Another SAT question!

[Jessica]

Rote learning, the process of memorizing by repetition, is how many young children learn the alphabet or the multiplication tables.

A. is how
B. is used for when
C. this is how
D. the way
E. which is used when


Hint: Ignore the words between the commas and think about the connection between “Rote learning” and “many young children learn.”

I am completely stuck on this one.

[bobjenkins]

Pienso que es "a"

[Jessica]

Pienso que es "a" también....

[bobjenkins]

Las otras suenan raras a mí.

[Fazor]

Creo que la respuesta era 'a' también.

[pjt33]

Originally Posted by jchen

Hint: Ignore the words between the commas...

"the process of memorizing by repetition" here is an aside and can be elided to give:

"Rote learning XXX many young children learn the alphabet or the multiplication tables."

Originally Posted by jchen

... and think about the connection between “Rote learning” and “many young children learn.”

XXX needs to connect the two halves. Unless "learn" is the main verb of the sentence XXX must have a verb. So consider D:

"Rote learning the way many young children learn the alphabet and the multiplication tables."

It's fine as a clause (taking "the way ... tables" as a modifier of "rote learning") but lacks a main verb. So we exclude D and are left with four options, all based around the word "is". Which sounds correct?

A. "Rote learning is how many young children learn the alphabet and the multiplication tables."
B. "Rote learning is used for when many young children learn the alphabet and the multiplication tables."
C. "Rote learning this is how many young children learn the alphabet and the multiplication tables."
D. "Rote learning which is used when many young children learn the alphabet and the multiplication tables."

C is simply ungrammatical unless the subject of the verb is "Rote learning this" - still inelegant, much better as "Learning this by rote", and lacking the referent of "this".
D has (Noun phrase) which (verb phrase) without commas, so it's a clause lacking a main verb.
"Is used for when" simply sounds wrong to me. Can anyone supply a sentence with "is used for when" which sounds like natural English?

That leaves A, which is a simple statement about the current usage of rote learning.

[Jessica]

Thanks guys for the help. I'll let you know if a isn't the right answer

[brute]

Pjt33 has given a very lucid and persuasive argument in favour of A. It cannot be anything else.

[Jessica]

all right. I will put that as my answer. it probably is

EDIT: yep that's the right answer. thanks guys again for your help

[bobjenkins]

Originally Posted by brute

Pjt33 has given a very lucid and persuasive argument in favour of A. It cannot be anything else.