Sentence Correction

Source: Veritas Prep SC-1

60. The tornado left a path of destruction in its wake, causing the collapse of several homes, massive power outages, tearing apart construction projects, and widespread business closures.

A tearing apart construction projects
B the tearing apart of construction projects
C tore apart construction projects
D construction projects torn apart
E construction projects that were torn apart

OA: B

Structure is

Main clause, causing P, Q, R, and S. where P, Q, R, and S are noun phrase.
Q = the tearing apart of construction projects OR construction projects torn apart ?????

akhpad wrote:Source: Veritas Prep SC-1

60. The tornado left a path of destruction in its wake, causing the collapse of several homes, massive power outages, tearing apart construction projects, and widespread business closures.

A tearing apart construction projects
B the tearing apart of construction projects
C tore apart construction projects
D construction projects torn apart
E construction projects that were torn apart

Structure is

Main clause, causing P, Q, R, and S. where P, Q, R, and S are noun phrase.
Q = the tearing apart of construction projects OR construction projects torn apart ?????

construction projects torn apart

I think tearing apart of construction projects

Reason -
The tornado left a path of destruction in its wake, causing -
1) the collapse of several homes
2) massive power outages
3) the tearing apart of construction projects
4) widespread business closures

Read every part in conjunction with causing. This fits perfectly in the structure.

Consider the alternative -
The tornado left a path of destruction in its wake, causing -
1) the collapse of several homes
2) massive power outages
3) construction projects torn apart
4) widespread business closures

Now read this with every part in conjunction with causing. causing construction projects torn apart is incorrect.

snipped

construction projects torn apart = Acts as a big noun with "torn apart" (adjectival) qualifying construction projects

In reply,

Yes, the tearing apart of construction projects is correct here.

We have here an issue of Parallelism in which the first two items after causing are nouns. This immediately eliminates the original answer choice (a modifier showing action), and C which begins with a Verb. As for E, it is ok but wordy and there is no reason to introduce a clause unnecessarily.

As for the last two answer choices (B, D), B properly begins with a noun (noun phrase) as does D but D suddenly shifts into passive mode AND also shifts the focus from the effects of what the tornado has caused (the collapse, power outages) to the construction projects instead of the tearing apart. Another way of testing this, as niksworth nicely explains is to see what each of the three items does after the word causing, and causing construction projects torn apart is certainly awkward.

Sometimes, you need to be careful with the unnecessary shifts in focus in wrong answer choices. Although it is not per se a shift in meaning, it is quite similar.

Therefore, answer choice B is the best answer choice.

iMO b.

causing the collapse, massive power cuts, ..........and widespread disclosures.

causing the tearing apart of makes more sense than causing tearing apart of.

Pl post the OA.