<p>Eighteenth-century naturalist Joseph Banks collected so many samples during one expedition that it was decades until they were cataloged fully
a) it was decades until they were cataloged fully
b) it was after decades they were cataloged fully
c) for decades they were not going to be fully cataloged
d) decades passed before they were fully cataloged
e) to be fully cataloged decades were needed</p>
<p>the answer was D
but other choices seem fine to me
why is the answer D?</p>
<p>“Fully cataloged” is correct. Answer D is the simplest answer(compared to C and E).</p>
<p>Saying “it was decades before” is wordy and a bit on the informal side. It also flows better to place the adverb “fully” before the verb “cataloged.”</p>
<p>All the answers with “it” are incorrect because…what does “it” refer to? It doesn’t mean anything. C) is incorrect because the samples have been cataloged already so “going to be” is written in an inappropriate tense. E) seems grammatically correct but sounds very awkward.</p>