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.