Question

instructions
select the best version of the underlined part of the sentence. if you think the original sentence is best, choose the first answer.

question
some children are taught by precept rather than by example, they do not tend to adopt their parents’ values.

• some children are taught by precept rather than by example, they
• teaching children by precept rather than by example, the result is they
• because some children are taught by precept rather than by example and
• children who are taught by precept rather than by example

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze each option for grammatical correctness and logical flow:

1. The original (first option) has a comma - splice error (two independent clauses joined by just a comma).
2. The second option has a dangling modifier. The phrase “Teaching children by precept rather than by example” is a participial phrase, and it should modify a noun that is the doer of the action. But “the result” is not the one doing the teaching.
3. The third option is a fragment as it starts with “Because” and doesn't form a complete sentence.
4. The fourth option “Children who are taught by precept rather than by example” is a noun phrase that can be used to start the sentence correctly, and when combined with the rest “do not tend to adopt their parents’ values”, it forms a complete and grammatically correct sentence.

Answer:

D. Children who are taught by precept rather than by example (assuming the options are labeled A - D with A being the first option, B the second, C the third, and D the fourth)