Part of the following sentence is underlined; beneath the sentence are five ways of phrasing the underlined material. Select the option that produces the best sentence. If you think the original phrasing produces a better sentence than any of the alternatives, select choice A.

A Raisin in the Sun won for its author Lorraine Hansberry the distinction of being the first African American to receive the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award.

A. of being the first African American to receive
B. to be the first African American receiving
C. of the first African American to receive
D. that she had been the first African American to receive
E. that she was to be the first African American having received

Correct Answer: A

Here's Why:

Choice (A) is correct. It avoids the errors of the other options by using the idiomatic “distinction of being” to express what the play “won for its author Lorraine Hansberry.”

Question Type: Improving Sentences.