Although most of the hundred million bicycles in the United States are

Question

Project SC Butler: Day 209: Sentence Correction (SC2) 
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Although most of the hundred million bicycles in the United States are probably still relegated to garages and basements, the rising price of motor fuels has led to  an increasing number being  used for both transportation and recreation

A) an increasing number being

B) an increase in the number

C) increasing numbers that are

D) an increased number being

E) an increase in the numbers being

generis · Answer

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zhanbo · Answer

I chose  (B)  by applying the following two general rules:

(1) Simplicity / clarity is better.
(2) "being" can hardly be the right answer because it is not simple but rather convoluted.

In addition, 
(A) "being used" modifies "an increasing number". How can a number be used for both transportation and recreation?
(B) To support B as correct answer, I have to read it as "an increase in the number  of bicycles  used for both transportation and recreation.
(C) Pronoun "that" has "numbers" as antecedent. How can numbers be used for both transportation and recreation?
(E) "being used" modifies "the numbers". How can numbers be used for both transportation and recreation?

There is indeed a flaw in the preceding analysis. We can also argue B is incorrect. That is why I have to use two general rules mentioned at the very beginning to pick one answer.

KhulanE · Answer

Increase in number is correct idiom. Only B used correct idiom.

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eakabuah · Answer

I went with B.

In A, I asked myself what is the role of  being  in the sentence? Is it acting as a modifier? In that case, what is it modifying? an increasing number? Do we really need  being  to modify an increasing number? The answer is no in my view. If we drop  being  from the sentence, it makes no difference to the meaning. This implies  being , as used in the context, is redundant.

In B, an increase in the number used for both transportation and recreation is succinct and clear. used for both transportation and recreation is a participial phrase that modifies the number, and the number, in turn, modifies an increase. This option is superior to A. Eliminate A and keep B.

In C,  increasing numbers  doesn't make much sense. In order to clear doubts as to what numbers refer to, it has to be modified with an of phrase. For instance, increasing numbers of bikes/cycles that are used for both transportation and recreation. Even if it were so, C would still have suffered from lack of brevity just as A did, compared to B.  that are used for transportation  and recreation is wordy compared to  used for transportation and recreation . Eliminate C.

The use of  being  in D is redundant just as it is in A. The trick is to remove being and see if the sentence still makes sense. Eliminate D.

The same old redundant use of  being  in A and D is repeated in E. Eliminate E.

B is the best answer.

A) Although most of the hundred million bicycles in the United States are probably still relegated to garages and basements, the rising price of motor fuels has led to an increasing number  being  used for both transportation and recreation.

B) Although most of the hundred million bicycles in the United States are probably still relegated to garages and basements, the rising price of motor fuels has led to  an increase in the number  used for both transportation and recreation.

C) Although most of the hundred million bicycles in the United States are probably still relegated to garages and basements, the rising price of motor fuels has led to  increasing numbers   that are  used for both transportation and recreation.

D) Although most of the hundred million bicycles in the United States are probably still relegated to garages and basements, the rising price of motor fuels has led to  an increased number   being  used for both transportation and recreation.

E) Although most of the hundred million bicycles in the United States are probably still relegated to garages and basements, the rising price of motor fuels has led to  an increase in the numbers   being  used for both transportation and recreation.

trigradius · Answer

I went with B But it was a bit of a tough choice between B and E. The rest of the options (A,C,D) make it sound as if number/numbers was a standalone noun that was used for transportation and recreation. It was fun imagining a person riding an 8 around the city

In B and E the phrase "increase IN the number/numbers" made more sense as it would have us ask the question - "number/s of what?" Between B and E, E seems to lean towards making numbers a standalone noun by following it up with "being". Most answers with "being" also tend to be cancelled on grounds of redundancy or fragmentation. Finally, "numbers of bicycles" seems too odd to use in this context - "number" would be better. So went with B instead.

VerbalBot · Answer

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Although most of the hundred million bicycles in the United States are

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GMAT Sentence Correction (SC - EA only) Questions

Although most of the hundred million bicycles in the United States are

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