Question

I get an e-mail from the auction house about our painting.Apparently it got painted in 1905 and they are having lots of interest in it from bidders. A. I get an e-mail from the auction house about our painting. Apparently it got painted in 1905 and they are having lots of interest in it from bidders. B. I got an e-mail from the auction house about our painting. Apparently it got painted in 1905 and there’re getting lots of interest in it from bidders. C. I get an e-mail from the auction house about our painting. Apparently it was painted in 1905 and they get a lot of interest in it from bidders. D. I got an e-mail from the auction house about our painting. Apparently it got painted in 1905 and they have got a lot of interest from bidders. E. I got an e-mail from the auction house about our painting. Apparently it was painted in 1905 and they are getting lots of interest in it from bidders.

Short answer

Option E is the most accurate sentence.

Step-by-step solution

Understand the Question

We need to identify the most grammatically correct sentence out of the options A, B, C, D, and E.

Check Verb Tenses

In options A and C, the first sentence uses 'get,' which is present tense, while the second sentence's verbs are in past tense ('got painted' and 'was painted'). Option A is inconsistent in tense usage.

Evaluate Subject-Verb Agreement

In option B, 'there’re' is incorrect; it should be 'they're' or 'there are' with correct verb agreement. This grammatical error eliminates option B.

Check Consistency in Verb Forms

In option D, 'have got' is more commonly used in British English, yet it can be considered redundant or inaccurate in this context. Hence, we favor another option if a simpler form is available.

Verify Context and Clarity

Option E states 'was painted' for an action completed in the past and 'are getting a lot of interest,' which indicates current ongoing action. This ensures grammatical accuracy and clarity.

Key concepts

verb tenses

Verb tense consistency ensures that the actions in your sentences are clear and relate to the same timeframe. In the original exercise, notice how options A and C use 'get' in the present tense while talking about receiving an email, but then switch to past tense 'got painted' or 'was painted' for describing when the painting was created. This inconsistency can confuse readers.

Consistent verb tense usage allows the reader to easily understand when each action takes place. For example, 'I got an email' (past tense) matches well with 'was painted in 1905' (past tense) and helps keep the timeline of events clear. Thus, despite option D using 'have got' and being grammatically correct, option E's 'got' with 'was painted' maintains better overall clarity.

subject-verb agreement

Subject-verb agreement means that the subject and verb in a sentence must both be singular or plural. Proper agreement helps convey your message correctly. Look at option B in the exercise, which uses 'there’re getting lots of interest.' This is incorrect because 'there're' is not a contraction in standard English; it should be 'they're' or 'there are' to match the plural subject 'bidders.'

Ensuring subject-verb agreement helps avoid grammatical errors that can confuse readers. For instance, option E correctly uses 'they are getting' to align with the plural subject, making the sentence grammatically clear and easy to understand. Incorrect agreement can distract from the main point and make sentences harder to read.

grammar accuracy

Grammar accuracy includes correct verb forms, proper word choice, and overall sentence structure. It ensures the sentence is precise and the meaning is clear. Option D in the exercise uses 'have got,' which is more common in British English but may sound redundant or less fluent in American English contexts, possibly causing some confusion.

For the best grammatical accuracy in this exercise, option E stands out because it avoids these issues, using simple yet correct verb forms. 'Was painted' clearly shows a past action and 'they are getting' indicates an ongoing action, avoiding potential misunderstandings. Effective grammar accuracy helps readers easily understand the writer's intent without getting bogged down by errors or redundancy.

context clarity

Context clarity means making sure every part of your sentence fits together logically and provides the reader with a clear picture. Context usually includes timeframes, actions, and subjects that all align naturally. In the exercise, option E succeeds because it keeps the actions in their correct tenses, which fits the context of receiving information about the painting.

'I got an email' (past action) is consistent with 'was painted in 1905' (a historical fact) and 'they are getting lots of interest' (ongoing interest in the present). This sequence makes it easy to understand what's happening and when. Clear context prevents confusion and provides a smoother reading experience, ensuring the reader comprehends the timeline and actions without difficulty.