SAT Grammar
@stephaniebfsu (13)
China
August 25, 2011 9:05pm CST
I am a poor Chinese student struggling with SAT text. I still cannot figure out the problem with the following sentence
At a time when interest in twentieth-century classical music seems on the verge to disappear, the avant-garde compositions of the 1960s and 1970s manage to retain their popularity.
The answer page said that "to disappear" is wrong. But why? Would some one help me,please? thx a million
2 responses
@Adoniah (7513)
• United States
26 Aug 11
The correct wording would be...On the verge of disappearing, To disappear would mean that it was going to physically walk away on its own...It could not do that. English is weird to other people. You have to just accept and learn the weird stuff. I would imagine I would go crazy trying to learn chinese. I am sure that you have a lot of stuff like that too. Not to mention there are so many characters to learn...At least we only have 26 letters...
@stephaniebfsu (13)
• China
28 Aug 11
Thank you so much~~~That's the most helpful grammar instruction I've ever had. Thanks again.
@stephaniebfsu (13)
• China
28 Aug 11
That'really helpful.
But would you mind to look at two other sentences for me?
1. According to some demographers, the number of United States citizens aged 65 or older is likely to rise to 87 million by 2050.
The answer says this sentence is correct. But~since it is "by 2050", should "to have risen" be used here? Sometimes, I just make myself confused.
2. As their brains mature neurologically, infants become more capable to distinguish the shapes and textures of the objects around them.
The answer says "to distinguish" is wrong? But why? I can not see what's wrong here.
Thank you for your time.
