OFFICIAL EXPLANATION



THE PROMPT

The really short answer
If recommend is used in its bossy sense (recommend can also mean endorse), it must be part of the command subjunctive construction.
Options A, B, C, and E do not use the command subjunctive structure.
Game over. Option D wins.

Back to our regularly scheduled program.

• Issues

Command subjunctive
→ recommend is a "bossy" verb that requires the "command subjunctive" (or "mandative subjunctive") construction:
bossy verb + THAT + subject/noun + bare infinitive

The infinitive: to provide
The bare infinitive (just drop the word "to"): provide

Parallelism
→ the list of three examples of "banking services" must be parallel

Such As Vs. Like

To introduce examples, use such as, not like.

THE OPTIONS

• improper construction
→ recommend requires the command subjunctive structure (see above)
→ recommend THAT post offices provide their customers XYZ

• The list of examples is not parallel
Offering small loans, refillable debit cards, and check cashing are not parallel (gerund, "normal"/concrete noun, gerund).
ELIMINATE A


• do not use should in the bossy verb command subjunctive construction.
→ Recommend and should are redundant; recommend already suggests "should."
→ Speakers of British English, be a bit careful. In B.E., "should" is allowed.

• not parallel: refillable debit cards, check cashing, and giving small loans ("regular"/concrete noun, gerund, gerund)
→ the first list item is a regular noun, whereas the third item is a gerund (a verbING).
Ignore "check cashing." It's hard to decide quickly what check cashing is: a regular noun? a gerund?
We can ignore "check crashing" because item #1 and item #3 are not parallel.
ELIMINATE B


• the command subjunctive construction should be used

• The use of such . . . like to introduce examples is incorrect
ELIMINATE C

• Correct
→ the command subjunctive is used (recommend THAT post offices provide)
→ the list items are all "regular" nouns and are parallel
→ examples are introduced by such as
KEEP


• the command subjunctive is not used

• the use and placement of that provide distort the meaning of the sentence.

• a verb is missing from the main clause because that "eats up" the verb provide.

• debit cards, cashing of checks and giving small loans are not parallel
ELIMINATE E

The answer is D.

COMMENTS

ravigupta2912 you asked a good question:

No, both constructions are not correct in this instance because of this verb.
Recommend cannot be followed by the infinitive, so (b) is incorrect, though its structure is spot on.

Other bossy verbs can take both that and the infinitive.
Require can take both constructions.
Correct: The Act requires that employees be restored to their positions after taking a leave.
→ bossy verb + THAT + subject/noun [employees] + bare infinitive (be)
Correct: The Act requires employers to restore employees to their positions after taking a leave.
→ X + bossy verb + subject/noun + infinitive

I could require John to provide aid.
I could order John to provide aid.

Recommend cannot be followed by the infinitive.
I could not recommend John to provide aid.

I recently wrote a post about commands, here.
In that post, I list some verbs that can take both the command subjunctive and the infinitive forms.
We must learn the verbs; how they can be used in the command form is idiomatic.
Take a look at this post, here and this post, here.

These answers range from good to excellent. Kudos to all who explained.

One of the big concepts that seems to stick out is the use of the Command Subjunctive.

(A) “....the USPS released a report recommending post offices to provide their customers....”

From a meaning stand point, (A) makes it seem as if the USPS is “recommending” post offices to.....something.

We usually “recommend” a friend for a job. However, the intent of the author is to convey the meaning that the report written by the USPS is one that “recommends” that the post offices provide some services.

(A) does not express this meaning.

(B) “...USPS released a report recommending that post offices should provide their customers such bank services as.....”

Two issues pop out.

First, the command subjunctive is not used properly. The word “should” should be excluded

“...USPS released a report recommending that post offices provide.....”


Second, the author’s intent is to introduce examples at the end of the sentence. Generally, the following Idiom seems preferable: noun + “such as” + (examples)

“....such banking services as....” hurts my ear.

(C) contains the same issue that (A) does. The meaning expressed seems to say that the USPS is “recommending” the post offices.


(D) uses the proper form of the command subjunctive following the verbal “recommending”

“recommending” + “that” + (subject noun) + bare infinitive “provide”

Furthermore, “such as” is used correctly to introduce examples of the services post offices are expected to provide.

(D) seems correct.

(E) has an issue with parallelism. The 3 examples of the “services” are not parallel. You have 1 concrete noun and 2 simple gerunds.

(D) in contrast provide a parallel list of examples.

The correct answer is D

Posted from my mobile device

A) post offices to provide their customers banking services such as refillable debit cards, check cashing, and offering small loans. -- "offering small loans" is not parallel with the noun phrases used in first two items of the list. noun, noun, gerund. D has a better structure. Eliminate A in favor of D.

B) that post offices should provide their customers such banking services as refillable debit cards, check cashing, and giving small loans -- "should" not be used in a subjunctive construction.

C) post offices to provide their customers such banking services like refillable debit cards, check cashing, and small loans -- "like" is not used to give examples.

D) that post offices provide their customers banking services such as refillable debit cards, check cashing, and small loans. -- Correct.

E) post offices that provide their customers banking services such as refillable debit cards, cashing of checks, and giving small loans -- either use "recommend that" or "recommended X to do...". The structure used here is "recommend X that.." this is incorrect and subjunctive should be used as described. Eliminate.

Small question here - are both the below constructions correct in subjunctive constructions?
a) " <<bossy verb>> that......" (eg: recommend that aid be provided)
b) "<<bossy verb>> <<noun entity / doer / subject>> to do.." (eg: recommend John to provide aid)

This is often the split in subjunctive and I often trip on this. If both are correct, what are the rules that determine which structure should be preferred?

Subjunctive is being tested - Infinitive form of the verb without "to" and no should

In 2014, the United States Postal Service (USPS) released a report recommending post offices to provide their customers banking services such as refillable debit cards, check cashing, and offering small loans.


A) post offices to provide their customers banking services such as refillable debit cards, check cashing, and offering small loans.
Incorrrect

B) that post offices should provide their customers such banking services as refillable debit cards, check cashing, and giving small loans
Incorrect

C) post offices to provide their customers such banking services like refillable debit cards, check cashing, and small loans
Incorrect

D) that post offices provide their customers banking services such as refillable debit cards, check cashing, and small loans.
Correct

E) post offices that provide their customers banking services such as refillable debit cards, cashing of checks, and giving small loans
Incorrect

imo D..
Subjunctive form maintained only in D
In 2014, the United States Postal Service (USPS) released a report recommending post offices to provide their customers banking services such as refillable debit cards, check cashing, and offering small loans.


A) post offices to provide their customers banking services such as refillable debit cards, check cashing, and offering small loans.

B) that post offices should provide their customers such banking services as refillable debit cards, check cashing, and giving small loans

C) post offices to provide their customers such banking services like refillable debit cards, check cashing, and small loans

D) that post offices provide their customers banking services such as refillable debit cards, check cashing, and small loans.


E) post offices that provide their customers banking services such as refillable debit cards, cashing of checks, and giving small loans
-- No verb
_________________

In 2014, the United States Postal Service (USPS) released a report recommending post offices to provide their customers banking services such as refillable debit cards, check cashing, and offering small loans.

A) post offices to provide their customers banking services such as refillable debit cards, check cashing, and offering small loans. -> recommend is a bossy word, we need "that" and "basic form of verb". Incorrect.

B) that post offices should provide their customers such banking services as refillable debit cards, check cashing, and giving small loans -> Should is incorrect to use in Subjunctive mood.

C) post offices to provide their customers such banking services like refillable debit cards, check cashing, and small loans -> Same as A.

D) that post offices provide their customers banking services such as refillable debit cards, check cashing, and small loans. -> It is a better subjunctive mood form. Further, refillable debit cards, check cashing, and small loans are parallel too.

Subjunctive mood: It is used to express possibilities.
1) To express a wish or hypothesis (Plural form of verb) - I wish I were a king
2) To express a situation contrary to the fact - If I were the PM, Politics would be cleaner. (Note- We don't need "then")
3) To express (Command/demand/Suggestion/Necessity/Dictate/Mandate) - The Teacher asked that Tarun write the article.

And we have, "that......be" construction. Subject +Bossy Verb +That + Something be done.
I propose that Suzan be present at the meeting.

E) post offices that provide their customers banking services such as refillable debit cards, cashing of checks, and giving small loans -> refillable debit cards, cashing of checks, and giving small loans are not parallel to each other. Incorrect.

So, I think D.

KEY is recommending shall be followed by that. A, C & E out.
Recommendation/instructions shall be without helping verb. B is out.

D is the correct choice
_________________

In 2014, the United States Postal Service (USPS) released a report recommending post offices to provide their customers banking services such as refillable debit cards, check cashing, and offering small loans.


A) post offices to provide their customers banking services such as refillable debit cards, check cashing, and offering small loans. Incorrect

that require after recommendation

B) that post offices should provide their customers such banking services as refillable debit cards, check cashing, and giving small loans Incorrect

subjunctive form, should uses wrong

C) post offices to provide their customers such banking services like refillable debit cards, check cashing, and small loans Incorrect

that require after recommendation, such ..as .. uses to express example

D) that post offices provide their customers banking services such as refillable debit cards, check cashing, and small loans. Correct

E) post offices that provide their customers banking services such as refillable debit cards, cashing of checks, and giving small loans Incorrect

misplaced that

In 2014, the United States Postal Service (USPS) released a report recommending post offices to provide their customers banking services such as refillable debit cards, check cashing, and offering small loans.

A) post offices to provide their customers banking services such as refillable debit cards, check cashing, and offering small loans.
'refillable debit cards, check cashing, and small loans' are not parallel

B) that post offices should provide their customers such banking services as refillable debit cards, check cashing, and giving small loans
'should' can not be used with verbs such as recommend.

C) post offices to provide their customers such banking services like refillable debit cards, check cashing, and small loans
Incorrect use of like to give examples.

D) that post offices provide their customers banking services such as refillable debit cards, check cashing, and small loans.
Correct

E) post offices that provide their customers banking services such as refillable debit cards, cashing of checks, and giving small loans
'refillable debit cards, check cashing, and small loans' are not parallel.

Choice D is the answer.

Refillable debit cards:- Adjective+Noun
Check Cashing:-Adjective+Noun
Offering Small Loans:- Verb+Adjective+Noun

Not parallel Eliminate


Refillable debit cards:- Adjective+Noun
Check Cashing:-Adjective+Noun
Giving Small Loans:- Verb+Adjective+Noun

Not parallel Eliminate


Usage of such and like together is incorrect. Eliminate


Refillable debit cards:- Adjective+Noun
Check Cashing:-Adjective+Noun
Small Loans:- Adjective+Noun

Also usage of that as a bossy verb wherein bare form of verb provide is used correctly.


Refillable debit cards:- Adjective+Noun
Check Cashing:-Adjective+Noun
Giving Small Loans:- Verb+Adjective+Noun

Not parallel Eliminate

IMO D
_________________

The official explanation is here.