37. While some academicians believe that business ethics should be integrated into every business course, others say that students will take ethics seriously only if it would be taught as a separately required course. (A) only if it would be taught as a separately required course (B) only if it is taught as a separate, required course (C) if it is taught only as a course required separately (D) if it was taught only as a separate and required course(B) (E) if it would only be taught as a required course, separately Choice B is best: in sentences expressing a conditional result (x will happen if y happens), the verb of the main clause should be in the future tense and the verb of the if clause should be in the present indicative. Thus, is taught (in B) is consistent with will take, whereas would be taught (in A and E) and was taught (in D) are not. For clarity, only in C, D, and E should immediately precede the entire if clause that it is meant to modify. Also, the intended meaning is distorted when the adverb separately is used to modify required, as in A and C, or taught, as in E; B correctly uses the adjective separate to modify course. |