According to the National Pasta Association, per-capita consumption of pasta in the United States, which has already been approaching 19 pounds a year, will achieve 30 pounds a year by the twenty-first century.
(A) According to the National Pasta Association, per-capita consumption of pasta in the United States, which has already been approaching 19 pounds a year, will achieve 30 pounds a year by the twenty-first century. - How can consumption "achieve" something?
(B) Already approaching 19 pounds a year in the United States, the National Pasta Association predicts that per-capita consumption of pasta will reach 30 pounds a year by the twenty-first century. -The national pasta association is approaching 19 pounds? Not the consumption?
Notes : "Approaching 19 pounds a year" is a participle phrase which must modify the next closest noun.

(C) The National Pasta association predicts by the twenty-first century that per-capita consumption of pasta in the United States, which is already approaching 19 pounds a year, will reach 30 pounds a year. - Why will the pasta association predict something by 21st century? Prediction is happening right now.
(D) By the twenty-first century, the National Pasta Association predicts that per-capita consumption of pasta in the United States, having already approached 19 pounds a year, will reach 30 pounds a year. Reach would be an appropriate word instead of approach.
(E) According to the National Pasta Association, per-capita consumption of pasta in the United States is already approaching 19 pounds a year and will reach 30 pounds a year by the twenty-first century. Proper structure. Present continuous complemented well by future tense. Something is approaching something and as a result of this, something will happen.

53. According to the National Pasta Association, per-capita consumption of pasta in the United States, which has already been approaching 19 pounds a year, will achieve 30 pounds a year by the twenty-first century.
(A) According to the National Pasta Association, per-capita consumption of pasta in the United States, which has already been approaching 19 pounds a year, will achieve 30 pounds a year by the twenty-first century. - UNIDIOMATIC
(B) Already approaching 19 pounds a year in the United States, the National Pasta Association predicts that per-capita consumption of pasta will reach 30 pounds a year by the twenty-first century. - Misplaced Modifier
(C) The National Pasta association predicts by the twenty-first century that per-capita consumption of pasta in the United States, which is already approaching 19 pounds a year, will reach 30 pounds a year. - Misplaced Modifier
(D) By the twenty-first century, the National Pasta Association predicts that per-capita consumption of pasta in the United States, having already approached 19 pounds a year, will reach 30 pounds a year. - Misplaced Modifier
(E) According to the National Pasta Association, per-capita consumption of pasta in the United States is already approaching 19 pounds a year and will reach 30 pounds a year by the twenty-first century. - OK

IMO - These are the errors

(A) According to the National Pasta Association, per-capita consumption of pasta in the United States, which has already been approaching 19 pounds a year, will achieve 30 pounds a year by the twenty-first century.
- Modifying US
(B) Already approaching 19 pounds a year in the United States, the National Pasta Association predicts that per-capita consumption of pasta will reach 30 pounds a year by the twenty-first century.
- NPA is not approaching
(C) The National Pasta association predicts by the twenty-first century that per-capita consumption of pasta in the United States, which is already approaching 19 pounds a year, will reach 30 pounds a year.
(D) By the twenty-first century, the National Pasta Association predicts that per-capita consumption of pasta in the United States, having already approached 19 pounds a year, will reach 30 pounds a year.
- Modifying "prediction"
(E) According to the National Pasta Association, per-capita consumption of pasta in the United States is already approaching 19 pounds a year and will reach 30 pounds a year by the twenty-first century.
- Good

E is correct. Here my 2 cents.

(A) According to the National Pasta Association, per-capita consumption of pasta in the United States, which has already been approaching 19 pounds a year, will achieve 30 pounds a year by the twenty-first century.
Wrong. Modifier problem.

(B) Already approaching 19 pounds a year in the United States, the National Pasta Association predicts that per-capita consumption of pasta will reach 30 pounds a year by the twenty-first century.
Wrong. Modifier problem.

(C) The National Pasta association predicts by the twenty-first century that per-capita consumption of pasta in the United States, which is already approaching 19 pounds a year, will reach 30 pounds a year.
Wrong. Modifier problem.

(D) By the twenty-first century, the National Pasta Association predicts that per-capita consumption of pasta in the United States, having already approached 19 pounds a year, will reach 30 pounds a year.
Wrong. Change meaning.

(E) According to the National Pasta Association, per-capita consumption of pasta in the United States is already approaching 19 pounds a year and will reach 30 pounds a year by the twenty-first century.
Correct.

Hey Maybe i can help here.
IMO E
"which has already been approaching 19 pounds a year"refers to "consumption"..Lets see meaning of each choice

A. According to the National Pasta Association, per-capita consumption of pasta in the United States, which has already been approaching 19 pounds a year, will achieve 30 pounds a year by the twenty-first century. - In this option, "which" incorrectly modifies United states.United states cannot approach 19 pounds/yr. It has to be some quantity which must reach the value of 19p/yr.[/color]

B. Already approaching 19 pounds a year in the United States, the National Pasta Association predicts that per-capita consumption of pasta will reach 30 pounds a year by the twenty-first century. -- Incorrectly worded sentence..Here the " National Pasta Association " seems to modify "approaching 19 pounds a year in the United States"


C. The National Pasta association predicts by the twenty-first century that per-capita consumption of pasta in the United States, which is already approaching 19 pounds a year, will reach 30 pounds a year. ---Meaning changes here "National Pasta association predicts" by the" twenty-first century" is not the intended meaning.

D. By the twenty-first century, the National Pasta Association predicts that per-capita consumption of pasta in the United States, having already approached 19 pounds a year, will reach 30 pounds a year. ---Same error as above

E. According to the National Pasta Association, per-capita consumption of pasta in the United States is already approaching 19 pounds a year and will reach 30 pounds a year by the twenty-first century. -- Perfectly worded

(A) According to the National Pasta Association, per-capita consumption of pasta in the United States, which has already been approaching 19 pounds a year, will achieve 30 pounds a year by the twenty-first century. --> WHICH is referring to US. Hence, incorrect
(B) Already approaching 19 pounds a year in the United States, the National Pasta Association predicts that per-capita consumption of pasta will reach 30 pounds a year by the twenty-first century. --> Illogically modifying NPA.
(C) The National Pasta association predicts by the twenty-first century that per-capita consumption of pasta in the United States, which is already approaching 19 pounds a year, will reach 30 pounds a year. --> Same as A.
(D) By the twenty-first century, the National Pasta Association predicts that per-capita consumption of pasta in the United States, having already approached 19 pounds a year, will reach 30 pounds a year. --> They will predict by 21st century. LOL.
(E) According to the National Pasta Association, per-capita consumption of pasta in the United States is already approaching 19 pounds a year and will reach 30 pounds a year by the twenty-first century.--> CORRECT
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(A) According to the National Pasta Association, per-capita consumption of pasta in the United States, which has already been approaching 19 pounds a year, will achieve 30 pounds a year by the twenty-first century. - Wrong: Meaning. Consumption can't "achieve".

(B) Already approaching 19 pounds a year in the United States, the National Pasta Association predicts that per-capita consumption of pasta will reach 30 pounds a year by the twenty-first century. - Wrong: Misplaced Modifier

(C) The National Pasta association predicts by the twenty-first century that per-capita consumption of pasta in the United States, which is already approaching 19 pounds a year, will reach 30 pounds a year. - Wrong: Misplaced Modifier

(D) By the twenty-first century, the National Pasta Association predicts that per-capita consumption of pasta in the United States, having already approached 19 pounds a year, will reach 30 pounds a year. - Wrong: Misplaced Modifier. Meaning issue because of "having".

(E) According to the National Pasta Association, per-capita consumption of pasta in the United States is already approaching 19 pounds a year and will reach 30 pounds a year by the twenty-first century. - Correct

Here I want to understand problem with A.
Although I did it wrong, I don't see modifier problem with "which". Here, "Which" is clearly modifying the per-capita consumption of pasta, not US because meaning is clear logically. Sometime which follows exception of touch rule.

It might be wrong because of achieve because per-capita can't not achieve something. It can reach to a level.
Therefore, I agree with E.

Please let me know if my understanding is correct.

Eliminate Option A – per-capita consumption of pasta ... will achieve 30 pounds is illogical and unidiomatic. For secondary purposes, we can eliminate because ‘which’ modifies United States

Eliminate Option B – incorrect placement of modifier; therefore altered intent – says that NPA is already approaching

Eliminate Option C – altered intent – secondary reason can be that ‘which’ is modifying incorrectly.

Eliminate Option D – Altered intent – says by 21st century NPA will predict

Option E is the best option!
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Hi Crack Verbal Team,

Just a doubt, don't you guys think that the "WHICH" in the sentence can modify the per-capita consumption as "in the United States" is a prepositional modifier, so "which" can jump over it.