PSAT Writing Skills questions - Can somebody explain these to me?

[mitsu]

<p>PSAT 2003
If the consumer price index (raises drastically) (in a single year), economists may (assume that) a period of inflation is (soon to come).
Answer: (raises drastically)</p>

<pre><code> CB Official SAT Study Guide
</code></pre>

<p>Delgado's dilemma was (like many other) young writers: he (had to choose) between assured publication in a student magazine (and) (probable rejection by) a popular magazine.
Answer: (like many other)</p>

<pre><code> Barron's SAT II writing
</code></pre>

<p>Although I wish it (were) (otherwise), by this time next week (I will have had) surgery on my knee, which (was) injured during a hockey game last winter.
Answer: No error</p>

<hr>

<p>I don't understand what's wrong with the first two. For the one from Barron's, why isn't the (were) wrong? Shouldn't it be "I wish it /was/ otherwise"?</p>

<p>Thanks ^^</p>

[princess345345]

<p>I know for the 2nd sentence, it's a faulty comparison. As it is, you're comparing his dilemma to "many other young writers"... It should be "Delgado's dilemma was (like that of many other) young writers:...."</p>

[1ofeach]

<p>The first one should be "RISES" . Rise/Raise are words to watch out for.
Rise is something that happens without human hands (such as bread rising) and raises needs outside help; We raised the furniture when we moved it so it wouldn't scrape the floor.</p>

[mitsu]

<p>princess345345: Yeah, I see it now. I have been having trouble spotting that kind of error. Thanks for pointing it out!</p>

<p>1ofeach: ...I never noticed that o.O;; It's sad, but I thought it was a case of gray and grey... Get any other words that I should watch out for? Thanks for answering my question!</p>

[tanman]

<p>For the third one, I think it has to do with the fact that the first clause is in the subjunctive mood. From the American</a> Heritage Book on English Usage, the subjunctive is used "to express the speaker’s attitude about the likelihood or factuality of a given situation". </p>

<p>Remember the song from The Fiddler on the Roof - "If I were a rich man"...</p>

[anastasia_b]

<p>Another one to watch out for is lay/lie.</p>

<p>You lay down the book you’ve been reading, but you lie down when you go to bed.</p>

<p>Objects or any nouns that are being acted upon use "lay." If the subject is doing the action [on itself], it's lie.</p>

[zoogies]

<p>Yeah, it should be 'rises'; as for the second one, you can't compare someone's dilemna with a group of people. How can a dilemna be similar to some young writers? No, it has to be similar to the dilemna of other young writers.</p>

<p>Subjunctives! Whoopeee! I guess it's a subjunctive, since it's expressing desire, but I didn't know that 'were' was the singular form of the verb then. I don't know. Could be an error? Check the explanation.</p>

[mitsu]

<p>tanman: Thanks! It's still a bit confusing to me, but I think I can catch that kind of mistake next time. I hope I don't start singing during the test XD</p>

<p>anastasia_b: Lay and lie...okay, I'll keep them in mind. Thanks!</p>

<p>zoogies: The problem is that my brain will automatically sub in "the dilemna of" and I won't even realize it. Bad brain! lol~
I did check the explanation....which is: "No error."
....-_-;;</p>