Hi all,
According to a recent study of consumer spending on prescription medications, increases in the sales of the 50 drugs that were advertised most
heavily accounts for almost half of the $20.8 billion increase in drug spending last year, the remainder of which came from sales of the 9,850 prescription medicines that companies did not advertise or advertised.
Error Analysis1. The singular verb “accounts” does not agree in number with plural subject “increases”.
2. There is inconsistency in the use of verb tenses as well.
3. Relative pronoun “which” does not have clear referent here.
POEChoice A: heavily accounts for almost half of the $20.8 billion increase in drug spending last year, the remainder of which came:
Incorrect for the reasons stated above.
Choice B: heavily were what accounted for almost half of the $20.8 billion increase in drug spending last year; the remainder of the increase coming:
Incorrect. 1. “were what” is not required in the sentence. They make this choice wordy. 2. After semicolon, we do not have an independent clause.
Choice C: heavily accounted for almost half of the $20.8 billion increase in drug spending last year, the remainder of the increase coming:
Correct. 1. By turning “accounts” into “accounted”, not only the SV number agreement has been corrected but also the verb tenses have also been made consistent. 2. The verb-ing modifier “coming” correctly modifies the preceding noun.
Choice D: heavily, accounting for almost half of the $20.8 billion increase in drug spending last year, while the remainder of the increase came:
Incorrect. 1. This choice does not have a main verb. Hence, we have a fragment here.
Choice E: heavily, which accounted for almost half of the $20.8 billion increase in drug spending last year, with the remainder of it coming:
Incorrect. 1. This choice does not have a main verb. Hence, we have a fragment here. 2.Singular pronoun “it” does not agree in number with plural “increases”.
Hope this helps.
Thanks.
Shraddha
Could you please explain why the part of choice B after semi-colon is not a independent clause?