Question

Researchers have recently discovered a bacteria, Ideonella sakaiensis, in a recycling plant that eats one of the most common forms of plastic

• A. a bacteria, Ideonella sakaiensis, that eats one of the most common forms of plastic in a recycling plant.
• B. Ideonella sakaiensis, a bacteria that eats one of the most common forms of plastic, in a recycling plant
• C. a bacterium that eats one of the most common forms of plastic, Ideonella sakaiensis, in a recycling plant
• D. Ideonella sakaiensis, a bacterium that eats one of the most common forms of plastic, in a recycling plant.

Answer 1

The correct option is D Ideonella sakaiensis, a bacterium that eats one of the most common forms of plastic, in a recycling plant.

As the word ‘bacteria’ is plural, ‘a bacteria’ is incorrect. The singular form is ‘bacterium’.
By placing the modifier “that eats one of the most common forms of plastic” after ‘a recycling plant’, the given sentence implies the recycling plant eats plastic!
Option (c) is ambiguous, as the name of the bacterium follows ‘one of the most common forms of plastic’.
Only option (d) corrects all errors.