OG Question #49

[sidchilling]

I don't understand the correct answer for this question, could someone please explain to me whether I am missing anything.

Outlining his strategy for nursing the troubled conglomerate back to health, the chief executive's plans were announced on Wednesday for cutting the company's huge debt by selling nearly $12 billion in assets over the next 18 months.

A. Repeat as question stem.
B. executive's plans, which are to cut the company's huge debt by selling nearly $12 billion in assets over the next 18 months, were announced on Wednesday.
C. executive's plans for cutting the company's huge debt by selling nearly $12 billion in assets over the next 18 months were announced on Wednesday.
D. executive announced plans Wednesday to cut the company's huge debt by selling nearly $12 billion in assets over the next 18 months.
E. executive announced plans Wednesday that are to cut the company's huge debt by selling nearly $12 billion in assets over the next 18 months.

My understanding -

A, B, and C are incorrect because the initial modifier should modify executive and not plans. So the correct answer must be either D or E. However, in both D and E on in missing before Wednesday which, in my opinion, is an error.

The OG says that the correct answer is D and the answer explanation doesn't refer to the missing on at all.

Can someone please explain?

[JohnTran]

Hi Sidchilling,

The question tests us Parallel Structure and Relative Clause. Let's destroy the question together.

In A,B and C, we have "executive's plans" as Subject which isn't parralel with "Outlining his strategy". "Plans" cannot do the outlining.

In E, "executive announced plans Wednesday that are ...". "That" is used to modify "Webnesday" --> Incorrect

Regards,

[sidchilling]

Hey John,

Thanks for the reply. I understand why A, B, C, and E are incorrect for the exact reasons you mentioned. My question is doesn't the missing on before Wednesday constitute an error?

The chief executive announced plans on Wednesday
vs
The chief executive announced plans Wednesday.

[JohnTran]

Hi sidchilling,

Sorry for misunderstanding you.

For the missing "on" before "Wednesday", I use my instinct. I sometimes read online news and saw that the use is possible without "on"

Regards!

[GMATGuruNY]

A, B, and C are incorrect because the initial modifier should modify executive and not plans. So the correct answer must be either D or E. However, in both D and E on in missing before Wednesday which, in my opinion, is an error.

The OG says that the correct answer is D and the answer explanation doesn't refer to the missing on at all.

Can someone please explain?

The OA does not require a preposition before Wednesday.

Correct: The chief executive announced plans today.
Correct: The chief executive announced plans yesterday.
Correct: The chief executive announced plans Wednesday.
None of these sentences requires a preposition.
In each case, the modifier in red is an ADVERB serving to express WHEN the chief executive ANNOUNCED.

[ceilidh.erickson]

Hey John,

Thanks for the reply. I understand why A, B, C, and E are incorrect for the exact reasons you mentioned. My question is doesn't the missing on before Wednesday constitute an error?

The chief executive announced plans on Wednesday
vs
The chief executive announced plans Wednesday.

This is a great example of why relying on your ear is not enough on SC problems. To my ear, "on Wednesday" sounds better. But Mitch is right - with days of the week, we can use the preposition "on" or omit it.

When you think you've detected an IDIOM or word choice issue, ignore it for the moment. Address all of the other issues of meaning & grammar in the sentence first. The GMAT will consistently fix MODIFIER issues (as in "outlining his strategy... the plans...").

However, the GMAT is sometimes inconsistent on idioms & word usage, so don't use these to eliminate answer choices until you've addressed all other meaning & grammar issues.