MTEL Communication Literacy Skills : Writing Practice Test

In the context of explanations, which word should be used: "His explanation for his tardiness was because his alarm did not go off"?

1. Although

2. Because

3. That

4. As

The correct answer is: That

The choice of "that" in the sentence "His explanation for his tardiness was that his alarm did not go off" is appropriate as it introduces a noun clause, providing clarity and specificity to the explanation being offered. The phrase "that his alarm did not go off" acts as the subject complement, defining what his explanation consists of. It effectively connects the subject "his explanation" with the content of what the explanation is, making it a grammatically correct and coherent structure. Using "that" here serves to integrate the reason with the primary statement about his explanation, which is essential for maintaining the flow and clarity of information. This structure avoids ambiguity and helps the reader understand the connection between the tardiness and the stated reason. The other options, while they may have their own uses in different contexts, do not fulfill the same grammatical function in this particular sentence. "Although" would imply contrast and would not appropriately connect the explanation to the subject. "Because" could lead to a misplaced sentence structure in this context, as it introduces a causative clause rather than functioning as a noun clause. "As" can indicate a reason too but tends to suggest simultaneity rather than clarifying the explanation directly in this case. Thus, "that"