In the question a part of the sentence is BOLD. Alternatives to the BOLD part…
2023
In the question a part of the sentence is BOLD. Alternatives to the BOLD part are given which may improve the sentence. Choose the correct alternative.
Since around 1970, with world population of 3.5 billion, they have doubled it to our current level of over 7 billion in 2012.
- A.
with world population of 3.5 billion, they have doubled it
- B.
with a world population of 3.5 billion, doubling it
- C.
when the world’s population was 3.5 billion, doubling it
- D.
when the world’s population was 3.5 billion, it has doubled
Attempted by 1 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Key idea: use a time clause to indicate the year and make sure the following clause has a clear subject.
Why 'when' is better than 'with':
A 'when' clause properly indicates the time (the year 1970).
A 'with' prepositional phrase must modify a nearby noun. In this sentence there is no clear noun for that modifier to attach to, so 'with...' becomes a misplaced modifier.
Choosing the right verb phrase after the comma:
The construction using a plural pronoun ('they have doubled it') is incorrect because the pronoun has no clear antecedent in the sentence.
The participial form ('doubling it') is a dangling participle here: no noun in the sentence performs the action of doubling, so this form does not attach correctly.
The phrase 'it has doubled' is clear because 'it' refers to the world’s population, giving a grammatical and unambiguous structure.
Conclusion: The correct wording uses a time clause and a clear subject for the result clause. For example: "When the world’s population was 3.5 billion, it has doubled to our current level of over 7 billion in 2012." This keeps the time reference and provides an explicit, grammatical subject for the doubling.