<p>Hi everyone!</p>
<p>I came across this grammar question in the 5th practice test of the Blue Book, I chose D but Collegeboard says the answer is E; however, even with the explanation, I am not sure why. Here is the sentence:</p>
<p>Most people know about calories and nutrition, but they do not use this knowledge to lose weight permanently and keep it off. (permanently and keep it off is underlined)</p>
<p>A) original
B) permanent and have it stay off
C) and have it be off permanently
D) and make it permanent
E) and keep it off permanently</p>
<p>Here is Collegeboard’s explanation for E: Choice (E) is correct. It avoids the error of the original by using an adverb to properly modify the whole phrase and keep it off.
Why D is incorrect: Choice (D) involves an error in pronoun reference. What the pronoun “it” refers to is not clear.</p>
<p>The problem I have with these explanations is that isn’t the “it” in “and keep it off permanently” just as ambiguous as “and make it permanent”? Also, I picked D) because I though having “permanent” and “keep it off” in the same sentence is redundant, because keeping off weight means the same as losing weight permanently. Doesn’t it?</p>
<p>Please help! Thanks!</p>
<p>I’d have to go with the Collegeboard on this one; the wording of choice E flows better and I THINK it’s a form of parallelism error : ‘lose weight’ and ‘keep it off’ THEN you add the adverb ‘permanently’.</p>
<p>I think the College Board is talking about keeping the weight off permanently, as opposed to keeping it off for a given period of time, i.e. one month or one year. That’s why the sentence as given is wrong anyway. So yes, as written, the sentence redundantly uses “permanently” and “keep it off” - that’s why you need to revise it with E. </p>
<p>“it” in E is clearly referring to “weight” - to lose “it” and keep “it” off. However, the “it” in D could be referring to losing weight. You can’t lose weight permanently. You can make the state AFTER you’ve lost weight permanent. But you can’t indefinitely lose weight. So the pronoun is unclear.</p>
<p>Thank you YBN1996 and 93tiger16 
Your explanations really helped.</p>
<p>no no no no. here’s my explanation to why CB’s answer is correct.
“to lose weight permanently”, this is a misplaced modifying adverb kinda thing. you don’t want to “lose weight permanently” or in other words, lose weight forever, you want to “keep it off permanently” (the it should refer to the weight, so you want to keep the weight off permanently and not “lose weight permanently”, or forever) </p>
<p>hope i helped. next time may you please help me with my grammar questions?</p>
<p>I agree with MTEP about the placement of the adverb. It’s not the* losing* that’s permanent; it’s the keeping.</p>
<p>There’s also an issue with, “to lose weight and make it permanent.” The only possible antecedent for it is weight. I’m pretty sure these folks aren’t trying to make the weight permanent.</p>
<p>@sikorsky, yeah i’m with you. the only possible antecedent for it is weight. I mean, the “it” couldn’t have referred to the “calories and nutrition” right? that’s a compound noun, so if a pronoun refers to it, the pronoun must be plural. and, just a question, can “it” just refer to the nutrition? or does it have to refer to the whole phrase “calories and nutrition”? since its linked by the conjunction “and”.</p>