Question

Choose the clearest and most effective revision of the following sentence. Ready to give her speech, the woman stepped up to the microphone holding her note cards. A. The woman stepped up to the microphone holding her note cards ready to give her speech. B. Ready to give her speech, the woman holding her note cards stepped up to the microphone. C. The woman stepped up to the microphone ready to give her speech holding her note cards. D. Holding her note cards, the woman stepped up to the microphone ready to give her speech.

Answer 1

B sounds like the correct answer. It sounds most like a sentence from a book. I would go with it.

Answer 2

I believe the correct answer is D. The subject verb agreement is much clearer here.