ACT (Enhanced)EnglishMedium
A student is revising an essay and encounters the following sentence: "Despite their best efforts, the team was unable to complete the project on time." The student wants to make the sentence more concise and impactful without changing its meaning. Which of the following revisions best achieves this goal?
- ADespite their best efforts, the team could not complete the project on time.
- BEven though they tried their best, the team could not complete the project on time.
- CThe team was unable to complete the project on time, despite their best efforts.
- DThe team's best efforts notwithstanding, the project was not completed on time.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. The team's best efforts notwithstanding, the project was not completed on time.
Option D uses the word 'notwithstanding' to concisely convey the idea of 'despite their best efforts' and rephrases 'was unable to complete' to 'was not completed,' creating a more direct and impactful statement.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. This option largely retains the original phrasing and does not significantly improve conciseness or impact.
- B. This option replaces 'despite their best efforts' with a more wordy phrase ('Even though they tried their best'), making it less concise.
- C. This option rearranges the clauses but does not reduce wordiness or enhance impact beyond the original.
Conciseness in Writing
Conciseness in writing refers to expressing ideas clearly and effectively using the fewest possible words. It improves readability and impact.
- Eliminate redundant words and phrases.
- Use strong verbs and avoid passive voice when appropriate.
- Replace wordy phrases with single words or shorter constructions.
Memory trick: Cut the fluff, hit the mark, make your words spark!