Inflation in medical costs slowed in 1986 for the fifth consecutive year but were still about 50 percent greater than the rate of price increases for other items included in the consumer price index.

(A) Inflation in medical costs slowed in 1986 for the fifth consecutive year but were

(B) Inflation in medical costs slowed for the fifth consecutive year in 1986 but was

(C) In 1986 inflation in medical costs were slowed for the fifth consecutive year but were

(D) 1986 was the fifth consecutive year in which inflation in medical costs slowed but was

(E) 1986 was the fifth consecutive year that inflation in medical costs were slowed, but they
were

The best/excellent answers get kudos. There can be no best answer, or a few excellent answers!

Inflation in medical costs slowed in 1986 for the fifth consecutive year but were still about 50 percent greater than the rate of price increases for other items included in the consumer price index.

(A) Inflation in medical costs slowed in 1986 for the fifth consecutive year but were

(B) Inflation in medical costs slowed for the fifth consecutive year in 1986 but was

(C) In 1986 inflation in medical costs were slowed for the fifth consecutive year but were

(D) 1986 was the fifth consecutive year in which inflation in medical costs slowed but was

(E) 1986 was the fifth consecutive year that inflation in medical costs were slowed, but they


Correct OA should be B
Read the sentence carefully, inflation is the subject here,2nd part of statement is talking about inflation


a) Inflation in medical costs slowed in 1986 for the fifth consecutive year but were -A is wrong as inflation is singular , use of were is incorrect here

(B) Inflation in medical costs slowed for the fifth consecutive year in 1986 but was- B is correct here

(C) In 1986 inflation in medical costs were slowed for the fifth consecutive year but were-use of were is incorrect, so c is out

(D) 1986 was the fifth consecutive year in which inflation in medical costs slowed but was ,modifier error as 1986 was , distorts the original meaning of sentence

(E) 1986 was the fifth consecutive year that inflation in medical costs were slowed, but they
were -again modifier error, incorrect placement of inflation


The best/excellent answers get kudos. There can be no best answer, or a few excellent answers!

Official Explanation :

Choice A is incorrect because have cannot function as the auxiliary of live; i.e., have live is ungrammatical.

Choice B, which substitutes did for have, is correct and logically places the parents' action in the past.

In choice C and D, had places the parents' action in the past but is wrong as an auxiliary, just as have is in A.

Choices D and E are faulty because neither is the independent clause that is needed to complete a grammatical sentence.

sudarshan22 - It seems that the above OE is of a different question.