Opponents of the proposed water desalination plant cite

This question is based on Idiomatic Usage and Construction.

The verb ‘cite’ in the sentence indicates idiomatic usage. The appropriate idiomatic expression is “cite X as Y”.
In this sentence, the appropriate expression would be - cite the environmental impact and the tremendous cost as Y not to approve the plan. ‘Y’ should be replaced by a noun.

On the basis of idiomatic usage, Options B and D can be ruled out as neither option contains the conjunction ‘as’.

Option A contains the redundant participle ‘being’ after the conjunction ‘as’. The appropriate expression is cite X as Y. ‘Y’ should be a noun, not a participle. So, Option A can be eliminated.

Option C has an awkward construction because of the placement of a conditional clause “if they were reasons not to” after the conjunction ‘as’. The phrase “as if” generally indicates an improbable situation. Since there is no such meaning intended, Option C can be eliminated. This option also contains an ambiguous pronoun ‘they’.

Option E contains the appropriate idiomatic usage – cite…….as reasons. Therefore, E is the most appropriate option.

Jayanthi Kumar.

Consider X as Y is correct idiomatic usage, hence answer must be (E)

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

The idiom “x is cited as y” can also be phrased “cite x as y,” as in this sentence. However, the original sentence incorrectly introduces the unnecessary verb “being.” (A) This choice is incorrect as it repeats the original sentence.
(B) This choice does not use the correct idiom “cite x as y,” instead introducing the unidiomatic form “cite x to be y.”
(C) This choice does not use the correct idiom “cite x as y,” instead introducing the unidiomatic form “cite x as if they were y.” In addition, the phrase “as if they were” properly refers only to hypothetical situations rather than the concrete example in this sentence.
(D) This choice does not use the correct idiom “cite x as y,” instead introducing
the unidiomatic form “cite x for y.” In addition, the phrasing “that they should not” is unnecessarily more wordy than “not to.”
(E) CORRECT. This choice uses the correct idiom “cite x as y.”

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