Here is a test of parallelism....IMO E

https://www.urch.com/forums/gmat-sentenc ... opose.html

https://www.beatthegmat.com/tough-sc-t49307.html

ashforgmat wrote:While some propose to combat widespread illegal copying of computer programs by attempting to change people's attitudes toward pirating, others by suggesting reducing software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others by calling for the prosecution of those who copy software illegally.
(A) by suggesting reducing software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others by calling
(B) by suggesting the reduction of software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others call
(C) suggest the reduction of software prices for decreasing the incentive for pirating, and still others call
(D) suggest the reduction of software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others by calling
(E) suggest reducing software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others are calling

Please can someone help me with the explanations for each answer choice of the above question? Which ones are wrong and which one is correct?

THanks a lot!!!

At first glance I was tempted by C, but E makes sense even though it doesn't seem to hold the parallelism (BTW just because the Official Guide [especially 10th edition] says it is right, it does not always necessarily make it so! They make mistakes sometimes too!)

A, B, and D can be eliminated because the main verbs (of what people propose) are not parallel. All the verbs must be conjugated verbs (like the verb propose and should be in the same general tense [the present]). Now although E has a different tense in the last item, it is still a conjugated present tense, is it not? Normally we aren't supposed to play around with tenses like that but this is how they chose to do it.

C has 3 parallel items but I suppose that the propose to combat should be parallel to Answer E's suggest...to decrease. This also makes more sense than the 'for decreasing' in C because the relationship is that 1 thing is done in order for something else to happen; so that the sentence looks like this: suggest reducing software prices [in order to] decrease..." . The 'for' in C doesn't express that relationship as properly.

I am not crazy about the correct answer E but the present progressive does work along with the other two present tenses.