rishabhdxt wrote:
Experts pls comment
Hello
rishabhdxt,
You have presented a very detailed analysis of this official question. Great job there.
However, I would like to adjust your approach towards a few answer choices. So let's begin.
rishabhdxt wrote:
(A) It was only after Katharine Graham became publisher of the Washington Post in 1963 that it moved into the first rank of American newspapers, and it was under her command that the paper won high praises.
Correct : Parallelism
It is true that in Choice A, the two clauses joined by
and follows the identical structure and hence maintain perfect parallelism, I hope you understand that this criterion is not a must for two elements to be parallel.
A choice that conveys the intended meaning in correct grammar with parallelism less perfect than in Choice A can be a contender for the correct choice.
But yes, this choice indeed is correct because it is logical and grammatical and clearly conveys the intended meaning.
rishabhdxt wrote:
(B) It was only after Katharine Graham's becoming publisher of The Washington Post in 1963 that it moved into the first rank of American newspapers, and under her command it had won high praises
--> use of 'had' is wrong . Incorrect
use of 'had' twist meaning . Washington post won high praises before it came under Katharine.
See, parallelism wise, this choice also works. But it has the very evident error that you have correctly mentioned in your analysis.
rishabhdxt wrote:
(C) Katharine Graham became publisher of The Washington Post in 1963, and only after that did it move into the first rank of American newspapers, having won high praise under her command
Subject : It is singular & Verb : move is plural
Incorrect
I am afraid your reason to reject this answer choice is not correct. Please note the verb for the subject it is
did move. So there is no SV number agreement error in this choice.
This choice is incorrect because of the usage of the modifier
having won high praise. The modifier having verb-ed has a very specific usage. In modifying a clause, it presents the action done prior to the modified action in the main clause. For example:
1. Having finished his breakfast, Joe went to play tennis.
In the above-mentioned sentence, Joe first finished his breakfast and then went to play tennis. The sentence will convey the same meaning if we change the place of the having verb-ed modifier.
2. Joe went to play tennis, having finished his breakfast.
Both the sentences 1. and 2. convey the same meaning.
With the usage of
having won high praise after the action
did move, Choice C suggests that
The Washington Post first won the praise and then moved to the first rank. This certainly is not the intended meaning.
rishabhdxt wrote:
(D) Moving into the first rank of American newspapers only after Katharine Graham became its publisher in 1963, The Washington Post, winning high praise under her command
Modifier, noun , modifier construction : Incorrect
Once again, your reason for rejecting this answer choice is not correct.
The opening verb-ing noun modifier
Moving into... correctly modifies the subject of the following clause
The Washington Post. But there is no verb for the subject
The Washington Post.
rishabhdxt wrote:
(E) Moving into the first rank of American newspapers only after Katharine Graham's becoming its publisher in 1963, The Washinton Postwon high praise under her command
no antecedent for "her"
Your analysis for this choice is also incorrect. The antecedent for the pronoun
her is
Katharine Graham's. Since her is a possessive pronoun, it can definitely refer to the possessive noun
Katharine Graham's.
Just replace
Katharine Graham's with
her in this choice, and you will see that the sentence still conveys the same meaning.
This choice is incorrect because the expression
Katharine Graham's becoming is a little awkward.
Hope this helps.
Thanks.
Shraddha
Can you please cover one more reason pointed out by some folks to eliminate option C.