Since the engine was known to be prone to failures

Meaning, Modifier issue

(A) Since the engine was known to be prone to failures : Looks ok, Keep

(B) Being prone to failures : This phrase modifies all cars, erroneously implying that " all cars" were prone to failures, which is incorrect. Engine was prone to failures NOT all cars.INCORRECT.

(C)Since they knew that the engine was prone to failures: The pronoun they has no referent.INCORRECT.

(D)Knowing that the engine was prone to failures: -ing form needs a subject, doer..who was knowing? here -ing form has no referent.INCORRECT.

(E)Having known that the engine was prone to failures: Similar to D, having known has no referent, having known refers to whom? INCORRECT.

Ans- A

Hope it's clear.

Since the engine was known to be prone to failures, all the cars were redesigned with the latest model.

(A) Since the engine was known to be prone to failures, - has no error. Hence, (A) is the right answer choice.

(B) Being prone to failures, - we cannot use ''being'' as an -ing modifier.

(C) Since they knew that the engine was prone to failures, - the demonstrative pronoun ''they'' does not have a logical antecedent.

(D) Knowing that the engine was prone to failures, - we do not have a clear subject that immediately follows the underlined portion and that can take the action prescribed by the -ing modifier clause (which is the underlined portion)

(E) Having known that the engine was prone to failures, - we do not have a clear subject that immediately follows the underlined portion and that can take the action prescribed by the -ing modifier clause (which is the underlined portion)

Hi!
I thought that whenever "SINCE" appears in a phrase, we must use "Present Perfect".

Is this true?

Thank you very much

Hi jcerdae, that would at best be true when since is used as a time indicator.

For example:

Jack has not eaten since morning.

In the sentence under consideration however, since is used as because.

Since the engine was known to be prone to failures, all the cars were redesigned with the latest model.

(A) Since the engine was known to be prone to failures, CORRECT

(B) Being prone to failures,
-the engine is prone to failure, not all the cars

(C) Since they knew that the engine was prone to failures,
-who is 'they'? missing antecedent

(D) Knowing that the engine was prone to failures,
-the cars don't 'know' that the engine was prone to failures...

(E) Having known that the engine was prone to failures,
-same issue as D)

Since the engine was known to be prone to failures, all the cars were redesigned with the latest model.

Let’s find out clues from the given sentence
Clue no.1: Known to be - right idiom . The cars - main subject. Since the engine was known to be prone to failures- modifier

(A) Since the engine was known to be prone to failures,
No errors. Keep it

(B) Being prone to failures,
Which are being prone to failures, cars or engines? It must be engines , not cars. But in option B, it’s given that cars are being prone to failures. Eliminate

(C) Since they knew that the engine was prone to failures,
Who knew what ? Cars ? Can’t be. Eliminate

(D) Knowing that the engine was prone to failures,
Whether cars come to know that the engine was prone to failures? Eliminate

(E) Having known that the engine was prone to failures,
Same error as in D.
So, we can pick A easily

Posted from my mobile device

I dont know that prone should modify the engine but I know that "being prone" is wrong. why do we need "being". we dont need it to show a state , which exist long term. if we add "being", we mean this state of being prone is temporary and, so, not fit to modify the main action. aspect is about perfect or not perfect and about progressive or not. progressive is used to show something is happening. we need to show a state, which exist a long time. if we use "being prone", the state exist for a short time. the meaning is for a short time, when the car are being prone, they are redesigned. this meaning is wrong. this is real reason why "being prone" is wrong. normally, being is wrong this way and we are warned to caution when we see "being".

Can some explain how to use "since"?

As much as i remember it is to be used along with past perfect tense. Is there an exception to the general rule?

Posted from my mobile device

Hello saarthakkhanna04,

We hope this finds you well.

To answer your query, in this context "Since" is not a marker of time; rather, it is a synonym of "because".

We hope this helps.
All the best!
Experts' Global Team

Since the engine was known to be prone to failures, all the cars were redesigned with the latest model.

A - more or less communicates that Because
B - means that by virtue of existing "prone to failures"..
All of the below answer choices erroneously modify "All the cars", leading to some illogical error...
C- who is they?
D and E - The cars knew that the engine was prone to failure?