Question

The following question presents a sentence, part or all of which is underlined. Select the answer that produces the most effective sentence; your answer should make the sentence clear, exact, and free of grammatical error. It should also minimize awkwardness, ambiguity, and redundancy.

Although she was considered among her contemporaries to be the better poet than her husband, later Elizabeth Barrett Browning was overshadowed by his success.

A) Although she was considered among her contemporaries to be the better poet than her husband, later Elizabeth Barrett Browning was overshadowed by his success
B)Although Elizabeth Barrett Browning was considered among her contemporaries as a better poet than her husband, she was later overshadowed by his success
C)Later overshadowed by the success of her husband, Elizabeth Barrett Browning's poetry had been considered among her contemporaries to be better than that of her husband
D)Although Elizabeth Barrett Browning's success was later overshadowed by that of her husband, among her contemporaries she was considered the better poet
E)Elizabeth Barrett Browning's poetry was considered among her contemporaries as better than her husband, but her success was later overshadowed by his.

Answer 1

Hint: Comma is used to separate two clauses. The focus should be put on the subject of the sentence in order to avoid ambiguity.

Complete step by step answer:
From the hint given to us, we know that commas are used in clauses to separate them from each other. We also know that focus should be put on the subject of the sentence in order to avoid it. We shall be analyzing all the options given to us with respect to what we know from the hint.
In the first option given to us, we observe that the comma precedes the word, ‘later’. However, it should be put after the word, ‘later’. Also, the clause that begins with the word, ‘later’ is a separate sentence. Hence, the option ‘a’ is not the correct answer.
In the second option given to us observe that more words have been used to express a particular thing. It makes the sentence redundant. Hence, option ‘b’ is not the correct answer.
In the third option given to us, we observe that the sequencing of the clauses is not chronological. It makes the sentence very ambiguous in nature. Hence, option ‘c’ is not the correct answer.
In the fourth option given to us, we observe that the phrases are chronologically placed, there is correct punctuation and the meaning of the sentence has been expressed in a crisp and clear manner. Hence, we can say option ’d’is possibly a correct answer.
In the fifth option given to us, we observe that the punctuation has not been done correctly. we also observe that the verb ‘was' is not followed by any object and is left incomplete. Hence, option ‘e’ is not the correct answer.

 After having observed and analyzed all the given options, we can say that option ‘d’ is the correct answer.

Note: Crisp and clear expression of a sentence helps in avoiding redundancy. The chronological sequence of the clauses helps in curbing the ambiguity of the language.