Bunuel wrote:
A common misconception held by consumers is that the higher the
price means a better quality of the product, so certain consumers avoid purchasing cheap products.
A. price means a better quality of the product, so certain consumers avoid purchasing cheap products
B. price, the better the quality of the product, so purchasing cheap products is avoided by certain consumers
C. price, means that the better the quality of the product is, so purchasing cheap products is avoided by certain consumers
D. price of the product, the better the quality, but certain consumers avoid purchasing cheap products
E. price, the better the quality of the product, so certain consumers avoid purchasing cheap products
OFFICIAL EXPLANATION
A common misconception held by consumers is that the higher the price means a better quality of the product, so certain consumers avoid purchasing cheap products.A. price means a better quality of the product, so certain consumers avoid purchasing cheap products
This answer choice is grammatically incorrect. This question uses the Double Comparative structure - the higher the price. The two parts of the Double Comparative should be separated by a comma, and both parts of a Double Comparative must begin with the word the. In this answer choice, however, there is no comma and the second part begins with the word means.B. price, the better the quality of the product, so purchasing cheap products is avoided by certain consumers
Although it corrects the original mistake, this answer choice is stylistically flawed. Changing the sentence from active to passive creates redundancy.
Active (more concise): consumers avoid purchasing
Passive (less concise): purchasing is avoided by consumers
It is true that stylistic mistakes are not always corrected. However, in this case there is an answer choice that is both grammatically correct and stylistically effective. Look for it!C. price, means that the better the quality of the product is, so purchasing cheap products is avoided by certain consumers
This answer choice repeats the original mistake with slight changes. This question uses the Double Comparative structure - the higher the price. The two parts of the Double Comparative should be separated by a comma, and the second part of a Double Comparative must begin with the word the. In this answer choice, however, the second part begins with the word means.
In addition, this answer choice is stylistically flawed. Changing the sentence from active to passive creates redundancy.
Active (more concise): consumers avoid purchasing
Passive (less concise): purchasing is avoided by consumers
D. price of the product, the better the quality, but certain consumers avoid purchasing cheap products
Although this answer choice corrects the original mistake, it is illogical. The word so in the original sentence creates a logical cause and effect connection between the consumers' positive opinion of expensive products and their avoidance of cheap products. However, this answer choice changes the word so to the word but, which indicates opposition.E. price, the better the quality of the product, so certain consumers avoid purchasing cheap products
The correct structure of Double Comparatives is the..., the.... This answer choice corrects the original mistake by adding the comma between the two sections of the Double Comparative and beginning the second section with the word the, while omitting unnecessary words.