Hi All,

The number of people flying first class on domestic flights rose sharply in 1990, doubling the increase of the previous year.

Let’s first understand the meaning of this sentence. The year 1990 experienced a sharp rise in the number of people flying first class on domestic flights. This rise doubled the increase seen previous year.

Error Analysis:

This sentence uses verb-ing modifier “doubling” preceded by a comma. This means that this modifier will modify the entire preceding clause. Usage of “doubling” is correct here because it correctly presents the result of the preceding clause. There was a rise sharp in the number of specific passengers. This rise doubled the increased witnessed the previous year. Hence there is no error in this sentence.

POE:

a. doubling the increase of: Correct for the reason stated above.

b. doubling that of the increase in: Incorrect.
1. There is no antecedent of pronoun “that”.
2. When we say “increase in something”, the phrase means that “something” has increased itself. Hence, this phrase does not make sense in this choice as it suggests that “the previous year” increased itself.

c. double as much as the increase of: Incorrect.
1. Here “double”, a noun modifier has no particular noun to refer to.
2. The correct way to say is “double the increase” and not “double as much as the increase…”.

d. twice as many as the increase in: Inocrrect.
1. Noun modifier “twice” dos not have a noun to refer to.
2. Use of “many” for uncountable noun “increase” is incorrect.
3. Repeats the idiom error of choice B.

e. twice as many as the increase of: Incorrect. This choice repeats the first two errors of Choice D.

Hope this helps.
Thanks.
Shraddha