Minheequang wrote:
This process resulted in a total of 15 new townships: of which, to date, 7 are still in existence.
(A) of which, to date, 7 are still in existence.
(B) of which number, 7 of the 15 are still, to date, in existence.
(C) of the number 15, 7, to date, are still in existence.
(D) to date of these 15, 7 are still in existence.
(E) to date, 7 of the 15 are still in existence.
This is such a trick question from Gmattest. Still not getting the explanation that why A is not correct: "The words of which at the beginning of the clause do not clearly refer to any antecedent" (???). of Which stands right behind 15 new townships, it clearly modifies for 15 new townships and also makes no errors in meaning, why the OE states that ???
This question requires phrasing that will clearly relate the numbers seven and fifteen to each other, and correctly place the temporal marker to date.
(A) The words of which at the beginning of the clause do not clearly refer to any antecedent.
(B) The words of which at the beginning of the clause do not clearly refer to any antecedent, and the parenthetical expression to date is awkward and unnecessary.
(C) The word number in the first part of the clause is redundant, and the string of parenthetical expressions – 7, to date – makes the clause awkward and unclear.
(D) The phrase to date is misplaced and seems to refer to these 15 rather than any appropriate temporal marker.
(E) Correct. The phrase to date is correctly set off by itself, the phrase 7 of the 15 clearly positions the two numbers relative to each other.
The correct answer is E