Question

Given below are compound sentences. Choose the option that expresses a contrast in meaning:
A. You either go big or you go home.
B. We worked so hard for this event but it wasn't attended by a lot of people.
C. The rooms have been painted and the floor has been polished.
D. I had an assignment to complete, therefore I couldn't attend the party

Answer 1

Hint: We need a sentence with an Adversative Conjunction in order to find the contrast in the two clauses
Example: Although I studied hard yet I failed.

Complete step by step solution:
 Option a – You either go big or you go home:
Either-or, neither-nor, are alternative conjunctions and provide an option. It means that either of the two options is available or neither of the two options is available.
Example: Either you are God or you are the devil.
Option b – We worked so hard for this event but it wasn't attended by a lot of people:
This option uses the Adversative Conjunction – ‘but’. The two clauses express that ‘We worked hard’ but ‘It didn’t work’. Hence there is a contrast in the result of the action.
Example: He is very rich but he is not happy.
Option c – The rooms have been painted and the floor has been polished:
‘And’ is Cumulative Conjunctions and expresses a positive result in the 2nd clause.
Example: The patient got up and walked away.
Option d – I had an assignment to complete, therefore I couldn't attend the party:
Therefore, is an Adverbial Conjunction and draws an inference that because incident ‘A’ occurred therefore ‘B’ followed. Hence as per the option, because the speaker had an assignment therefore, he couldn’t go to the party.

Thus, the correct option is ‘b’ as it contains the Adversative Conjunction required for contrast in the meanings of two clauses.

Note:
A compound sentence is formed by two completely free clauses with their individual meanings. The two clauses in an Adversative Compound Sentence contrast each other in meaning and are separated by Adversative Conjunctions. For e.g.: but, still, although-yet, whereas, while, nevertheless etc.