Question

In the following sentence, some part of the sentence or the entire sentence is underlined. Beneath the sentence, you will find four ways of phrasing the underlined part. Choose the most appropriate option given in each of the sentences given below that is the best version than the underlined part of the sentence:
During her lecture, the speaker tried to clarify directional terms, for not everyone in attendance was knowledgeable that winds are designed by the direction from which they come. (CLAT, 2017)

• A. For everyone in attendance did not know.
• B. For not everyone attending knew.
• C. With everyone on attendance not knowing.
• D. With everyone attending not knowledgeable.

Answer 1

The correct option is B For not everyone attending knew.

Option B: This phrase 'for not everyone attending knew' shortens the underlined phrase, meanwhile keeping the meaning intact. The underlined phrase is unnecessarily extended. The words 'attendance' and knowledge' are converted to verb forms 'attended' and 'knew'. This makes it shorter and easier to understand. It is the best version out of all options and hence option B is correct.

Option A: The phrase has changed in meaning, by adding 'not' in the wrong place.

Option C: The phrase has changed in meaning, by adding 'not' in front of 'knowing'.

Option D: Here too, the sentence has changed in meaning.

Hence options A, C and D are wrong.