Question 30·Hard·Form, Structure, and Sense
Despite appearing haphazardly arranged, ______
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
For sentence-completion questions testing Standard English conventions, always read the sentence with each option inserted and check for modifier attachment: introductory phrases like "Despite appearing..." or "Having finished..." must describe the noun immediately after the comma. Quickly ask, "Who is doing this action or having this description?" Eliminate any choice where the grammar forces the modifier to describe the wrong thing (a dangling modifier) or where the wording becomes illogical or overly wordy, then choose the clearest, most direct remaining option.
Hints
Focus on the opening phrase
Look carefully at the phrase "Despite appearing haphazardly arranged". Ask yourself: what in the sentence is supposed to be "appearing haphazardly arranged"?
Use the rule about introductory modifiers
In standard English, an introductory phrase like this should describe the very next noun after the comma. Check what noun comes right after the comma in each answer choice.
Check for logical sense
Eliminate any option where the thing immediately after the comma could not realistically be said to "appear haphazardly arranged." Then choose among the remaining options for the clearest, most direct wording.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the structure of the sentence
Read the stem with the blank:
Despite appearing haphazardly arranged, ______
The phrase before the comma is a modifier. It describes who or what is "appearing haphazardly arranged." In correct English, the noun that this phrase describes should come immediately after the comma.
Decide who logically "appears haphazardly arranged"
Ask yourself: in the context of an ancient monument, what would look haphazard or random?
- The stones can appear haphazardly arranged.
- Archaeologists, a precise alignment, or a discovery do not naturally "appear haphazardly arranged."
So the noun right after the comma should be something that physically can look randomly arranged—most likely the stones.
Check the noun that comes right after the comma in each choice
Attach each answer choice to the stem and look at the first noun after the comma:
- A) "Despite appearing haphazardly arranged, archaeologists have discovered ..." → This makes it sound like archaeologists appear haphazardly arranged.
- B) "Despite appearing haphazardly arranged, a precise alignment between the stones ... has been discovered ..." → This makes it sound like the alignment appears haphazardly arranged.
- D) "Despite appearing haphazardly arranged, a discovery by archaeologists shows ..." → This makes it sound like the discovery appears haphazardly arranged.
All of these are illogical: they create a dangling modifier, where the describing phrase attaches to the wrong noun.
Select the choice that correctly matches the modifier
The remaining option begins right after the comma with the thing that can actually appear haphazardly arranged:
"Despite appearing haphazardly arranged, the stones of this ancient monument, archaeologists have discovered, align precisely with the setting sun on the winter solstice."
Here, the introductory phrase clearly and logically describes the stones, and the rest of the sentence is clear and concise. Therefore, the correct answer is:
C) the stones of this ancient monument, archaeologists have discovered, align precisely with the setting sun on the winter solstice.