Question 237·Hard·Form, Structure, and Sense
Although originally developed for military communication, ______ reached mainstream consumers only after cellular towers became sufficiently widespread.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
For sentence-structure and modifier questions, first identify what the introductory phrase is describing and ensure the very next meaningful noun is the logical match. Then check that the completed sentence has a clear subject–verb structure without extra clauses or pronouns that create dangling modifiers. Eliminate choices that are illogical (what is or is not "developed"), ungrammatical (too many verbs or clauses), or wordy "it was X that" constructions, and choose the concise option that fits both grammar and meaning.
Hints
Match the introductory phrase to the subject
Focus on the phrase before the comma: "Although originally developed for military communication." Ask yourself: what was originally developed? The blank must name that thing.
Check that the blank can be the subject of "reached"
After you fill in the blank, the word in the blank should be the subject of the verb "reached." Make sure the sentence doesn’t end up with extra verbs or a full clause where only a noun is needed.
Watch out for dangling modifiers and extra pronouns
Be careful with options that introduce "it" or long verb phrases. The introductory modifier should clearly and directly describe the first meaningful noun after the comma, not a vague pronoun or an action.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the sentence structure
The sentence starts with an introductory phrase: "Although originally developed for military communication," followed by a comma. This phrase is a modifier and must logically describe the noun that comes right after the comma. That noun (in the blank) will be the subject of the main clause and must work with the verb "reached." So the blank must be a noun phrase that can:
- Be something that was "originally developed for military communication"
- Grammatically serve as the subject of the verb "reached"
Check each option for grammar and logic
Go through the answer choices and see how the full sentence sounds.
-
A) "Although originally developed for military communication, the mainstream adoption of mobile phones reached mainstream consumers…"
This makes it sound like the adoption was "originally developed for military communication," which is illogical. Also, "adoption" is not what is developed. -
B) "Although originally developed for military communication, consumers began adopting mobile phones reached mainstream consumers…"
This creates a grammatical mess: it has a full clause "consumers began adopting mobile phones" before the verb "reached," so the structure breaks. You end up with two verbs in a row that don’t fit together. -
D) "Although originally developed for military communication, it was mobile phone technology that reached mainstream consumers…"
Here, the introductory phrase directly precedes "it," so grammatically the modifier is attached to the pronoun "it," which makes the modifier dangling and unclear. It also makes the sentence wordier than necessary.
Identify the option that fits cleanly
The remaining option is a simple noun phrase that can reasonably be "developed for military communication" and can serve as the subject of "reached." Plugging it in gives:
"Although originally developed for military communication, mobile phone technology reached mainstream consumers only after cellular towers became sufficiently widespread."
This version is clear, logical, and grammatically correct, so the correct answer is C) mobile phone technology.