[Grammar] Transformation sentences

[smusca]

Could anyone comment the following, please.

Task: (from a CPE text book) Whale strandings are often the result of illness and injury.
CAUSE

Student's answer: Illness and injury often CAUSE whale strandings

Answer in key: Illness and injury is often the CAUSE of whale strandings


Obviously the student used the word given as a verb rather than a noun , would this be excepted in an exam?
Also, why is there a single verb after 'illness and injury' in the third sentence? is it because the two nouns are separated by 'OR' and not by AND''

I'd appreciate any help and thks in advance

 

[emsr2d2]

Could anyone comment the following, please.

Task: (from a CPE text book) Whale strandings are often the result of illness and injury.
CAUSE

Student's answer: Illness and injury often CAUSE whale strandings

Answer in key: Illness and injury is often the CAUSE of whale strandings


Obviously the student used the word given as a verb rather than a noun , would this be excepted in an exam?
Also, why is there a single verb after 'illness and injury' in the third sentence? is it because the two nouns are separated by 'OR' and not by AND''

I'd appreciate any help and thks in advance

As far as I'm concerned, the student's answer is absolutely fine and the answer in the key is wrong. It should be "Illness and injury ARE often the cause ..." If they were separated by "or", "is" would certainly sound better.

By the way, you needed "accepted", not "excepted", and "thanks", not "thks".

 

[smusca]

Sorry, I have made a big mistake in my post on Transformation sentences.- In all three sentences, illnesss and injury should be separated by OR not AND.
I was sure that I had edited this mistake before submitting!!