Vercules wrote:
In the 1980s computer books’ sales accounted for approximately 4% of operating profits of a typical publishing company; in the 2000s this proportion increased to 40%.
A) publishing company; in the 2000s this proportion increased to 40%.
B) publishing company; in the 2000s they increased by 40%.
C) publishing company, in the 2000s they increased to 40%.
D) publishing company; increasing to 40% in the 2000s.
E) publishing company, which increased to 40% in the 2000s.
A)
Correctpublishing company; in the 2000s this proportion increased to 40%.
This option correctly talks about proportion ( a new proportion of a new profit (profit of 2000s)
B)
Incorrectpublishing company; in the 2000s they increased by 40%.
here they refer to profits but the referred profit is the profit of 80s not the profit of 2000
C)
Incorrectpublishing company, in the 2000s they increased to 40%.
Same as B, In addition to this error, a comma before "in the..........." make this sentence run on. (two sentences are joined without any conjunction)
D)
Incorrectpublishing company; increasing to 40% in the 2000s.
Semicolon is used to join two independent clauses but here after semicolon, we have a phrase
E)
Incorrectpublishing company, which increased to 40% in the 2000s
which here is problematic. which can refer to company or profits. if which refers to profit still option E is incorrect. Because which refers to the profits of 1980s but we want to refer new profits.