Improve the bracketed part of the sentence by correcting the parallel verb form: Through the practice of repeated affirmations, we can make great progress on our chosen path and (increasing) our magnetism to succeed in anything.

Introduction / Context:
This question tests your understanding of parallel structure and correct verb forms in a coordinated verb phrase. The sentence explains what repeated affirmations can help us do, namely progress on our path and strengthen our magnetism to succeed. The bracketed part "increasing" must align with the preceding verb phrase "make great progress."

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The first verb after "can" is "make" in the base form.
• The bracketed form "increasing" follows the conjunction "and."
• The modal "can" applies to both actions.
• The intended meaning is "we can make progress and increase our magnetism."

Concept / Approach:
When two verbs share the same modal auxiliary, such as "can," they should both be in the base form for parallelism. The structure should be "can make" and "can increase," but since the modal only appears once, the pattern is "can make ... and increase." Therefore, the second verb should be "increase," not "increasing." This maintains grammatical parallelism and matches the normal rules of coordinated verb phrases with modals.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the modal auxiliary "can," which governs the verb phrase. Step 2: Note that the first verb governed by "can" is "make" in the base form. Step 3: Recognise that after "and," the second verb "increase" should also be in the base form to stay parallel with "make." Step 4: Replace "increasing" with "increase." Step 5: Read the full sentence: "Through the practice of repeated affirmations, we can make great progress on our chosen path and increase our magnetism to succeed in anything." It now follows the rules of parallel structure.

Verification / Alternative check:
Compare with other examples: "We can learn new skills and improve our confidence," or "They can earn money and save for the future." In each case, both verbs after "can" appear in the base form. Applying the same logic here confirms that "increase" is the appropriate choice.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A: "increased" is past tense and does not match the modal "can," which requires the base form of the verb. Option B: "have increased" introduces present perfect tense and breaks the parallel structure with "make." Option D: "No improvement" is incorrect because "increasing" disrupts the parallelism and does not fit smoothly after the modal "can."

Common Pitfalls:
A frequent error is forgetting to match verb forms when there is a list of actions following a modal or auxiliary verb. Students may change the form of the second verb without noticing that it should be parallel to the first. A good habit is to check whether the verbs after conjunctions like "and" or "or" share the same grammatical form, especially when governed by a common modal such as "can," "will," or "must."

Final Answer:
The correct improvement is "increase," so the sentence should read: Through the practice of repeated affirmations, we can make great progress on our chosen path and increase our magnetism to succeed in anything.