Eating saltwater fish may significantly reduce the risk of heart attac

Hi bagdmba,

This is in response to the question you asked in the thread: various-functions-of-verb-ing-words-158049.html#p1258698

Eating saltwater fish may significantly reduce the risk of heart attacks and also aid for sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis and asthma, according to three research studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The phrase “aid for” is a noun phrase which means “help for”. For example:
UN’s aid for Somalia children reaches them on time.

But in this sentence "aid" must be parallel to “reduce” and hence, must be a verb to become grammatically parallel to “reduce”. When “aid” is used as verb, we cannot use preposition after it.

o UN aids Somalia children by providing them with food and medicines.

Now, the manner in which “aid” is used in this sentence makes it illogically parallel to the risk of heart attacks: - i.e. eating saltwater fish may significantly reduce two things

o The risk of heart attack
o Aid for sufferers of arthritis – illogical implying that actual “aid” for arthritis patients may be reduced.

Thus, it is very important to use words in their correct form, otherwise meaning can be thoroughly distorted. In this sentence, we were able to infer the intended logical meaning. Based on this understanding, we should select the answer that communicates the logical meaning.


PoE:

(A) significantly reduce the risk of heart attacks and also aid for: Incorrect for the reasons stated above.

(B) be significant in reducing the risk of heart attacks and aid for: Incorrect. As in choice A, this choice also communicates illogical meaning. In this choice is means in reducing “the risk…” and (in reducing) “aid for…”.

(C) significantly reduce the risk of heart attacks and aid: Correct answer.

(D) cause a significant reduction in the risk of heart attacks and aid to: Incorrect.
1. As in choice A, this choice also communicated illogical meaning. There are two possible lists here. But each is illogical.

a. List 1- eating saltwater fish cause a significant reduction in
i. the risk of heart attack and
ii. aid to sufferers

b. List 2- eating saltwater fish cause
i. a significant reduction in the risk of heart attack and
ii. aid to sufferers

2. Cause aid to sufferers is awkward and wordy. We say – provide aid to sufferers, not cause aid to sufferers.

(E) significantly reduce the risk of heart attacks as well as aiding: Incorrect. “aiding” is verb-ing of “aid” which not parallel to “reduce”.

Hope this helps.
Thanks.
Shraddha