The Correct answer is D.
Explanation
Choice (D) is correct. It avoids the error of the original by logically comparing a person, “Heather,” to another person, “Joanne,” instead of to a possessive noun, “Joanne’s fear.”
Writing > Improving Sentences
Part or all 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.
Unlike her sister Heather, who would always put spiders safely outside if she found them in the house, Joanne’s fear kept her from going anywhere near the creatures.
(A) Joanne’s fear kept her from going anywhere near the creatures
(B) Joanne’s fear is what kept her from going anywhere near the creatures
(C) fear is why Joanne had not gone anywhere near them
(D) Joanne was too afraid to go anywhere near the creatures
(E) they scared Joanne too much to go anywhere near them
