OG 12, q 12:
Rising inventories, when unaccompanied correspondingly by increases in sales, can lead to production cutbacks that would hamper economic growth.
(A) when unaccompanied correspondingly by increases in sales, can lead
(B) when not accompanied by corresponding increases in sales, possibly leads
(C) when they were unaccompanied by corresponding sales increases, can lead
(D) if not accompanied by correspondingly increased sales, possibly leads
(E) if not accompanied by corresponding increases in sales, can lead
The OA is E, but this seems very strange.
The structure of the sentence is:
X if not accompanied by Y, can lead to Z.
X and Y should clearly be parallel.
However, X (Rising inventories) is a participle phrase, while Y (increases in sales) is Gerund phrase and I know for sure that Participles and Gerunds cannot be parallel to each other.
Can someone please explain.
Rising inventories, when unaccompanied correspondingly by increases in sales, can lead to production cutbacks that would hamper economic growth.
(A) when unaccompanied correspondingly by increases in sales, can lead
(B) when not accompanied by corresponding increases in sales, possibly leads
(C) when they were unaccompanied by corresponding sales increases, can lead
(D) if not accompanied by correspondingly increased sales, possibly leads
(E) if not accompanied by corresponding increases in sales, can lead
The OA is E, but this seems very strange.
The structure of the sentence is:
X if not accompanied by Y, can lead to Z.
X and Y should clearly be parallel.
However, X (Rising inventories) is a participle phrase, while Y (increases in sales) is Gerund phrase and I know for sure that Participles and Gerunds cannot be parallel to each other.
Can someone please explain.

















