That opening phrase is a describing phrase (a participial phrase) and must logically describe the subject that comes immediately after the comma. So the blank must begin the main clause and provide the subject of partnered.
Decide who is "hoping" and who "partnered"
Ask: Who is hoping to improve residents’ access to fresh produce? It must be some people or groups (not things like vacant lots) who can both:
- have the hope, and
- partner with local farmers to convert the lots.
So the subject after the comma should be a group that can take these actions, and it should be stated in a direct, active way: [subject] partnered with local farmers...
Check each option for grammar and logic
Now mentally plug each option into the sentence and look for issues:
- Does it make the subject something that can logically be "hoping" and "partnering"?
- Does it avoid awkward passive voice (
were converted by,were partnered with)? - Does it avoid unnecessary extra words like
it was ... that? - Does it use appropriate pronouns (
whovs.that) for nonhuman groups?
Eliminate any choice that:
- makes the vacant lots or local farmers the grammatical subject of the sentence, or
- creates a wordy or awkward structure, or
- uses an incorrect relative pronoun for organizations.
Select the concise, correct subject
Only a coalition of neighborhood organizations:
- provides a clear, logical subject that can be "hoping" and can "partner with local farmers",
- keeps the verb
partneredin a direct, active form, and - avoids unnecessary, awkward extra words or incorrect pronouns.
So the best completion is: Hoping to improve residents’ access to fresh produce, **a coalition of neighborhood organizations** partnered with local farmers to convert several vacant lots into community gardens.