Sentence Correction

Over the last seven consecutive quarters the client base of Hauptkins Services has shrunk at a slower pace than Inigo Services, Jauplaunkt Services, or Larkens Client Services, with the rate of contraction lessened to the extent that some analysts have returned to an optimistic bias for Hauptkins.


A) Inigo Services, Jauplaunkt Services, or Larkens Client Services, with the rate of contraction lessened

B) the client base of Inigo Services, Jauplaunkt Services, and Larkens Client Services, with the rate of contraction that has lessened

C) has Inigo Services, Jauplaunkt Services, and Larkens Client Services, and the rate of contraction has lessened

D) has that of Inigo Services, Jauplaunkt Services, or Larkens Client Services, and the rate of contraction lessening

E) the client bases of Inigo Services, Jauplaunkt Services, and Larkens Client Services, and the rate of contraction has lessened


OA E

Source: EMPOWERgmat

We're here looking for comparison, and the comparison marker in un-underlined portion is client base
So the ideal sentence should be 'client base of X has shrunk at a slower pace than client base of Y' ; or it can also be 'client base of X has shrunk at a slower pace than that of Y' (where 'that of' refers to the client base)
For that reason, A, C and D out.

Now lets compare B and E

(B) the client base of Inigo Services, Jauplaunkt Services, and Larkens Client Services, with the rate of contraction that has lessened
(E) the client bases of Inigo Services, Jauplaunkt Services, and Larkens Client Services, and the rate of contraction has lessened

We're comparing client base of X with the base of A, B and C. Since the second comparison (A,B,C) is plural, therefore, Client bases is preferred over Client base.
Also, the use of 'with' in the option (B) is explaining about the previous clause, while the intended meaning is to introduce a new clause, which is nicely given in the option (E), by using a connector AND.

For that reason, E is the answer.