Data analysts predict that customers will be equally likely

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION



THE PROMPT

• An important idiomatic construction: AS ... AS
→ to compare equal or nearly equal things or clauses, always use AS . . . AS

He dances with his partner as fiercely as a matador does with the cape and bull.

I am as likely to trust domestic terrorists as I am likely to jump over the moon. (Actually, the moon is looking pretty good.)

→ If you see a comparison and one correct word is AS, you need to find another AS in the sentence.
Not the phrase "equally likely."
You need another "as."

THE OPTIONS

• idiom error
→ See above. You need AS . . . AS.
Correct: . . . AS LIKELY TO X AS TO Y
→ Wrong: Equally likely to X ... as to Y

• comparison error
→ read closely. Without the words "they are," the word AS could imply that the new product IS the old one.
". . .to purchase the new product as the old one."
ELIMINATE A


• idiom error
→ equally likely to . . . as is not idiomatic
ELIMINATE B


• idiom error
Wrong: Equally likely that . . . AS
Correct: AS . . . AS

• construction error
Wrong: customers will be ... likely that they will purchase

How is it that people will be "likely that they will purchase"?
It can be likely that customers (they) will purchase.
Or people will be likely TO purchase.
But not . . . people will be likely that they will purchase.

Will be is a linking verb. We are describing customers.
Whatever comes on the other side of that linking verb is called a subject complement and must be a noun, adjective, or adverb or time or place.
Likely that they will purchase is not a noun, an adjective, or an adverb of time or place.

If this part does not make sense, stay with the AS . . . AS error.
ELIMINATE C


• I do not see any errors.

• Correct idiom, AS . . . AS .
→ We have AS likely to purchase . . . AS they are [likely to purchase]

• No strange or nonsensical phrasing.
People will not be likely that they will purchase (because they cannot be, given the way that verbs function).
IT can be likely that X will do Y.
KEEP


• comparison error
→ In this construction, they will purchase is compared to the current one.

• construction error - We need as likely TO purchase, not as likely that they will purchase
→ subject/verb: customers will be
Will be what?
As likely THAT they WILL purchase?
No. Customers will be as likely TO purchase .. .

Customers themselves cannot themselves "be likely that they will purchase."
The last part of that sentence should make absolutely no sense to native speakers.
We could have an empty IT, this way: It is as likely that the customers will purchase X as [it is likely that they will purchase] Y.
ELIMINATE E

The answer is D.

COMMENTS

Shikhar22 , sivatx2 , SohGMAT2020 , and 100mitra , welcome to SC Butler.

TarunKumar1234 (whose smiley face at the end of posts is cheery and thoughtful), I am glad to see this explanation for the correct answer:
I got this option by POE.

Good! We cannot always explain why the "least bad" answer is correct.
I do not stop to think about why the correct option is correct.
I eliminate four and check the last one standing to see whether it contains an error I did not catch.
No error? I pick that one.

Later, I can investigate why the correct answer is correct, but not while the clock is running.

These answers range from good to outstanding.
As is the case in the other question for this day, I have a few answers that I could bump to Best Community Reply.
And as is the case in the other question, I have bumped or will have bumped the others already.

So 100mitra , I am bumping you to Best Community Reply.

Stay safe, everyone.

Correct Option : D

Sentence exam on :
1. Comparison
2. Idioms
3. Usuage of "that"
4. Pronoun


Original sentence:
Data analysts predict that customers will be equally likely to purchase the new product as the current one.


A) equally likely to purchase the new product as
Flaw:
1. Wrong comparison - "equally" customer compared with purchase
2. Correct idiom needed : as X as Y
3. New product = [Current one] of what?, is not indicated?

B) equally likely to purchase the new product as they are
Flaw:
1. Wrong comparison - "equally" customer compared with purchase
2. Correct idiom needed : as X as Y
3. They usage and location is correct - they : purchase

C) equally likely that they will purchase the new product as
Flaw:
1. Wrong comparison - "equally" customer compared with purchase
2. Correct idiom needed : as X as Y
3. [Current one] of Who, is not indicated?
4. That "customer", that "They" - customer compared with himself
5. Likely "That" ?


D) as likely to purchase the new product as they are
Improvement :
1. Comparison customer new purchase as customer purchase as current one.
2. Correct idiom : as X as Y
3. Likely to - corrected
4. "They" refer to Purchase


E) as likely that they will purchase the new produce as
Flaw :
1. Idiom - "likely that"
2. Wrong refer of "They" here it's customer, we need purchase comparison with purchase
3. Wrong Will usage

Correct Option: D

Data analysts predict that customers as likely to purchase the new product as they are the current one

D.

Correct idiomatic structure and comparison.
As likely as.

Posted from my mobile device

My answer is (D). It took me 38 seconds.

(A) "as...as" is idiomatic. ”equally likely to purchase the new product.“ should be fine if it used without "as".
(B) See (A)
(C) See (A)
(E) "customers will be that they will purchase the new produce" is not a sensible sentence.

POE:
A: Correct idiomatic construction is AS…AS…
B: same as A
C: same as A
D: correct usage of both idioms: 1) AS…AS… 2) LIKELY TO
E: LIKELY THAT is unidiomatic

(D) is correct IMO

Data analysts predict that customers will be equally likely to purchase the new product as the current one.

Equally is unidiomatic and we can eliminate A/B and C for using an unidiomatic construction

Left with D and E

D) as likely to purchase the new product as they are

Comparison is clear because of verb "are"

E) as likely that they will purchase the new produce as

comparison is ambiguous

Data analysts predict that customers will be equally likely to purchase the new product as the current one.

A) equally likely to purchase the new product as -> except equally x as Y is incorrect idiom form. We need as x as y. Incorrect. generis, I have question here. For a moment, if we replace "equally" with "as", can we say, we have a better option A than option B or Option D. I hope, I am comparing Apple to Apple. And, if I am not, can you help me to figure out my understanding gap.

B) equally likely to purchase the new product as they are -> Idiom error. Incorrect.

C) equally likely that they will purchase the new product as -> Same as A. Incorrect.

D) as likely to purchase the new product as they are -> I got this option by POE.

E) as likely that they will purchase the new produce as -> As likely that is incorrect.

So, I think D.

Data analysts predict that

customers will be equally likely to purchase the new product
as
the current one.

Meaning of the sentence is that the data analysts predict: Like how customers purchased the current product, customers will be equally likely to purchase the new product.

one refers to product.
But if you notice the answers choices with the as usage, there is a parallel comparison that the author is trying to use in the sentence.
This means we have to use as...as idiom comparison. Also there is another idiom "likely to" is in the mix.

A) equally likely to purchase the new product as
This compares incorrectly, purchase of new product to current product

B) equally likely to purchase the new product as they are
To make ellipsis in comparison as....as is needed, as the second part is missing the verb "to purchase"

C) equally likely that they will purchase the new product as
likely to is the idiom not, likely that. Also the "as...as" idiom also not right as explained earlier.

D) as likely to purchase the new product as they are
This is a case of ellipsis in comparison, where some words(noun & verb) omitted from the sentence to make it concise & implicit. The same form should be maintained in the second part of sentence as first part. Here the sentence correctly removes the verb,[color=#ff0000] to purchase
Data analysts predict that customers will be as likely to purchase the new product as they are (to purchase) the current one(product).
So the correct answer choice is D.
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E) as likely that they will purchase the new produce as
wrong parallel comparison. In this choice, the clause, "they will purchase the new product", is compared with the noun phrase, "current one"

D is the correct answer as it is idiomatic in structure

As likely as is correct not as likely that and the other structures

Posted from my mobile device

Not 100% sure about this. My answer is D

Notable differences
1. Equally likely vs as likely
2. to vs that they
3. As they are vs as

For #2, that they is not necessary "will be.. that they'' this does not make sense. I don't know what rule applies here thought --> Eliminate C, E
For #3, Need a proper referent here. Just 'as' wont work. Eliminate A
For #1, Not sure about this. Trusted my ear and eliminated 'Equally likely'

So answer is D

The official explanation is here.
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