Although the decision to impose a state of emergency in the province

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

THE PROMPT
Although the decision to impose a state of emergency in the province appears suddenly, astute political observers have been predicting it ever since the President and the Chief Justice fell out last spring.

• Verb tense: read the end of the sentence.
TAKEAWAY: "Ever since" requires that the verb tense be present perfect progressive
→ → Ever since means "throughout the period since that time."
→ → Ever since means "starting at that point in time until now."

We use present perfect progressive when we want to indicate ongoing action that started in the past and typically continues in the present.
→ I have been trying to finish reading The Hobbit since I was in high school. [And I still have not finished that book, cult classic though it may be.]
With "ever since":
→ Ever since the Soviet Union collapsed, old Cold Warriors including Putin have been dreaming about resurrecting it. [And they and he are both still dreaming about resurrecting it.]

Present perfect progressive bridges the past and the present.

We form present perfect progressive this way:
HAS/HAVE + BEEN + present participle [verbING]
→ Remy has been learning Ukrainian since last year.
→ The Ukrainian soldiers have been fighting valiantly and successfully ever since 2014, when Russia illegally invaded and annexed parts of sovereign Ukrainian territory.

• TAKEAWAY: appear can be both an action verb and a linking verb

Appear as an action verb:
-- Idina Menzel first appeared on Broadway in the iconic musical Rent.

Appear as a linking verb, meaning seems, seems to be, gives the impression of being:
-- The city appears deserted, but thousands of partisans hide in buildings, bunkers, and alleyways.

-- He appeared confident as he readied the microphone for his speech.

Appear gives additional information about the subject of the sentence (a noun).
Often, appear will link the subject to an adjective.

-- She appears tired.

-- Besieged by the newly adopted kitten, the dog appears confused.

-- His dismissive gesture appeared abrupt but was actually a shrewd move to forestall conversation about politics.

-- The rise and pervasiveness of white supremacist groups appeared sudden, but such groups have been proliferating for a decade and according to the DHS now constitute the deadliest domestic terror threat facing the U.S.

You can read two very short articles on linking verbs and the word "appear" by clicking here and here.

THE OPTIONS
• Wrong meaning: the decision did not suddenly appear on the scene.
The decision did not materialize quickly or become visible quickly.

The decision seemed [to be] unexpected or unforeseen.
The decision seemed to come out of nowhere.
The decision seemed sudden.

• Appear here is a linking verb that gives us more information about the subject of the sentence, decision; what follows appear should be an adjective (sudden), not an adverb (suddenly).
-- See my analysis above
ELIMINATE A

• Wrong verb tense
As I explained above, "ever since" requires present perfect progressive (have been predicting), not simple past (predicted).
ELIMINATE B

• Nonsensical: . . . the decision seems suddenly? No. The decision seems (appears) sudden.
Use the adjective, not the adverb, because appear functions as a linking verb here.

• Wrong verb tense: "were" predicting XYZ makes it sound as though they have stopped predicting XYZ quite a while ago.
We need have been predicting to show the result of an action that lasted for long time and just recently stopped.
ELIMINATE C
• Verb tense is wrong
-- Because of the words "ever since" and the meaning of the sentence, the simple past tense made is inappropriate.
We need have been making.

• Diction and usage

-- "made its prediction" is a monstrously poor word choice.
Native or near-fluent speakers: the phrasing should jar you.

The word "made" sounds as though the observers' action was discrete and finite. It was not.

What does "made ITS prediction" even mean?
Assume that we are referring to a hurricane. The hurricane = "it."
-- We can make a prediction about it.
-- We can predict it.
-- But we cannot "make its prediction." We cannot "make a hurricane's prediction." (Since when do hurricanes possess predictions? Last time I checked they clobbered areas with torrential rain and high winds.)

ELIMINATE D

• I do not see any errors
• Appears is a linking verb. The subject is decision. The adjective that describes that decision is sudden.
• have been predicting fits correctly with "ever since."
KEEP

The answer is E.

COMMENTS

milanrajb , welcome to SC Butler. We are glad to have you.

I am always glad to see newcomers.
Aspirants, you have a standing invitation to post.

I am also always glad to see our "veterans" and "initiates," who round out the picture.

This question is hard. VIGHNESHKAMATH , I agree that sudden and suddenly are confusing.
Still, you persisted and reasoned correctly. Well done. I am bumping you to Best Community Reply.