Question

Read the following paragraph and answer the question. 1George Washington was born on February 22, 1732, in Westmoreland County, Virginia. 2Contrary to popular belief, his teeth were not made of wood. 3By the age of twenty-three, he had already established himself as a military hero in the French and Indian War. 4Four years later, he met and married Martha Dandridge Custis, a young widow whose husband had died. 5Although they raised Martha's children from her previous marriage and two of their grandchildren, the couple never had any children of their own. 6Washington died two years before his wife. 7He became active in local politics and eventually became a leader in speaking out against the magisterial British rule. 8When war broke out in 1775, he was chosen as commander-in-chief of the American troops. 9At the end of the war, he was unanimously elected the nation's first president. 10He served two terms and then retired to his home, Mount Vernon. 11He died on December 12, 1799, from pneumonia and bad weather. Which of the following sentences most needs to be rewritten to avoid confusion? sentence 3 sentence 11 sentence 8 sentence 1

Answer 1

Sentence 11

In sentence 11, it sounds like bad weather killed George Washington. Most likely bad weather caused the pneumonia which eventually killed him - not the weather. Sentence 1 makes sense as it is; it clearly states Washington's birth date and location. Sentence 3 is clear as it shows he was highly accomplished at the age of 23. Sentence 8 is also clear in its description of Washington's appointment as commander-in-chief.