Analysts blamed May's sluggish retail sales on unexciting merchandise as well as the weather, colder and wetter than was usual in some regions, which slowed sales of barbecue grills and lawn furniture

The part within the commas (colder and wetter....some regions) should act as a modifier. This is OK here, except the usage of "was" before usual - it should read "colder and wetter than IS usual".

B is the best answer.

C changes the meaning by using since.
D uses "being" needlessly and also uses teh adverb "usually" where the adjective "usual" is required
E creates a passive with "having" and also uses "was" where "is" would be better.

Yes B is the right

"colder and wetter than usual in some regions" refers to weather.

slowing => is a COMMA+ING modifier correctly used.

Given options has 2/3 split (slowed / slowing). Since sentence referred to specific past instance "Analysis blamed May's" slowed should be used instead of slowing.

A : correct
B : Verb Tense error
C : Since change the meaning
D : Verb Tense error ; being
E : having been (passive voice)

santoshs wrote:Given options has 2/3 split (slowed / slowing). Since sentence referred to specific past instance "Analysis blamed May's" slowed should be used instead of slowing.

A : correct
B : Verb Tense error
C : Since change the meaning
D : Verb Tense error ; being
E : having been (passive voice)

Santhosh,

your peception is wrong.

the sentence is :
Analysts blamed something on a particular weather, <explaining the characteristics of that weather> colder and wetter, <"which" here has to refer to the weather that has slowed down the sales. but "which" refers to the nearest noun i.e "some region">.

Hence the place of "which" is wrong...eliminating A and C


"which was colder and wetter than usual in some regions" in B correctly modifes the "weather"
and
"slowing (the participle)" after that comma gives the result of that kind of weather.

Regards,
Murali.

Does anyone know the source of this question?

I would also choose B

IMO B

santoshs wrote:Analysts blamed May's sluggish retail sales on unexciting merchandise as well as the weather, colder and wetter than was usual in some regions, which slowed sales of barbecue grills and lawn furniture.

(A) colder and wetter than was usual in some regions, which slowed---which should refer to weather & not to region
(B) which was colder and wetter than usual in some regions, slowing---Correct
(C) since it was colder and wetter than usually in some regions, which slowed---"than usually" is wrong.
(D) being colder and wetter than usually in some regions, slowing---"than usually" is wrong
(E) having been colder and wetter than was usual in some regions and slowed---the construction is awkward

I feel "A" is the right answer

C would be the best choice
what's OA???