Sentence Correction

In California today, Hispanics under the age of eighteen account for more than 43 percent, compared with a decade ago, when it was about 35 percent.

A) In California today, Hispanics under the age of eighteen account for more than 43 percent, compared with a decade ago, when it was about 35 percent.

B) Of the Californians under the age of eighteen, today more than 43 percent of them are Hispanic, compared with a decade ago, when it was about 35 percent.

C) Today, more than 43 percent of Californians under the age of eighteen are Hispanic, compared with about 35 percent a decade ago.

D) Today, compared to a decade ago, Californians who are Hispanics under the age of eighteen account for more than 43 percent, whereas it was about 35 percent.

E) Today, Hispanics under the age of eighteen in California account for more than 43 percent, unlike a decade ago, when it was about 35 percent.

OAC

WhyD is wrong?

Please explain

Let us look at each of the answer options -

A - does not answer the question 43% of what? 43% of the minority population? or 43% of the total population? Not clear.
In this answer option, 'a decade ago' is compared with 'Hispanics'. This is incorrect.
'it' refers to '43 percent'. Note that the pronoun 'it' cannot refer to just 'percent'. It refers to the noun plus all its modifiers.
the clause 'when it was about 35 percent' now reads 'when 43 percent was about 35 percent' - Incorrect.

B - 'of the Californians under age of 18, today more than 43 percent of them ...' - redundant construction.
'a decade ago' is compared with 'More than 43% of them'.
'it' does not have an antecedent. Note that 'more 43% of Californians under age of 18' is plural.

C - correct answer. '35 percent' is compared with 'more than 43%'

D - does not answer the question - 43% of what?
The usage of 'it' is also incorrect.

E - does not answer the question 43% of what?
'a decade ago' is compared with 'hispanics'.
the usage of 'it' is incorrect.

crackverbal wrote:Let us look at each of the answer options -

A - does not answer the question 43% of what? 43% of the minority population? or 43% of the total population? Not clear.
In this answer option, 'a decade ago' is compared with 'Hispanics'. This is incorrect.
'it' refers to '43 percent'. Note that the pronoun 'it' cannot refer to just 'percent'. It refers to the noun plus all its modifiers.
the clause 'when it was about 35 percent' now reads 'when 43 percent was about 35 percent' - Incorrect.

B - 'of the Californians under age of 18, today more than 43 percent of them ...' - redundant construction.
'a decade ago' is compared with 'More than 43% of them'.
'it' does not have an antecedent. Note that 'more 43% of Californians under age of 18' is plural.

C - correct answer. '35 percent' is compared with 'more than 43%'

D - does not answer the question - 43% of what?
The usage of 'it' is also incorrect.

E - does not answer the question 43% of what?
'a decade ago' is compared with 'hispanics'.
the usage of 'it' is incorrect.

Hi Crackverbal ,

Thanks for your reply.

Can you please that HOW comparison in option c is correct and HOW comparison in option D is wrong?

Many thanks in advance.

Kavin