While some economists propose that agricultural land be used to help

While some economists propose that agricultural land be used to help solve the energy crisis by converting arable land from foods to bio-fuel, a majority of analysts believe that bio-fuels should be produced only from non-food crops, whose use will impact the environment less.


(A) whose use will impact the environment less --> "whose" modify "non-food crops" --> wrong meaning

(B) the use of which will have a lesser impact on the environment --> "which" modify "bio-fuels" -> correct

(C) having less of an impact on the environment if used --> dangling modifier. Who/what have less of impact?

(D) lessening the impact of its use on the environment --> dangling modifier. Who/what lessen the impact?

(E) with lower environmental impacts of using them --> ambiguitily modify its precede noun


==> IMO: B

Correct Option : A

Sentnece exam on :
- Pronoun
- SV Agreement
- sentence structure
- use of While - time specific highlighter indicates cause and effect in the sentence

Let's break the sentence and check its structure :

While some economists propose
that agricultural land be used to help solve the energy crisis by converting arable land from foods to bio-fuel,
Subject : agricultural land - singular
Verb : used - singular
Object : Land - singular

a majority of analysts believe that bio-fuels should be produced only from non-food crops, whose use will impact the environment less.
Subject : non-food crops - singular
Verb : produced - singular
Possessive Pronoun : (, Whose) show possession of (followed before noun)non-food crops - singular
Pronoun Verb : use - singular
Object : Environment - singular

Option A has no or less flaws and convey sentence intended meaning


Reason for other option to be wrong:

(B) the use of which will have a lesser impact on the environment
- the use of which creates ambiguity, as which without comma is not pronoun, it is a conjunction used to highlight contrast other side of the cause, and use OF makes it prepositional phrase, which must be indicated to direct noun, but here it's is refer to "Impact"(noun)
- word lesser has no issues, it's a comparison indicator, but it demean the importance of "will" and "impact"

(C) having less of an impact on the environment if used
- having is a plural form, wrongly presented to singular subject Biofuel.
It can be corrected by use of proper word "Has" singular without use of comma before it.
- less is the comparison indicator, used to modify Impact
- use of IF brings a conditional cause, which is redundant as initially already "while" is used. With word used leads to mis direction, about to whom it is refer is doubtful

(D) lessening the impact of its use on the environment
- lessening is a comparison indicator in form of verb-ing, used to compare impact with ITS, pronoun here it's location in sentence creates ambiguity to whom it is refer to.

(E) with lower environmental impacts of using them
- use of with is a used when things are done along with some, We need a verb here.
- them is a objective (used for - to be verb) pronoun, need to be used before object in the sentence, word environment, use of it at the end creates ambiguity and intended meaning purpose is not solved

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While some economists propose that agricultural land be used to help solve the energy crisis by converting arable land from foods to bio-fuel, a majority of analysts believe that bio-fuels should be produced only from non-food crops, whose use will impact the environment less.


(A) whose use will impact the environment less--> wrong meaning

(B) the use of which will have a lesser impact on the environment => the use of non-food crops => Correct

(C) having less of an impact on the environment if used --> wrong meaning

(D) lessening the impact of its use on the environment --> wrong meaning

(E) with lower environmental impacts of using them --> "them" mention what? --> ambiguity modify

IMO B

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