PSAT Writing and Language Question 302: Answer and Explanation

Question: 302

• A. NO CHANGE
• B. sought to neither embellish nor to idealize their scenes
• C. sought neither to embellish or to idealize their scenes
• D. sought to neither embellish or to idealize their scenes

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

Difficulty: Medium

Getting to the Answer: This question requires you to select the correct construction of the idiomatic expression neither... nor. (C) and (D) use the phrasing "-neither ... or," so eliminate them. The preposition "to" must be consistently placed in the expression. As written, the word "to" appears after each word in the expression: "neither to embellish nor to idealize," so (A) is correct. (B) incorrectly places the word "to" both before and within the phrase: "to neither embellish nor to idealize."