ATI TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills) Version 7English and Language UsageHard
A student is writing an essay about the importance of empathy in patient care. They write: 'Empathy fosters trust between patients and healthcare providers; thereby, improving patient outcomes.' Which of the following grammatical errors is present in the sentence?
- AIncorrect punctuation for a semicolon
- BRun-on sentence
- CMisuse of 'thereby'
- DSubject-verb agreement error
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Misuse of 'thereby'
'Thereby' is an adverb meaning 'by that means' or 'as a result of that'. It should directly precede a present participle (e.g., 'thereby improving'). The semicolon incorrectly separates 'thereby' from the main clause in a way that creates a grammatical error, as 'thereby improving patient outcomes' is not an independent clause. A comma or restructuring would be needed.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. The semicolon is indeed incorrectly used here because 'thereby, improving patient outcomes' is not an independent clause. This is a consequence of the misuse of 'thereby' in this structure.
- B. The sentence is not a run-on; it attempts to connect clauses, but the connection is flawed due to the misuse of 'thereby' with the semicolon.
- D. The subject 'Empathy' agrees with the verb 'fosters' (singular-singular).
Thereby vs. Therefore
'Thereby' is an adverb meaning 'by that means' or 'as a result of that'. 'Therefore' is a conjunctive adverb meaning 'for that reason' or 'consequently'.
- Thereby: usually followed by a participle (-ing form), forming a participial phrase that modifies the preceding clause.
- Therefore: connects two independent clauses, often preceded by a semicolon and followed by a comma.
- Both indicate consequence or result but are used in different grammatical structures.
Memory trick: Thereby's a Means, Therefore's a Reason