Difficulty: Medium

Average Score: 68%

Which sentence uses 'etc.' CORRECTLY?

Rationale

The list included diseases such as flu, measles, etc.

This sentence correctly uses 'etc.' with appropriate punctuation and placement, indicating that there are additional items in the list that are not explicitly mentioned. The use of a comma before 'etc.' is standard practice in formal writing to clarify the list structure.

A (The list included diseases such as flu, measles, etc.) CORRECT

This choice correctly places 'etc.' at the end of the list, preceded by a comma. This is the proper way to indicate that the list continues beyond the mentioned items, making it clear and grammatically correct.

B (The list included diseases such as flu, measles etc.) YOUR ANSWER

This option omits the necessary comma before 'etc.' which is required in formal writing. The lack of punctuation can cause confusion regarding the separation of listed items, making the sentence less clear.

C (The list included diseases such as flu, etc., measles.) YOUR ANSWER

In this case, 'etc.' is incorrectly placed between 'flu' and 'measles.' This disrupts the flow of the list and makes it seem like 'measles' is part of the additional items represented by 'etc.', which is not the intended meaning.

D (The list included diseases such as etc., flu, measles.) YOUR ANSWER

This choice incorrectly starts the list with 'etc.' which is not appropriate. 'Etc.' should only be used to indicate additional items after specific examples have been provided, not as a standalone reference at the beginning of the list.

Conclusion

Using 'etc.' correctly is essential for clarity in writing. The only option that adheres to the grammatical rules for listing items is A, as it effectively communicates that there are more diseases not listed while maintaining proper punctuation. The other choices either misuse 'etc.' or fail to follow grammatical conventions, leading to potential confusion for the reader.

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