vatsas wrote:
Many online retailers charge “restocking fees” on returns if the purchase price is refunded back to the customer's credit card, but charge no such fees if given as store credit.
a. if the purchase price is refunded back to the customer's credit card, but charge no such fees if given as
b. for purchases that are refunded to the customer's credit card, but not when those purchases are refunded as
c. when the purchase is refunded back to the customer's credit card, but not given in the form of
d. if the purchase price is refunded to the customer's credit card, but not if the refund is given as
e. whose purchase prices are refunded to the customer's credit card, and charge no such fees if refunded
I got stuck between a and d. The option 'd' does not seem to have complete sentence after but. So we have a run on sentence. Am I missing something?
here is the OE
The sentence describes an action taken by retailers under one set of circumstances but not under another, so the two scenarios should appear in parallel. Because the two outcomes contrast with each other -- fees are charged in one case, but not in the other -- the parallel structure should be marked by a transition that indicates contrast.
(A) In the construction "charge no such fees if given," the modifier "if given" must refer to the subject of the clause: "retailers charge no such fees if given store credit." This construction illogically suggests that the retailers themselves are "given as store credit." In addition, the use of both refunded and back is redundant; to refund money is to give it back.
(B) This sentence contains no parallel structure. Instead, “those purchases” seems to refer, incorrectly, to the purchases described in the previous clause (that is, those for which the refund is issued to the consumer's credit card). The second clause is meant to describe other purchases/returns that contrast with those previously mentioned, so the meaning of this choice is actually the opposite of what is intended. Additionally, both clauses state that the purchases themselves are “refunded”; this is inaccurate, as it is the price of the purchase, not the actual purchase, that is refunded.
(C) This choice sets up a parallel structure between "refunded" and "given," illogically suggesting that both modifiers refer to “purchases." (Refunds, not purchases, are given in the form of store credit.) The use of both "refunded" and "back" is redundant; to refund money is to give it back. Finally, the wording of this choice indicates that the purchases themselves are “refunded”; this is inaccurate, as it is the price of the purchase, not the actual purchase, that is refunded.
(D) CORRECT. The parallelism between the two subordinate clauses ("if the purchase price is..." and "if the refund is…") properly highlights the two situations to be contrasted. The transition word "but" properly indicates a contrast between the two situations.
(E) In the construction charge no such fees if refunded…, the modifier if refunded… must refer to the subject of the clause: "retailers charge no such fees if refunded store credit." This construction illogically suggests that the retailers themselves are given store credit. The parallel constructions are joined only by "and," a transition that does not indicate contrast. Finally, the modifier "whose purchase prices are refunded" modifies “returns,” illogically suggesting that returns are things that must be purchased for a price.
HOPE IT HELPS