Sentence Correction

Sales of United States manufactured goods to non-industrialized countries rose to $167 billion in 1992,
which is 14 percent more than the previous year and largely offsets weak demand from Europe and Japan.

A) which is 14 percent more than the previous year
B) which is 14 percent higher than it was the previous year
C) 14 percent higher than the previous year's figure
D) an amount that is 14 percent more than the previous year was
E) an amount that is 14 percent higher than the previous year's figure


I agree that E is the best but isn't it missing a that after figure? "X is an amount that Y and that Z?" where Y and Z are verbs Is and offsets?

that can be omitted too, besides that may not be used twice here - otherwise it will be tautology

yellowho wrote:Sales of United States manufactured goods to non-industrialized countries rose to $167 billion in 1992, which is 14 percent more than the previous year and largely offsets weak demand from Europe and Japan.

A) which is 14 percent more than the previous year
B) which is 14 percent higher than it was the previous year
C) 14 percent higher than the previous year's figure
D) an amount that is 14 percent more than the previous year was
E) an amount that is 14 percent higher than the previous year's figure


I agree that E is the best but isn't it missing a that after figure? "X is an amount that Y and that Z?" where Y and Z are verbs Is and offsets?

Why is it a tautology?

What do you mean by that can be omitted? That's always true or in this specific case? If the later please explain.

(Btw, I don't believe that can always be omitted because it breaks parallelism. The only time I can see it permitted is if it is not ambiguous and you have nothing better. )

I didn't say that can always be omitted - rather can be omitted too the rule here is purely stylistic as I noted once. You need to read sentence without that before the sub-clause if you are able to grasp the meaning then omit that , BUT don't try to use this rule for which - we cannot omit which. And read the sentence with that in the place you suggested (X) this will be like reading two that-s word after word - this is understood as tautology in the language grammar.

yellowho wrote:Why is it a tautology?

What do you mean by that can be omitted? That's always true or in this specific case? If the later please explain.

(Btw, I don't believe that can always be omitted because it breaks parallelism. The only time I can see it permitted is if it is not ambiguous and you have nothing better. )

yellowho wrote:isn't it missing a that after figure? "X is an amount that Y and that Z?" where Y and Z are verbs Is and offsets?

I think your question is intended to be: isn't it missing a that after and.

Ideally yes, but a moot point here, since we are talking about the non-underlined portion.

Grammatically, tautology and redundancy are the same. Either way, the GMAT hates unnecessary words.