Choose the prepositional construction that functions as a counterfactual conditional trigger:
________ her remarkable composure under intense congressional cross-examination, the cabinet secretary would have lost her portfolio.
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: D. But for
Answer: But for. Why not the others: 'Excepting' means 'with the exception of' but cannot serve as a counterfactual conditional connector; 'Besides' means 'in addition to'; 'Barring' means 'unless prevented by' and typically governs future contingencies rather than past counterfactual results.
- Step 1: Analyze the sentence function: the phrase introduces a circumstance without which the main clause outcome ('would have lost her portfolio') would have taken place.
- Step 2: The idiomatic prepositional construction equivalent to 'If it had not been for' is 'But for'.
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