retailers

[sogmat]

Retailers reported moderate gains in their November sales, as much because of their sales of a year earlier being so bad as that shoppers were getting a head start on buying their holiday gifts.
A. of their sales of a year earlier being so bad as that
B. of their sales a year earlier having been as bad as because
C. of their sales a year earlier being as bad as because
D. their sales a year earlier had been so bad as because
E. their sales of a year earlier were as bad as that

OA D- doesnt make sense to me

[sudeep_ar]

sales of a year earlier is wrong as we are talking of a monthly sale(November).

they show gain in sales this year, which implies their sales are better this year and not as bad as last year. So we should use 'so bad as'.

Please correct me if I am wrong!

[cramya]

The choices do sound awkward.

I would go with D

reported-> simple past tense

had been-> past perfect tense

When there are two past events, then the event that occured first or earlier must be in past perfect tense.

The decline in sales happenned before when they reported