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generis
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The average weekly wage nearly doubled in the 1970’s, rising from $114 25 Nov 2018, 09:59
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Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!

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Project SC Butler: Day 19 Sentence Correction (SC2)


For SC butler Questions Click Here

The average weekly wage nearly doubled in the 1970’s, rising from $114 to $220, yet the average worker ended the decade with a decrease in what their pay may buy.

(A) with a decrease in what their pay may buy

(B) with what was a decrease in what they were able to buy

(C) having decreased that which they could buy

(D) decreasing in purchasing power

(E) with a decrease in purchasing power


NOTE: BEST or EXCELLENT answers must include the meaning of this sentence.
Mere repetition of what may be the correct answer does not constitute "an explanation of the meaning." :)


Excellent answers get kudos, which will be awarded after the answer is revealed.

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File comment: The New Yorker AUGUST 25, 1980 ISSUE
01.jpg
01.jpg [ 17.4 KiB | Viewed 12913 times ]

The New Yorker - AUGUST 25, 1980 ISSUE (LINK)
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nkin
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The average weekly wage nearly doubled in the 1970’s, rising from $114 25 Nov 2018, 14:29
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Intended meaning of this sentence: Even though average power doubled, purchasing power decreased.

(A) with a decrease in what their pay may buy
Has a SV error IMO, average worker is singular, while their is plural.

(B) with what was a decrease in what they were able to buy
SV error, average worker is singular, they were is plural

(C) having decreased that which they could buy
Meaning here is the average worker decreased the number of things they could buy, which is different from what all other options and question stem say. Also, I feel "that which" is awkward construction and can be easily replaced with "what"

(D) decreasing in purchasing power
Verb-ing used incorrectly. I think a conjunction or comma is needed, but even then, would not put across the intended meaning.

(E) with a decrease in purchasing power
Correct
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The average weekly wage nearly doubled in the 1970’s, rising from $114 25 Nov 2018, 11:44
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generis

Project SC Butler: Day 19 Sentence Correction (SC2)


For SC butler Questions Click Here

The average weekly wage nearly doubled in the 1970’s, rising from $114 to $220, yet the average worker ended the decade with a decrease in what their pay may buy.

(A) with a decrease in what their pay may buy

(B) with what was a decrease in what they were able to buy

(C) having decreased that which they could buy

(D) decreasing in purchasing power

(E) with a decrease in purchasing power


NOTE: BEST or EXCELLENT answers must include an explanation of the meaning of this sentence.
Mere repetition of what may be the correct answer does not constitute "an explanation of the meaning." :)


Excellent answers get kudos, which will be awarded after the answer is revealed.
Show more

(A), (B) & (C) word, (D) changes the meaning, hence answer must be (E)
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The average weekly wage nearly doubled in the 1970’s, rising from $114 Updated on: 25 Nov 2018, 21:02
Originally posted by RamSep on 25 Nov 2018, 19:42.
Last edited by RamSep on 25 Nov 2018, 21:02, edited 2 times in total.
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The average weekly wage nearly doubled in the 1970’s, rising from $114 to $220, yet the average worker ended the decade [u]with a decrease in what their pay may buy.


Meaning: although weekly avg of wage was doubled in 1970 (from 114 to 220), by the end of the decade avg workers just couldn't buy as much as they could in the beginning of the decade

(A) with a decrease in what their pay may buy; SV agreement: their must refer to the average worker!

(B) with what was a decrease in what they were able to buy ; SV agreement: they must refer to the average worker! this choice is also unnecessarily wordy

(C) having decreased that which they could buy; Terrible! Not only repeats SV agreement problem, but also introduces a verb-ing modifier followed nonsensically by that!

(D) decreasing in purchasing power; A verb-ing modifier without a comma, modifies preceding noun (here: decade) :? Obviously the decade is not decreasing in pp

(E) with a decrease in purchasing power; Concisely convey the meaning
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The average weekly wage nearly doubled in the 1970’s, rising from $114 25 Nov 2018, 20:01
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RamSep

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Attachment:
01.jpg

The New Yorker - AUGUST 25, 1980 ISSUE (LINK)
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RamSep - are you related to hazelnut the Sleuth, by chance? :cool: ;)
Or maybe you two are in cahoots? ("conspiring," but "in cahoots" has a joking tone)
Nice find!

P.S.
Show Spoiler
The meaning of the sentence, in your own words? See the red typeface in my original post. Your decision, of course.
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The average weekly wage nearly doubled in the 1970’s, rising from $114 25 Nov 2018, 20:09
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generis
RamSep

Show Spoiler
Attachment:
01.jpg

The New Yorker - AUGUST 25, 1980 ISSUE (LINK)
RamSep - are you related to hazelnut the Sleuth, by chance? :cool: ;)
Or maybe you two are in cahoots? ("conspiring," but "in cahoots" has a joking tone)
Nice find!

P.S.
Show Spoiler
The meaning of the sentence, in your own words? See the red typeface in my original post. Your decision, of course.
Show more

Interested, but not related ;)
(By the way didn't get what you mean :roll: )
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The average weekly wage nearly doubled in the 1970’s, rising from $114 25 Nov 2018, 21:05
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RamSep


Interested, but not related ;)
(By the way didn't get what you mean :roll: )
Show more
You got it. :thumbup:
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The average weekly wage nearly doubled in the 1970’s, rising from $114 25 Nov 2018, 23:42
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- Error Analysis

Pronoun error - their is referring to average worker

A, B, C eliminated because of they
D says that decade is decreasing in purchasing power
E ( correct ) a prepositional phrase correctly modifying the verb and describing how aspect of the verb
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The average weekly wage nearly doubled in the 1970’s, rising from $114 26 Nov 2018, 15:11
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generis

Project SC Butler: Day 19 Sentence Correction (SC2)



The average weekly wage nearly doubled in the 1970’s, rising from $114 to $220, yet the average worker ended the decade with a decrease in what their pay may buy.

(A) with a decrease in what their pay may buy
(B) with what was a decrease in what they were able to buy
(C) having decreased that which they could buy
(D) decreasing in purchasing power
(E) with a decrease in purchasing power
Show Spoiler
Attachment:
01.jpg

The New Yorker - AUGUST 25, 1980 ISSUE (LINK)
Show more
I have not changed any words in the OE. My comments are in blue text or in square brackets

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

• Choices A, B, and C incorrectly use a plural pronoun, their or they, to refer to a singular noun, worker
[this error is called "noun/pronoun disagreement"]

• Moreover, A and B are wordy and awkwardly constructed :thumbdown:
That analysis is correct, but assertion does not equal explanation.

• C wrongly asserts that the average worker [rather than some economic factor such as inflation]
decreased the amount or value of what could be bought.

• D misrepresents the intended meaning by saying that t the end of the decade,
the average worker—not the money— was decreasing in purchasing power.

• E is the best answer

The OE: a question

Would anyone care to explain why or how options A and B are "wordy"? "Awkwardly constructed"?

Such explanations are good practice for questions that involve rhetorical construction and for essay writing, business school applications included.

COMMENTS on the topic thread

First, a big thank you to hazelnut , a senior SC moderator, whom I happily believe
sneaked into my question and posted the spoiler that RamSep also found and posted.

Abhishek009 masterfully set people up to write excellent answers.
He gave guidance and framework without revealing too much content.
Kudos of thanks and appreciation!

To qualify for excellent or best answer, the answer must include what the sentence means.

I call it a tie between nkin and RamSep .

I will highlight a couple of details from each person's post that I like:
nkin wrote:
Quote:
Intended meaning of this sentence: Even though average power doubled, purchasing power decreased.

[Regarding] (C) Meaning here is the average worker [him- or herself] decreased the number of things they could buy,
which is different from what all other options and question stem say.
Show more

RamSep wrote:
Quote:
Meaning: although weekly avg of wage was doubled in 1970 (from 114 to 220), by the end of the decade avg workers just couldn't buy as much as they could in the beginning of the decade

[Regarding] (C) Terrible! :-D Not only repeats SV agreement problem, but also introduces a verb-ing modifier followed nonsensically by that!
Show more

Nice work. Kudos!
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The average weekly wage nearly doubled in the 1970’s, rising from $114 31 Dec 2018, 22:11
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generis

Project SC Butler: Day 19 Sentence Correction (SC2)


For SC butler Questions Click Here

The average weekly wage nearly doubled in the 1970’s, rising from $114 to $220, yet the average worker ended the decade with a decrease in what their pay may buy.

(A) with a decrease in what their pay may buy

(B) with what was a decrease in what they were able to buy

(C) having decreased that which they could buy

(D) decreasing in purchasing power

(E) with a decrease in purchasing power


NOTE: BEST or EXCELLENT answers must include the meaning of this sentence.
Mere repetition of what may be the correct answer does not constitute "an explanation of the meaning." :)


Excellent answers get kudos, which will be awarded after the answer is revealed.

Show Spoiler
Attachment:
01.jpg

The New Yorker - AUGUST 25, 1980 ISSUE (LINK)
Show more

A - their incorrect usage :) - incorrect

B - what was a decrease ? - incorrect

C - Having refers to Decade - incorrect

D - Decreasing is modifying decade - incorrect

E - finally remainder and correct answer
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The average weekly wage nearly doubled in the 1970’s, rising from $114 04 Jan 2019, 20:31
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The average weekly wage nearly doubled in the 1970’s, rising from $114 to $220, yet the average worker ended the decade with a decrease in what their pay may buy.

(A) with a decrease in what their pay may buy --> plural pronoun "their" refers to singular noun "the average worker"

(B) with what was a decrease in what they were able to buy --> plural pronoun "they" refers to singular noun "the average worker"

(C) having decreased that which they could buy --> plural pronoun "they" refers to singular noun "the average worker"

(D) decreasing in purchasing power --> meaning error: "decreasing" wrongly modify "buy"

(E) with a decrease in purchasing power --> correct
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The average weekly wage nearly doubled in the 1970’s, rising from $114 04 Oct 2020, 00:16
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The average weekly wage nearly doubled in the 1970’s, rising from $114 to $220, yet the average worker ended the decade with a decrease in what their pay may buy.

(A) with a decrease in what their pay may buy

(B) with what was a decrease in what they were able to buy

(C) having decreased that which they could buy

(D) decreasing in purchasing power

(E) with a decrease in purchasing power - Correct
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The average weekly wage nearly doubled in the 1970’s, rising from $114 19 Feb 2023, 02:14
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