Sentence Correction

It is as difficult to prevent crimes against property as those that are against a person.

(A) those that are against a
(B) those against a
(C) it is against a
(D) preventing those against a
(E) it is to prevent those against a

I was confused about how ellpisis works , in this question -
For instance - why is C not correct -
It is as difficult to prevent crimes against property as - it is <to prevent crimes> against a person.
Or for that matter -- B
It is as difficult to prevent crimes against property as - <it is difficult to prevent > those against a person.

Apologies about revealing 2 of the wrong ans. choices - but I find the working of ellipsis in this Q very confusing.

Please help!

Is the answer E?

wininblue wrote:It is as difficult to prevent crimes against property as those that are against a person.

(A) those that are against a
(B) those against a
(C) it is against a
(D) preventing those against a
(E) it is to prevent those against a

I was confused about how ellpisis works , in this question -
For instance - why is C not correct -
It is as difficult to prevent crimes against property as - it is <to prevent crimes> against a person.
Or for that matter -- B
It is as difficult to prevent crimes against property as - <it is difficult to prevent > those against a person.

Apologies about revealing 2 of the wrong ans. choices - but I find the working of ellipsis in this Q very confusing.

Please help!

Option A-to prevent crimes against property is comapared with crimes that are against a person.This is wrong.

Option B-Same as A

Option C-it refers to crimes which is plural.Not correct

Now D and E

Only option E maintain parallelism.

it is difficult to prevent crimes against property as it is to prevent those against a person.

Dear selango
Thank you for your detailed explanation.

The Ans is E

However, my question is - is there a rule for ellipsis that defines what specific set of words that can be repeated or ommitted in the following clause or phrase?

For Instance, in this question, any of the words from the first clause can be assumed to be ommitted as ellipsis

It is as difficult to prevent crimes against property as those that are against a person - could have been:

It is as difficult to prevent crimes against property as <it is to prevent > those that are against a person.