Question

The following question presents a sentence, part or all of which is underlined. Select the answer that produces the most effective sentence; your answer should make the sentence clear, exact, and free of grammatical error. It should also minimize awkwardness, ambiguity, and redundancy.

Similar to other early Mississippi Delta blues singers, the music of Robert Johnson arose from an oral tradition beginning with a mixture of chants, fiddle tunes, and religious music and only gradually evolved into the blues.

• A. Similar to other early Mississippi Delta blues singers, the music of Robert Johnson arose from an oral tradition beginning with
• B. Similar to that of other early Mississippi Delta blues singers, Robert Johnson made music that arose from an oral tradition that began with
• C. As with other early Mississippi Delta blues singers, Robert Johnson made music that arose from an oral tradition beginning as
• D. Like other early Mississippi Delta blues singers, Robert Johnson's music arose from an oral tradition beginning with
• E. Like the music of other early Mississippi Delta blues singers, the music of Robert Johnson arose from an oral tradition that began as

Answer 1

The correct option is E Like the music of other early Mississippi Delta blues singers, the music of Robert Johnson arose from an oral tradition that began as

The structure of the given sentence is wrong because the first past talks about early singers and the latter part talks about Johnson's music. In order for the sentence construction to be parallel and logical, the first part of the sentence should also refer to "music" and not "singers." Secondly, it is incorrect to say "tradition beginning with a mixture..." The more appropriate way to say this phrase would be "tradition that began as a mixture." Hence, the correct option is Option E - "Like the music of other early Mississippi Delta blues singers, the music of Robert Johnson arose from an oral tradition that began as..."