Elaine is applying to work as a summer assistant at her local newspaper. She is writing a cover letter as part of the application. Read the sentence she wrote for the opening paragraph.
Having taken composition classes in my freshman year, the newspaper is a perfect fit for my skills.
Why might this sentence limit Elaine’s chances of getting this job?
Select all that apply.
The sentence lacks a logical transition after year.
A letter containing errors might keep her from getting the job.
The sentence contains a misplaced participial phrase.
A letter that is part of an application for a summer job should be written in an informal style.
Thanks, those were right.
A letter containing errors might keep her from getting the job.
The sentence contains a misplaced participial phrase.
The sentence lacks a logical transition after year.
A letter containing errors might keep her from getting the job.
The sentence contains a misplaced participial phrase.
The sentence "Having taken composition classes in my freshman year, the newspaper is a perfect fit for my skills" might limit Elaine's chances of getting the job for multiple reasons:
1. The sentence lacks a logical transition after "year": The sentence seems to abruptly transition from talking about her composition classes in her freshman year to stating that the newspaper is a perfect fit for her skills. This lack of a logical transition could make the sentence confusing or disjointed.
2. A letter containing errors might keep her from getting the job: If Elaine's cover letter contains errors in grammar, punctuation, or spelling, it may leave a negative impression on the employer. Such errors could make her appear careless, unprofessional, or lacking attention to detail, which may reduce her chances of getting the job.
3. The sentence contains a misplaced participial phrase: The phrase "Having taken composition classes in my freshman year" is a participial phrase, which functions as an adjective to describe Elaine. However, in this sentence, it is placed in a way that may create ambiguity or confusion. Additionally, it is not clearly connected to the rest of the sentence.
4. A letter that is part of an application for a summer job should be written in an informal style: While it is important to maintain a professional tone in a job application, it is not necessary for the letter to be overly formal. However, the given sentence does not necessarily violate the requirement of written in an informal style; instead, it is more related to the issues mentioned above.
So, the correct answers would be:
- The sentence lacks a logical transition after year.
- A letter containing errors might keep her from getting the job.
- The sentence contains a misplaced participial phrase.