Architects and stonemasons, huge palace and temple clusters were built by the Maya without benefit of the wheel or animal transport.
(A) huge palace and temple clusters were built by the Maya without benefit of the wheel or animal transport
(B) without the benefits of animal transport or the wheel, huge palace and temple clusters were built by the Maya
(C) the Maya built huge palace and temple clusters without the benefit of animal transport or the wheel
(D) there were built, without the benefit of the wheel or animal transport, huge palace and temple clusters by the Maya(C)
(E) were the Maya who, without the benefit of the wheel or animal transport, built huge palace and temple clusters
A, B, and D illogically suggest that the palace and temple clusters were architects and stonemasons. For the modification to be logical, Architects and stonemasons must immediately precede the Maya, the noun phrase it is meant to modify. A, B, and D also use the passive verb form were built, which produces unnecessary awkwardness and wordiness. E is awkwardly phrased and produces a sentence fragment, because the appositive noun phrase Architects and stonemasons cannot serve as the subject of were the Maya. why?
C, the best answer, places the Maya immediately after its modifier and uses the active verb form built. |