Sentence Correction

According to its proponents, a proposed new style of aircraft could, by skimming along the top of the atmosphere, fly between most points on Earth in under two hours.

A. According to its proponents, a proposed new style of aircraft could, by skimming along the top of the atmosphere, fly between most points on Earth in under two hours.
B. By skimming along the top of the atmosphere, proponents of a proposed new style of aircraft say it could fly between most points on Earth in under two hours.
C. A proposed new style of aircraft could fly between most points on Earth in under two hours, according to its proponents, with it skimming along the top of the atmosphere.
D. A proposed new style of aircraft, say its proponents, could fly between most points on Earth in under two hours because of its skimming along the top of the atmosphere.
E. According to its proponents, skimming along the top of the atmosphere makes it possible that a proposed new style of aircraft could fly between most points on Earth in under two hours.

IMO, it is B. But OA says A.

A - incorrect because of incorrect referrent "its proponents".
B - correctly refers to "proponents of a proposed new style of aircraft"
C - same error as 'A' and "its" does not refer correctly to the aircraft
D - same error as C
E - wordy

B - run on sentecne. no conjunction betweeen 'proponents ....say' and 'it could fly'

Hi gibran,

Here's another reason B is incorrect:

Remember the rule: when a sentence begins with a modifying phrase followed by a comma, the noun after the comma must be the logical subject of that phrase.

B violates this rule because the subject of the modifying phrase "By skimming along the top of the atmosphere" doesn't make sense. The sentence makes it sound as if the proponents are things that are skimming along the top of the atmosphere, because "proponents" is the next word after the phrase. However, the word(s) after the phrase should be "a new style of aircraft", to show that the aircraft is the thing that is skimming.

Hope this helps!

D is correct because in D first its is correctly qualified to Aircraft. So the second will refer to the same noun in same sentence.

D is incorrect IMO. D uses 'its skimming'.
I think C is the correct answer. its here refers to the new style of aircraft. I dont see a problem in C.

Please suggest!

tar.goyal,

Regarding D, what about the second "its"? To me, that pronoun is ambiguous. It might refer to the plane, or it might refer to the Earth.

Hi Jim,

I never said that D is correct!

Whoops, you're right - that's what I get for posting early in the morning!

gibran wrote:According to its proponents, a proposed new style of aircraft could, by skimming along the top of the atmosphere, fly between most points on Earth in under two hours.

A. According to its proponents, a proposed new style of aircraft could, by skimming along the top of the atmosphere, fly between most points on Earth in under two hours.
B. By skimming along the top of the atmosphere, proponents of a proposed new style of aircraft say it could fly between most points on Earth in under two hours.
C. A proposed new style of aircraft could fly between most points on Earth in under two hours, according to its proponents, with it skimming along the top of the atmosphere.
D. A proposed new style of aircraft, say its proponents, could fly between most points on Earth in under two hours because of its skimming along the top of the atmosphere.
E. According to its proponents, skimming along the top of the atmosphere makes it possible that a proposed new style of aircraft could fly between most points on Earth in under two hours.

Can someone please help me to understand the structure, as per my understanding--

According to its proponents-- modifier
by skimming along the top of the atmosphere-- additional info
The main clause is-- a proposed new style of aircraft could fly between most points on Earth in under two hours., here then what is the subject ?

Regards,
Veenu