QUESTION TYPE: Flawed Reasoning
CONCLUSION: Grammar books are useless as reference sources for authors.
REASONING: An author will not use a grammar book if they are sure that a sentence is right or sure that it is wrong.
ANALYSIS: What if an author isn’t sure? Ignoring the middle ground is a common error. This one is easy if you read all the way to answer choice E without getting distracted.
___________
- If you can show me where the stimulus says authors should not consult grammar books, I’ll mail you $5,000. It said they will not.
- The stimulus does not discuss an author “not mistakenly thinking that a sentence is ungrammatical.” It talks about what happens when an author is sure that a sentence is grammatical.
- The conclusion was that reference books are useless for authors, not that reference books are useless for everyone.
- The conclusion is very specific: “useless as reference sources for authors.” They could have other uses. Doorstops?
- CORRECT. Yes. An author might be unsure whether a sentence is grammatical, and reach for their grammar book.
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