It is well known in the supermarket industry that how items are placed

GMATNinja and any other GMAT tutors out reading this

Like most people, I was able to narrow it down to D and E. Between D and E, meaning doesn't seem to be much different to me. After reading all the explanations and thinking over my analysis when I attempted it, I am not able to process how to get fresh questions such as this one correct on actual exam. The only explanation I have been able to come up with is to maybe differentiate the meaning of the sentence based on "often" VS "can be".
Can you provide help me improve my thought process here?

It is well known in the supermarket industry that how items are placed on shelves and the frequency of inventory turnovers can be crucial to profits.


(A) the frequency of inventory turnovers can be

(B) the frequency of inventory turnovers is often

(C) the frequency with which the inventory turns over is often

(D) how frequently is the inventory turned over are often

(E) how frequently the inventory turns over can be

I understand the correct parallelism in Option E. But, I have a doubt on options A and B, as none of the explanations seem to explain this.

Why cannot we break the parallel sentences in options A and B as below?

Consider option A:

It is well known in the supermarket industry that HOW
- items are placed on shelves
AND
- the frequency of inventory turnovers can be crucial to profits

This implies:
It is well known in the supermarket industry that HOW items are placed on shelves;
AND
It is well known in the supermarket industry that HOW the frequency of inventory turnovers can be crucial to profits

Similarly Option B can be broken down. What is wrong with this interpretation?

AndrewN - Can you please guide?

MartyTargetTestPrep
I have a doubt on options A and B

Why cannot we break the parallel sentences in options A and B as below?

Consider option A:

It is well known in the supermarket industry that HOW
- items are placed on shelves
AND
- the frequency of inventory turnovers can be crucial to profits

This implies:
It is well known in the supermarket industry that HOW items are placed on shelves;
AND
It is well known in the supermarket industry that HOW the frequency of inventory turnovers can be crucial to profits

Similarly Option B can be broken down. What is wrong with this interpret

Dear Friends,

Here is a detailed explanation to this question-

Meaning is crucial to solving this problem:
Understanding the intended meaning is key to solving this question; the intended core meaning of this sentence is that how items are placed on shelves and how frequently the inventory turns over can be crucial to profits.

Concepts tested here: Subject-Verb Agreement + Meaning + Parallelism + Awkwardness/Redundancy

A: This answer choice fails to maintain parallelism between "how items are placed on shelves" and "the frequency of inventory turnovers"; please remember, any elements linked by a conjunction ('and" in this sentence) must be parallel.

B: This answer choice incorrectly refers to the plural noun phrase "how items are placed on shelves and the frequency of inventory turnovers" with the singular verb "is"; please remember, two singular nouns joined by “and” function as one plural noun. Further, Option B alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "is often"; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that how items are placed on shelves and how frequently the inventory turns over is frequently crucial to profits; the intended meaning is that how items are placed on shelves and how frequently the inventory turns over is possibly crucial to profits. Additionally, Option B fails to maintain parallelism between "how items are placed on shelves" and "the frequency of inventory turnovers"; please remember, any elements linked by a conjunction ('and" in this sentence) must be parallel.

C: This answer choice incorrectly refers to the plural noun phrase "how items are placed on shelves and the frequency with which the inventory turns over" with the singular verb "is"; please remember, two singular nouns joined by “and” function as one plural noun. Further, Option C alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "is often"; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that how items are placed on shelves and how frequently the inventory turns over is frequently crucial to profits; the intended meaning is that how items are placed on shelves and how frequently the inventory turns over is possibly crucial to profits. Additionally, Option C fails to maintain parallelism between "how items are placed on shelves" and "the frequency with which the inventory turns over"; please remember, any elements linked by a conjunction ('and" in this sentence) must be parallel. Besides, Option C uses the needlessly wordy phrase "the frequency with which the inventory turns over", leading to awkwardness and redundancy.

D: Trap. This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "are often"; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that how items are placed on shelves and how frequently the inventory turns over is frequently crucial to profits; the intended meaning is that how items are placed on shelves and how frequently the inventory turns over is possibly crucial to profits. Further, Option D uses the needlessly wordy phrase "how frequently is the inventory turned over", leading to awkwardness and redundancy.

E: Correct. This answer choice correctly refers to the plural noun phrase "how items are placed on shelves and how frequently the inventory turns over" with "can", which can refer to both plural and singular nouns. Further, Option E uses the phrase "can be", conveying the intended meaning - that how items are placed on shelves and how frequently the inventory turns over is possibly crucial to profits. Additionally, Option E maintains parallelism between "how items are placed on shelves" and "how frequently the inventory turns over". Besides, Option E is free of any awkwardness or redundancy.

Hence, E is the best answer choice.

To understand the concept of "And" vs "Other Conjunctions" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~1 minute):



All the best!
Experts' Global Team

maintains ||ism, conveys the intended meaning

Opening must be with "how" to keep ||ism intact. so D, E- "how items are" is || to "how frequently the inventory turns" (in option D- it just go little off the mark!)

According to OG 10, explanation for the question is given by:

Choice E the best answer, grammatically and clearly makes the statement "x and y can be crucial," in which x and y are parallel clauses, each introduced by the conjunction how. This parallelism is preferable to the use of noun phrase the frequency in A, B and C. Furthermore, the frequency of inventory turnovers in A and B is less clear than how frequently the inventory turns over. In B and C is often does not agree with the plural compound subject. Choice D ungrammatically reverses the subject-verb order with is the inventory

I completely agree; D is irredeemably wrong.
What you say is correct is the same as what I said: "how frequently the inventory is turned over".

However, E puts it in the active voice "the inventory turns over", meaning the inventory is moving itself on and off the shelf. I understand GMAT accepts E as the best answer. They apparently prefer errors in voice (E) over errors in parallelism (A).

I'm just confirming, this is an error in voice? Or, is there an idiomatic thing where we can say the inventory "turns" when it's really being acted on rather than acting?

It is well known in the supermarket industry that how items are placed on shelves and the frequency of inventory turnovers can be crucial to profits.


(A) the frequency of inventory turnovers can be

(B) the frequency of inventory turnovers is often

(C) the frequency with which the inventory turns over is often

(D) how frequently is the inventory turned over are often

(E) how frequently the inventory turns over can be

Exactly my question. In Option E, it looks like the inventory turns over by itself. I am still struggling to understand how that is correct.