Extract:
Select the word or phrase that is misplaced in the following sentence.
In the apartment house, the car with the white roof and new tires belongs to our friends.
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A
In the apartment house
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B
with the white roof
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C
and new tires
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D
to our friends
The phrase "In the apartment house" is misplaced because it illogically suggests the car resides inside the apartment building rather than in an adjacent parking area.
A) In the apartment house
Prepositional phrase is misplaced—it currently modifies "the car" due to sentence position, illogically suggesting the vehicle is parked inside residential units rather than in a parking lot or garage associated with the building.
B) with the white roof
Prepositional phrase correctly modifies "car" by specifying an attribute. Its placement immediately after "car" creates logical attachment.
C) and new tires
Conjoined phrase correctly completes the description of car attributes. Parallel structure with "white roof" creates grammatical balance.
D) to our friends
Prepositional phrase correctly modifies "belongs" by specifying ownership. Its terminal placement creates logical attachment to the verb phrase.
Conclusion
Modifiers must attach to nouns they logically describe without creating semantic absurdities. "In the apartment house" incorrectly suggests indoor car storage; it should modify a parking structure ("in the apartment house's parking lot") or be repositioned to avoid misattachment.