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To ensure consistently high quality in its merchandise, the chain of retail stores became involved in every aspect of their suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment as well as the profit margins of those suppliers.
(A) their suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment as well as
(B) its suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment as well as
(C) their suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment but also
(D) its suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment but also
(E) their suppliers’ operations, dictating the number of stitches, the width of the hem in every garment, and
The best/excellent answers get kudos, which will be awarded after the answer is revealed. There may be no best/excellent answers, or a there may be a few excellent answers!
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14 Nov 2018, 09:19
Quote:
To ensure consistently high quality in its merchandise, the chain of retail stores became involved in every aspect of their suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment as well as the profit margins of those suppliers.
Quote:
The answer rests on 2 concepts:- 1. S-V Agreement. 2. Not Only X But Also Y idiom.
Quote:
(A) their suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment as well as (C) their suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment but also (E) their suppliers’ operations, dictating the number of stitches, the width of the hem in every garment, and
The chain is singular so their suppliers is Incorrect.
Quote:
(B) its suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment as well as (D) its suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment but also
The S-V agreement in both the options is fulfilled but the idiom construction in option B is incorrect.
IMO D.
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14 Nov 2018, 11:39
Question: To ensure consistently high quality in its merchandise, the chain of retail stores became involved in every aspect of their suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment as well as the profit margins of those suppliers.
Error Analysis: 1) The chain of retail stores is singular. Usage of their is incorrect. (check the bold part in question- its is used to refer the chain of retail stores) 2)correct idiom: not only.. but also..
POE: A) Incorrect for both the reasons stated in error analysis. B)Incorrect idiom usage. C)Corrects the idiom error, but incorrectly uses their to refer to the chain of retail stores.- eliminate D) Corrects both the errors stated in error analysis. E)Incorrect for both the reasons stated in error analysis.
To ensure consistently high quality in its merchandise, the chain of retail stores became involved in every aspect of their suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment as well as the profit margins of those suppliers.
(A) their suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment as well as
(B) its suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment as well as
(C) their suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment but also
(D) its suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment but also
(E) their suppliers’ operations, dictating the number of stitches, the width of the hem in every garment, and
The best/excellent answers get kudos, which will be awarded after the answer is revealed. There may be no best/excellent answers, or a there may be a few excellent answers!
IMO,the correct answer choice is Option D.
The correct usage of "Not only...but also..." boils the answer choices down to Options C and D. In order to tackle the dilemma between "their suppliers" and "its suppliers", one may refer back to the non-underlined part of the question stem wherein its clear that the subject,i.e. "THE CHAIN of retail stores..." clearly indicates that the singular subject(the chain) must take a singular pronoun(its). That rules out Option C. Although option E does not use the expression of "not only...but also...", it can be eliminated for the incorrect usage of the pronoun.
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14 Nov 2018, 21:24
To ensure consistently high quality in its merchandise, the chain of retail stores became involved in every aspect of their suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment as well as the profit margins of those suppliers.
(A) their suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment as well as - Pronoun issue - "Their" incorrectly refers to the chain; Not only X but also Y idiom
(B) its suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment as well as - Idiom issue -Not only X but also Y
(C) their suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment but also - Pronoun issue - "Their" incorrectly refers to the chain
(D) its suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment but also - Correct
(E) their suppliers’ operations, dictating the number of stitches, the width of the hem in every garment, and - - Pronoun issue - "Their" incorrectly refers to the chain ; changes the meaning -- the original sentence intends to convey that chain dictates not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment(minute details) but also the profit margins of those suppliers(big things) whereas this options all of them in parallel.
Answer D
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14 Nov 2018, 21:41
A, C & E - out - all of them use 'their' to point to singular 'Chain' . ( Another hint 'its' is there at the 1st non-underlined dep clause). B - out - not only..... as well as - is not correct ..... not only..... but also is a very strict idiom. Hence Ans D _________________
Please let me know if I am going in wrong direction. Thanks in appreciation.
To ensure consistently high quality in its merchandise, the chain of retail stores became involved in every aspect of their suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment as well as the profit margins of those suppliers.
(A) their suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment as well as
(B) its suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment as well as
(C) their suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment but also
(D) its suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment but also
(E) their suppliers’ operations, dictating the number of stitches, the width of the hem in every garment, and
The first confusion that may arise is between its suppliers and their suppliers. Since the chain of retail stores is singular, hence its supplier will be correct. Moreover it can seen from the first phrase "To ensure consistently high quality in its merchandise". Since it says its merchandise , hence further it should be its suppliers.
Secondly "not only" will be completed with a "but also" phrase. Hence D is correct.
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14 Nov 2018, 22:47
To ensure consistently high quality in its merchandise, the chain of retail stores became involved in every aspect of their suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment as well as the profit margins of those suppliers.
(A) their suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment as well as
(B) its suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment as well as
(C) their suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment but also
(D) its suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment but also
(E) their suppliers’ operations, dictating the number of stitches, the width of the hem in every garment, and
To ensure consistently high quality in its merchandise, the chain of retail stores became involved in every aspect of their suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment as well as the profit margins of those suppliers.
(A) their suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment as well as
(B) its suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment as well as
(C) their suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment but also
(D) its suppliers’ operations, dictating not only the number of stitches and the width of the hem in every garment but also
(E) their suppliers’ operations, dictating the number of stitches, the width of the hem in every garment, and
The best/excellent answers get kudos, which will be awarded after the answer is revealed. There may be no best/excellent answers, or a there may be a few excellent answers!
Official Explanation:
In A, C, and E, the pronoun (their) does not agree in number with the noun (chain) to which it refers. Choices A and B do not properly complete the construction beginning with not only: the correct version of the sentence should contain the phrase not only ... but also. The best choice for this question is D.
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Re: To ensure consistently high quality in its merchandise, the chain of
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19 Nov 2018, 08:17
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teaserbae
mark the word 'the chain'. A chain may contain several rings or keys. Still, it is only one chain. 'The' also denotes individuality.
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09 Jan 2019, 23:11
Can anyone please explain what the word 'dictating' modifies?
Since it is an -ing verb, it should modify action in the preceeding clause. In that case, does it modify 'became involved'? If so, how does it make sense?
Status: worked for Kaplan's associates, but now on my own, free and flying
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Posts: 4613
Location: India
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09 Jan 2019, 23:54
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Becoming involved was in the form of dictating
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83% (00:43) correct 
