Question #N1296

An essay about the impact of social media on the modern world is expected to be structured logically. This ensures that the reader can follow the arguments and ideas presented in the essay. There are several ways to ensure that an essay is well-structured. For example, one technique is to use transition words to connect ideas and paragraphs. Transition words help the reader to understand the relationship between the different parts of the essay. However, it is important to make sure that the transition words used are appropriate for the specific context and that they are used correctly.

Which choice best completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A. They can help to clarify the meaning of an essay’s ideas, to help the reader to see how the essay’s ideas relate to one another.
B. They can help to clarify the meaning of an essay’s ideas, helping the reader to see how the essay’s ideas relate to one another.
C. They help to clarify the meaning of an essay’s ideas, to help the reader see how the essay’s ideas relate to one another.
D. They help to clarify the meaning of an essay’s ideas, helping the reader see how the essay’s ideas relate to one another.

Correct Answer is: A

Choice A uses parallel structure for clarity and conciseness. The phrases "to help the reader to see" and "to help the essay’s ideas relate to one another" have the same grammatical structure, which makes the sentence flow more smoothly and makes the meaning easier to understand. The other choices use a mix of finite and nonfinite verb forms, creating a disjointed sentence structure.