Let me quote the actual
OG question and the OE thereof to clear any misgiving
Quote:
4. Of all the vast tides of migration that have swept through history, maybe none is more concentrated as the wave that brought 12 million immigrants onto American shores in little more than three decades.
(A) maybe none is more concentrated as
(B) it may be that none is more concentrated as
(C) perhaps it is none that is more concentrated than
(D) maybe it is none that was more concentrated
than
(E) perhaps none was more concentrated than
Idiom; Verb form
This sentence depends on the comparative structure x is more than y. Here, an idiomatically incorrect construction x (none) is more as y (the wave) is used. In addition, the second part of the sentence uses the past tense verb brought, indicating that the event is over. Th e verb used in the comparative construction must also be past tense, x (none) was more concentrated than y (the wave). Maybe and perhaps are interchangeable; perhaps is slightly more formal.
A Incorrect idiom is used for comparison; is concentrated is the wrong tense.
B Incorrect idiom is used for comparison; it may be that is wordy.
C It is none that is more … is wordy; also, in this context, it must refer to something (unlike in phrases such as “it is clear that …”), yet it does not plausibly refer to anything.
D As in C, it is none that was more … is wordy; it must refer to something, yet it does not
plausibly refer to anything.
E Correct. Th e correct comparative construction is used in this sentence; the verb is past tense.
The correct answer is E.
In other words, the comparative construction that is more x than that is under question here along with the correct use of the tense.In D, you may note, it does not have a referent and is wordy too.
Let us now come to the simulated example posted in the forum
"Of all the major developments in information technology that have influenced literary production, maybe none is more influential as the printing press, which brought the entire classical canon to people throughout Europe within 60 years of its invention.
A maybe none is more influential as
B it may be that none is more influential as
C perhaps it is none that is more influential than
D maybe it is none that was more influential than
E perhaps none was more influential than
The point is that all the choices from A to E compare development with the printing press. E should be the answer here also. D is rejected for the same reason as for wordiness as well as for pronoun reference problem.
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