Question

While brokers, as a rule, are not permitted to know executive access codes, in many instances they are widely known.

• A. they are widely known
• B. they are widely known to be
• C. they are widely known by many
• D. the codes are able to be widely known
• E. the codes are widely known

Hint:

If you spot a pronoun that could logically refer to more than one noun in the sentence, it's likely an ambiguity error. The clearest solution is often to replace the pronoun with the specific noun.

Answer 1

Answer: (E)

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This question tests pronoun ambiguity. A pronoun should refer to only one possible antecedent to avoid confusion.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
In the original sentence, the pronoun "they" is ambiguous. It could refer to "brokers" or to "executive access codes." Both are plural nouns that appear before the pronoun. The logical meaning of the sentence is that the codes are widely known, not the brokers. However, the grammatical structure leaves this unclear.
To fix the ambiguity, the pronoun "they" should be replaced with the specific noun it is intended to refer to.
Option (E) replaces "they" with "the codes," which makes the meaning of the sentence clear and unambiguous. Option (D) is awkward and unidiomatic ("able to be known").
Step 3: Final Answer:
The pronoun "they" has two possible antecedents ("brokers" and "codes"), creating ambiguity. Replacing "they" with "the codes" clarifies the intended meaning.