PrepTest 120, Section 4, Question 12
Novelist: Any author who thinks a sentence is(59 more words not shown)
The reasoning in the novelist's(6 more words not shown)
- Ainfers, from the(16 more words not shown)
- Binfers, from the(23 more words not shown)
- Coverlooks the possibility(14 more words not shown)
- Dpresumes, without providing(12 more words not shown)
- Eignores the possibility(20 more words not shown)
Reading the argument
What if the author isn't sure? I write a sentence, look at it, and think, “That sounds a little odd. Is it grammatical?” That's exactly when a grammar book could help. I don't already believe the sentence is wrong, and I'm not confident it's right.
What we’re looking for
The novelist covers two situations: an author thinks a sentence is ungrammatical, or an author is sure it's grammatical. But those aren't the only states of mind available. We could be uncertain. We could even use the reference book to reach the judgment the novelist takes as already settled. The flaw answer should identify those missing people in the middle. We're not looking for a third possibility about the sentence itself. It can be grammatical or ungrammatical while the writer remains unsure which it is.
Working the answers
- A
The novelist doesn't begin with a rule saying authors should avoid grammar books and then predict that they'll obey it. The premises concern whether authors feel a need to consult a book; the conclusion says the books are useless as references. A inserts a recommendation that isn't there.
- B
This starts with an author not mistakenly thinking a sentence is ungrammatical. The novelist never gives us that claim about whether an author's judgment is mistaken. The problem is broader and simpler: the two described situations leave out uncertainty. B doesn't accurately describe the inference the novelist makes.
- C
Grammar books could be useful to people who aren't authors, but the conclusion is only about their usefulness to authors. Pointing out another group of users doesn't challenge that narrower claim. The uncertain author in our example does.
- D
The conclusion says grammar books are useless as reference sources for authors. It doesn't say they have no possible use of any kind. Whether a book could serve some other purpose leaves the claimed lack of usefulness as a reference untouched.
- ECorrect
The author could be neither sure the sentence is grammatical nor convinced that it's ungrammatical. A grammar book could resolve that uncertainty. The novelist's two cases don't cover this ordinary reason to consult a reference, so they don't justify dismissing grammar books as useless.
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