Sentence Correction

Please delete this post anyway if discussion on the problem already exists.

When rates were raised in 1985, postal service officials predicted they would make further rate increases unnecessary for at least three years.

(A) they would make further rate increases unnecessary
(B) they would mean that further rate increases would not be needed
(C) that it would not be necessary for further rate increases
(D) that the increase would make further rate increase unnecessary
(E) further rate increases will not be needed

OA is D

Could anyone tell me if the "that" is omittable in the clause? Thanks~

Although this has been posted earlier , I did not find the explanation good enough . So here it goes .


The sentence is checking verb tense and mood .

Mood here is subjunctive .

PREDICTED = subjunctive and as per rule SUBJUNCTIVE + THAT + Bare form of verb TO BE .

Could anyone tell me if the "that" is omittable in the clause?

So if you see the above rule . THAT can not be omitted .

But there are some subjunctives that need infinitive OR THAT or both .

Ex : The commissioner ALLOWED the members TO BE in the room .

So since THAT is needed we can eliminate A, B and E straight away .

Between (C) and (D) .

In (C) IT has no antecedent .

The only correct answer is D.

Thank you very much for your reply, rockeyb. My classmate said that it should be an objective clause, but I was not sure if it checks the subjunctive mood.

fx678 wrote:Thank you very much for your reply, rockeyb. My classmate said that it should be an objective clause, but I was not sure if it checks the subjunctive mood.

Well it certainly dose check for subjunctive .

Check MGMAT SC book for better understanding .

Cheers !!!

Well I was stuck between C and D, I agree It does not have a antecedent, but the meaning in D is not clear it says the " "increase would make further rate increase unnecessary " how can increase make anything.

If any one clarify this it will be great.

Can you please state the source of this question

sanyalpritish wrote:Well I was stuck between C and D, I agree It does not have a antecedent, but the meaning in D is not clear it says the " "increase would make further rate increase unnecessary " how can increase make anything.

If any one clarify this it will be great.

Can you please state the source of this question

Have a look at the complete sentence and not only the underlined portion .

increase would make further rate increase unnecessary.

Increase here refers to the rates increased by postal services in 1985 .

Because of this increase in rates in 1985 no further increase would be required . This is what the sentence actually means.

Hope this helps.

I think the word increase needs an s in choice D

kevincanspain wrote:I think the word increase needs an s in choice D

I dont get it . Why should increase in D need a S ?

make a further rate increase unnecessary

OR

make further rate increases unnecessary

Amazing observation

kevincanspain wrote:make a further rate increase unnecessary

OR

make further rate increases unnecessary

WOW !!!! man - O - man that is simply amazing .

Hats off to you for that observation .

Phew no words ...............