Question

Seldom more than 40 feet wide and 12 feet deep, but it ran 363 miles across the rugged wilderness of upstate New York, the Erie Canal connected the Hudson River at Albany to the Great Lakes at Buffalo, providing the port of New York City with a direct water link to the heartland of the North American continent.
Which of the following is the correct version of the sentence?

• A. Seldom more than 40 feet wide and 12 feet deep, but it ran 363 miles across the rugged wilderness of upstate New York, the Erie Canal connected
• B. Seldom more than 40 feet wide or 12 feet deep but running 363 miles across the rugged wilderness of upstate New York, the Erie Canal connected
• C. It was seldom more than 40 feet wide and 12 feet deep and ran 363 miles across the rugged wilderness of upstate New York, but the Erie Canal, connecting
• D. The Erie Canal was seldom more than 40 feet wide or 12 feet deep and it ran 363 miles across the rugged wilderness of upstate New York, which connected
• E. The Erie Canal, seldom more than 40 feet wide and 12 feet deep, but running 363 miles across the rugged wilderness of upstate New York, which connected

Hint:

When modifying a noun with descriptive phrases, use commas to separate the modifying phrases for better clarity.

Answer 1

Answer: (E)

Step 1: Identifying sentence structure.
The sentence needs to describe the Erie Canal's characteristics first and then provide the connecting clause. Option (E) uses commas effectively to separate the main clause from the modifying phrases.
Step 2: Analyzing the options.
- (A) The sentence structure is incomplete and lacks clarity.
- (B) This option is awkward because "running" doesn’t fit seamlessly with the rest of the sentence.
- (C) This introduces unnecessary changes and is slightly awkward in phrasing.
- (D) The sentence is somewhat confusing in its structure and doesn't fit the flow of the narrative.
- (E) This is the correct answer. It is well-structured and clear, with proper use of commas and modifiers.
Step 3: Conclusion.
The correct answer is (E), as it provides a clear and grammatically sound structure.