Sentence Correction

The Environmental Protection Agency's proposal to place restrictions on both diesel fuel and diesel engines has sparked a counterattack by the oil industry, saying that the move will exacerbate the nation's fuel supply problems.
A. on both diesel fuel and diesel engines has sparked a counterattack by the oil industry, saying
B. on both diesel fuel and engines have sparked the oil industry to counterattack, and they say
C. on both diesel fuel and diesel engines has sparked a counterattack by the oil industry, which says
D. both on diesel fuel and engines has sparked the oil industry to a counterattack, saying
E. both on diesel fuel and diesel engines have sparked the oil industry to counterattack, and it says

Proposal is singular so has instead of have.
Restrictions on is better than rectrictions both on - idiomaticatically
Left with A and C.
''saying'' gives the impression that the counterattack was sparked by saying what the oil industry said
C is the best.
there are definite rules of comma ,which and non essential clause.
the clause , saying that the move will exacerbate ..............is not essential and if omitted the Main clause is still a complete sentence.

kstv wrote:Proposal is singular so has instead of have.
Restrictions on is better than rectrictions both on - idiomaticatically
Left with A and C.
''saying'' gives the impression that the counterattack was sparked by saying what the oil industry said
C is the best.
there are definite rules of comma ,which and non essential clause.
the clause , saying that the move will exacerbate ..............is not essential and if omitted the Main clause is still a complete sentence.

+1 for C!

Reasoning :

Subject : proposal

verb: Singular : has sparked( Dont use plural verb for a Singular subject. This is one common way of testing errors by GMAC- SV Conflict)

This leads us to A & C eliminating B,D,E.

I Prefer C becox of the usage of "which" a relative pronoun that introduces a " non essential clause". Take care of the comma that is properly placed before "which" and which should be closed as close as possible to the one it "refers" to.

C wins!!

Why not A

here we are looking for a simple present verb rather than a present continuous for of verb type followed by a noun.

C introduces "which" refering directly the oil companies & properly brings in the simple present verb tense(says) rather than "saying".

can someone please elaborate on why A is not correct... I was split between A and C

Thankyou for the explanation

Can someone please explain what is the problem with A....why A is wrong??

Regards,
Phil

My answer is A

The Environmental Protection Agencyâ's proposal to place restrictions on both diesel fuel and diesel engines has sparked a counterattack by the oil industry, saying that the move will exacerbate the nation’s fuel supply problems.
A. on both diesel fuel and diesel engines has sparked a counterattack by the oil industry, saying - Correct..
B. on both diesel fuel and engines have sparked the oil industry to counterattack, and they say
C. on both diesel fuel and diesel engines has sparked a counterattack by the oil industry, which says (can the oil industry speak?, OUT
D. both on diesel fuel and engines has sparked the oil industry to a counterattack, saying - Construction should be on both and not both on.. OUT
E. both on diesel fuel and diesel engines have sparked the oil industry to counterattack, and it says - Construction should be on both and not both on.. OUT

We need some experts opinion here!

Lana ridiculed Laverne, saying that most of the recent agency forecasts were seriously off the mark.

Who said the bolded part, Lana or Laverne?

(clue: Clark's girlfriend)


Lana ridiculed Laverne, who believes that...


(clue: Shirley's roomate in Milwaukee)

You may wish to take issue with an industry saying something, but somebody or something in the sentence is saying something- after all, saying in all the choices- and it certainly isn't the subject of the sentence, the natural referent for a gerund (except for including) after a comma. Accept the fact that the industry is the one saying the the move will... and you should be drawn to C

PS. Don't confuse a gerund with the present continuous tense!

kevincanspain wrote:Lana ridiculed Laverne, saying that most of the recent agency forecasts were seriously off the mark.

Who said the bolded part, Lana or Laverne?

(clue: Clark's girlfriend)


Lana ridiculed Laverne, who believes that...


(clue: Shirley's roomate in Milwaukee)

You may wish to take issue with an industry saying something, but somebody or something in the sentence is saying something- after all, saying in all the choices- and it certainly isn't the subject of the sentence, the natural referent for a gerund (except for including) after a comma. Accept the fact that the industry is the one saying the the move will... and you should be drawn to C

PS. Don't confuse a gerund with the present continuous tense!

Kevin,

I did really got confused over gerund & progessive form!
Culd u plz shed some light on how to distinguish them? Any quick ticks that I culd apply?

Thanks a heap Kevin for that perfect explanation!.

As pointed out by gmatmachoman could you please shed some light on gerund and progressive form

Regards,
Phil

The Environmental Protection Agency's proposal to place restrictions on both diesel fuel and diesel engines has sparked a counterattack by the oil industry, saying that the move will exacerbate the nation's fuel supply problems.


IMO C

the subject of the preceding clause should be modified by "saying"...
So in original sentence it seems as Proposal is saying something..

Instead we mean Oil industries are saying something...this is presented
well in option C

A. on both diesel fuel and diesel engines has sparked a counterattack by the oil industry, saying

C. on both diesel fuel and diesel engines has sparked a counterattack by the oil industry, which says