Despite the controversy surrounding the invention of the telephone

Question

Despite the controversy surrounding the invention of the telephone,  because Alexander Graham Bell's design was the first to be patented, he is most often credited for the title  "The Father of the Telephone".

A. because Alexander Graham Bell's design was the first to be patented, he is most often credited for the title

B. Alexander Graham Bell's design was the first to be patented because he is most often credited for being titled

C. because the patent that was designed by Alexander Graham Bell was the first, he is most often credited with the title

D. because his design was patented first, Alexander Graham Bell is most often credited with the title

E. the patent design by Alexander Graham Bell was the first, so he is the one most often credited with the title

Bunuel · Accepted Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

Despite the controversy surrounding the invention of the telephone,  because Alexander Graham Bell's design was the first to be patented, he is most often credited for the title  "The Father of the Telephone".

A. because Alexander Graham Bell's design was the first to be patented, he is most often credited for the title

This answer choice is grammatically incorrect. The correct idiom is  credited with , not  credited for .

B. Alexander Graham Bell's design was the first to be patented because he is most often credited for being titled

This answer choice repeats the original mistake. The correct idiom is  credited with , not  credited for .

In addition, moving the word  because  changes the meaning of the original sentence. The word  because  creates a relationship of cause and effect:

Effect because cause.

Original sentence:

Cause:  Alexander Graham Bell's design was the first to be patented

Effect:  he is most often credited for the title "The Father of the Telephone".

In this answer choice, it is the other way around:

Cause:  he is most often credited for being titled "The Father of the Telephone".

Effect: Alexander Graham Bell's design was the first to be patented

C. because the patent that was designed by Alexander Graham Bell was the first, he is most often credited with the title

Although this answer choice corrects the original Preposition mistake by using the correct idiom  credited with  and is grammatically correct, it is stylistically flawed (specifically, redundant.)

There is another answer choice which is both grammatically correct and more concise. Look for it!

D. because his design was patented first, Alexander Graham Bell is most often credited with the title

This answer choice uses the correct idiom  credited with .

E. the patent design by Alexander Graham Bell was the first, so he is the one most often credited with the title

Although this answer choice corrects the original Preposition mistake by using the correct idiom  credited with  and is grammatically correct, it is stylistically flawed (specifically, redundant.)

There is another answer choice which is both grammatically correct and more concise. Look for it!

jrk23 · Answer

PyjamaScientist · Answer

Option D is the right option.

Despite the controversy surrounding the invention of the telephone,   because his design was patented first  ,  Alexander Graham Bell  is most often credited with the title "The Father of the Telephone".

Here, "because his design was patented first is an absolute phrase (grammarians may step in) which is modifying Alexander Bell correctly.

Rest of the options have glaring errors.

Option A: It has both pronoun error and idiom error. Easy to spot error is "   Alexander Graham Bell's design   was the first to be patented,   he is   most. He can not refer back to bell's design. Eliminate.

Option B:   For being titled!   What the heck is that. Eliminate.

Option C: because the   patent that was designed   by Alexander Graham Bell   was the first  , was first what? It does not convey the correct meaning that the design was patented first by Bell.

Option E: As  daagh  would have said, you can cross it off by blatant meaning error. Meaning as per this sentence is- Controversy was regarding who will be the first to patent the design. This is not the intended meaning. There are plenty of meaning errors and is poorly written sentence as a whole.

Despite the controversy surrounding the invention of the telephone

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Despite the controversy surrounding the invention of the telephone

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