Despite offering significant discounts, Detroit automakers were losing U.S. market share to lower-cost rivals from Japan and South Korea, which are gaining ground even while offering smaller discounts.
(A) Despite offering significant discounts, Detroit automakers were losing
(B) Despite offering significant discounts, Detroit automakers are losing
(C) Despite significant discounts, the Detroit automakers lost
(D) Despite significant discounts, the Detroit automakers continuing to lose
(E) The Detroit automakers, despite significant discounts, were losing
OA: B
'Despite' is a preposition and so should be followed by a noun or noun phrase. Is "offering significant discounts" a noun phrase?
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Noun phrase
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Correct!'Despite' is a preposition and so should be followed by a noun or noun phrase
Yes!Is "offering significant discounts" a noun phrase?
To be more specific,
"offering significant discounts" is a gerund phrase. gerunds are Verbing nouns.
Offering is a Direct object(noun) of preposition despite.
discounts is a Direct object(noun) of gerund offering.
Significant is an adjective modifying discounts
Which discounts?
Significant discounts.
Direct objects answer what or whom
Despite what?
Despite offering
Offering what?
offering discounts.
which discounts?
significant discounts.
