Mike@Magoosh wrote:Deaths by drowning at the state beach have increased by 35% this year, due not to having less lifeguards but to dramatic changes in ocean currents.
(A) due not to having less lifeguards but to
(B) due not to having fewer lifeguards but
(C) because of not having less lifeguards but
(D) because it had not less lifeguards but
(E) not because it had fewer lifeguards but because it saw

For a discussion of Diction, one of the eight main areas tested on the GMAT SC, as well as the answer & solution to this particular question, see:
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2013/diction-on ... orrection/

Mike

Even though I eliminated A C And D because of countable noun lifeguards not agreeing with "less" and it should be "fewer" instead. I chose E but still have confusion. B is out for sure because of parallelism. But In E what does "it" refer to? obviously it refers to beach. But how can beach saw changes. shouldn't it be....but because it had dramatic changes......I just want to clarify that can we use saw for things like beach or city?...I have read this use of saw for city and beach and all in newspaper and magazines many times. I still read every now and then this usage but can we use this sort in GMAT. i have never seen such usage in OG12 13 or VR2, gmatprep test papers or gmat prep question pack. To me even E looks faulty too. I mean obviously its the only winner out of all but still it looks faulty.

As far as I have learned from GMAT experts they have advised time to time that if Magazine and newspaper use something doesn't mean its correct in GMAT. Its same as usage of LIKE and such as.

Please advice if I am wrong.

Has to be E. Proper diction usage, makes more sense and uses "not because..but because idiom correctly"

IMO E