Quote:
Since 1967, Federal Reserve Banks
have refused to process through regular bank channels any checks that do not have magnetic-ink coding.
A) have refused to process through regular bank channels any checks that do not have magnetic-ink coding
B) refuse to process any checks without magnetic-ink coding through regular bank channels
C) have refused to process any checks through regular bank channels without magnetic-ink coding
D) refuse to process any checks through regular bank channels that do not have magnetic-ink coding
E) have refused to process any checks through regular bank channels unless they have magnetic-ink coding
On first read, I don't like A.
But the non underlined portion mentions Since, which means we need "have" to maintain the tense.
That removes B and D.
Quote:
C) have refused to process any checks through regular bank channels without magnetic-ink coding
E) have refused to process any checks through regular bank channels unless they have magnetic-ink coding
Now since we have removed A and we still need "have". C and E are our options.
C makes a modifier error. Bank channels are not without magnetic-ink coding.
E creates ambiguous "they". And the most immediate preceding noun is "channels" which is wrong. And "they" can refer to banks too.
Now since we have eliminated all options with "have", I guess we will have to re evaluate A.
Let's evaluate A again
Quote:
A) have refused to process
through regular bank channels any checks that do not have magnetic-ink coding
This part can totally be a non essential modifier and be kept within commas but instead author decided not to do so. But does that hamper the meaning? Not really. The placement is a bit odd but does it affect the meaning at all? No.
Since we cannot find a better choice than A has to be the answer.
generis, I hope you're doing good. Thoughts on this approach?
Thank you!