Sentence Correction_Parallel Structure

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Sentence Correction_Parallel Structure

by Soumita » Thu Jan 03, 2013 11:42 am
The human resource department's decision to expand health care benefits to domestic partners of its employees will either be approved by the vice president,which results in an end to the boycott, and cause another protest.

A)which results in an end to the boycott, and cause
B)resulting in an end to the boycott, or causing
C)with the result of an end to the boycott, or causing
D)resulting in an end to the boycott, or cause
E)with a resulting end to the boycott, and cause

This question appear in one of my practice test. I chose B as there is parallel structure "resulting.... or causing". But the correct answer is D. How can it be D?It is not maintaining parallel structure as"resulting....or cause" is not parallel.

Pls help me anyone by explaining where I am wrong in choosing B.
Source: — Sentence Correction |

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by Jim@StratusPrep » Thu Jan 03, 2013 12:15 pm
The parallel structure is between 'be' and 'cause'
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by e-GMAT » Thu Jan 03, 2013 12:59 pm
@ soumita, This question exemplifies the importance of using logic of the sentence to understand the parallel structure. I believe you are facing problems in this question since you are focusing only on the grammar part - i.e. in this sentence you made "resulting" parallel to "causing" since both are verb-ing forms. But as you know this is not correct. So lets look at this sentence in detail.
The human resource department's decision to expand health care benefits to domestic partners of its employees will either be approved by the vice president,which results in an end to the boycott, and cause another protest.

A)which results in an end to the boycott, and cause
B)resulting in an end to the boycott, or causing
C)with the result of an end to the boycott, or causing
D)resulting in an end to the boycott, or cause
E)with a resulting end to the boycott, and cause
Understand Original Sentence:
The human resource department's decision to expand health care benefits to domestic partners of its employees will either be approved by the vice president,which results in an end to the boycott, and cause another protest.

This sentence talks about the two things that may happen after the HR decides to offer health care benefits to domestic partners as well.
1: The decision will be approved by the VP - this will end the boycott.
2: The decision will not be approved by the VP - this will cause another protest.

Determine the Errors in the Original Sentence
The human resource department's decision to expand health care benefits to domestic partners of its employees will either be approved by the vice president,which results in an end to the boycott, and cause another protest.

1: Which results...is a noun modifier and it incorrectly modifies VP. It should be a verb-ing modifier that shows the results of the preceding clause or verb.
2: "either" should be used with "or". Here it is used with "and".
Per the meaning of the sentence, parallel elements are as follows:
either be approved by the VP
or cause another protest

Process of Elimination

A)which results in an end to the boycott, and cause - Wrong as discussed
B)resulting in an end to the boycott, or causing - Wrong
  • Modifier error corrected
    either..or error corrected
    Illogical list.
C)with the result of an end to the boycott, or causing - Wrong
  • awkward construction - result of an end...
    Illogical list
D)resulting in an end to the boycott, or cause - Correct
E)with a resulting end to the boycott, and cause- Wrong
  • resulting end is incorrect
    either..or error
Takeaway:
Make sure you understand the meaning of the sentence well enough and then determine the logically parallel entities. Once you determine that, you should concentrate on making the entities parallel.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Payal

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by Soumita » Thu Jan 03, 2013 2:22 pm
Thanks a lot to both of you..now I understand where I am wrong. I failed to understand the meaning of the sentence.

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by EducationAisle » Sun Jan 06, 2013 9:18 am
With B, the sentence would be:

The human resource department's decision to expand health care benefits to domestic partners of its employees will either be approved by the vice president, resulting in an end to the boycott, or causing another protest.

So, the two "parts" of the sentence (splitting the EITHER OR construct) are:

1. The human resource department's decision to expand health care benefits to domestic partners of its employees will be approved by the vice president, resulting in an end to the boycott - Correct

2. The human resource department's decision to expand health care benefits to domestic partners of its employees will causing another protest!! - Wrong

Generally this technique works very well in all such idiomatic constructs.
Ashish
MBA - ISB, GMAT - 99th Percentile
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www.EducationAisle.com

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