"Should the Writer Add..." Question
Question
The author is considering adding the following sentence: "The bridge was designed by an architecture firm based in Chicago." Should the author add it?
Answer choices
- No, because the firm's location is not interesting to the reader.
- No, because it introduces a detail unrelated to the paragraph's focus on commute times.
- Yes, because it adds variety to the otherwise short paragraph.
- Yes, because it provides relevant background about the bridge's origin.
B Correct answer: B) No, because it introduces a detail unrelated to the paragraph's focus on commute times.
The paragraph is about commute times, not about who designed the bridge. Adding architectural-firm trivia would derail the paragraph. The answer is "No," and the right reason is the topical irrelevance — not vague claims about reader interest.
The other options either introduce a grammatical error or change the intended meaning. The ACT consistently rewards the most concise, grammatically correct option.
Read the sentence with each option substituted in. The version that preserves meaning while obeying the underlying rule is the correct answer; on the ACT, that is almost always the shortest option that still works.
The underlying rule
On "should the writer add" questions, the right answer matches the paragraph's actual focus. A grammatically perfect sentence is still wrong if it pulls the paragraph off-topic.
Why each wrong answer is wrong
- A) No, because the firm's location is not interesting to the reader.: This justification ignores the paragraph's established focus or relies on a vague reason ("variety," "interesting") rather than topical relevance.
- C) Yes, because it adds variety to the otherwise short paragraph.: This justification ignores the paragraph's established focus or relies on a vague reason ("variety," "interesting") rather than topical relevance.
- D) Yes, because it provides relevant background about the bridge's origin.: This justification ignores the paragraph's established focus or relies on a vague reason ("variety," "interesting") rather than topical relevance.
Study tip
On add/delete questions, identify the paragraph's topic in one sentence first. Any addition that does not advance that topic is wrong, even if it is true and grammatically perfect.
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