A part of the following sentence is underlined. Choose the option that can replace the underlined part to improve the sentence. If you feel Options A, B, or C do not improve the sentence, then choose Option D: 'No improvement required.'
The audience couldn't stop applauding as the dancers performed phenomenal.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
Correct Answer
the dancers performed phenomenally
Explanation
The original sentence contains a grammatical error because it uses the adjective 'phenomenal' to modify the action verb 'performed.' In English grammar, verbs must be modified by adverbs rather than adjectives.
Converting the adjective into the adverb phenomenally correctly modifies the verb 'performed' to show how the action was done. The first option successfully makes this correction while keeping the rest of the clause concise and natural.
The other options are incorrect structural replacements. The second option pairs the linking verb 'was' with an adverb ('phenomenally') instead of a predicate adjective. The third option creates an illogical statement by equating the human 'dancers' to a literal 'performance.'
Key Points
Distinguishing between adjectives and adverbs depends entirely on the word being modified. When a word describes a physical action like performed, ran, or sang, ensure the modifier ends with a standard adverbial '-ly' suffix rather than utilizing a raw descriptive adjective.