Sentence Correction

Because Halley’s comet changes orbit slightly during the seventy-six-year interval between passing close to Earth, it may veer onto a collision course with a planet sometime in the distant future.

(A) between passing
(B) of passing
(C) between its passes
(D) of its passes
(E) as it passes

OA C
What is wrong with E?

The comet's orbit changes when it is AWAY from earth. It passes by earth every seventy-six years.

E) sounds like the comet changes orbit as it passes by the earth. It may also give the impression that the orbit changes as it passes by the earth for seventy-six years.

You need (C) to express the time away from earth

can someone please explain this using each option
thanks

I agree with the OA. Here's why:

The answer can't be A since between passing doesn't make sense... between is used with a noun or two verbs.

The answer can't be B since the seventy-six-interval of passing doesn't make sense... we need a noun there, not a gerund.

The answer can't be D for the same reason... of its passes is a prepositional phrase.

The answer can't be E since we're still missing the noun.

what is wrong with the prepositional phrase of it passes ?

Domnu wrote:I agree with the OA. Here's why:

The answer can't be A since between passing doesn't make sense... between is used with a noun or two verbs.

The answer can't be B since the seventy-six-interval of passing doesn't make sense... we need a noun there, not a gerund.

The answer can't be D for the same reason... of its passes is a prepositional phrase.

The answer can't be E since we're still missing the noun.

How is choice E missing a noun? You realize that "it" is a prounoun right?

Anyway, what is the source, this sentence seems awkward to me.

this is from 100 SC

I found similar posts for the same question

https://www.beatthegmat.com/halley-s-comet-t37650.html

https://www.beatthegmat.com/q-163-sc1000-t12022.html


https://www.beatthegmat.com/sc-between-t19136.html

Hope this helps