In the film industry, the first two months of the year

[BTGmoderatorDC]

In the film industry, the first two months of the year are usually a time of tight production budgets, because the advertising demands of the holiday season exact a large toll, and the equally extravagant marketing push leading up to the Oscars strains corporate coffers.

A. toll, and the equally extravagant marketing push leading up to the Oscars strains
B.toll, and their marketing push is equally extravagant leading up to the Oscars, straining
C.toll, with an even more extravagant marketing push leading up to the Oscars straining
D.toll, while the marketing push leading up to the Oscars is more extravagant to strain
E. toll, while their marketing push leading up to the Oscars is equally extravagant and strains

What is the best approach to determine the best option?

OA A

[MartyMurray]

What is the best approach to determine the best option?

You can get this one right by reading the five sentences created via using the five choices very literally and seeing which one makes sense.

(A) In the film industry, the first two months of the year are usually a time of tight production budgets, because the advertising demands of the holiday season exact a large toll, and the equally extravagant marketing push leading up to the Oscars strains corporate coffers.

This version totally makes sense.

(B) In the film industry, the first two months of the year are usually a time of tight production budgets, because the advertising demands of the holiday season exact a large toll, and their marketing push is equally extravagant leading up to the Oscars, straining corporate coffers.


Since "their" is a plural pronoun, it has to refer to a plural noun. We have the plural nouns "demands", "budgets", and "months".

If we plug in any of those nouns where "their" is, the sentence does not make sense.

(C) In the film industry, the first two months of the year are usually a time of tight production budgets, because the advertising demands of the holiday season exact a large toll, with an even more extravagant marketing push leading up to the Oscars straining corporate coffers.

What does this one mean? It seems to be saying that the advertising demands of the holiday season exact a large toll with an even more extravagant marketing push. The question becomes, more extravagant than what? So, this version does not make sense either.

(D) In the film industry, the first two months of the year are usually a time of tight production budgets, because the advertising demands of the holiday season exact a large toll, while the marketing push leading up to the Oscars is more extravagant to strain corporate coffers.

In this one, "the marketing push leading up to the Oscars" seems to be "more extravagant" in order "to strain corporate coffers". Since the idea of having an extravagant marketing push for the purpose of straining coffers does not make sense, this choice is out too.

(E) In the film industry, the first two months of the year are usually a time of tight production budgets, because the advertising demands of the holiday season exact a large toll, while their marketing push leading up to the Oscars is equally extravagant and strains corporate coffers.

This one again uses "their" with no logical referent. "their" seems to refer to "film industry", but referring to "film industry" by using "their" doesn't make sense, as "film industry" is a singular noun, while "their" is a plural pronoun.

Therefore, the correct answer is A