When referring to the upcoming arts convention, artists complained that their commission rate is too low to generate any profit on sales.

A When referring to the upcoming arts convention, artists complained that
Wrong. past tense does not convey the best meaning

B Referring to the upcoming arts convention, artists complain that
Correct. Concise, correct modifier. Present tense is correct.

C In reference to the upcoming arts convention, artists complained about
Wrong. very wordy, and past tense does not convey the best meaning.

D When referring to the upcoming arts convention, artists complain about
Wrong idiom. "Complain that + clause" is the correct one.

E With reference to the upcoming arts convention, artists complained that
Wrong. very wordy, and past tense does not convey the best meaning.

Let's take this choice by choice:
Option A: The artists are 'referring' to the upcoming convention when they say that their commission rate is too low - this is in the present. So the use of 'complained' is incorrect.
Option B: Correct
Option C: The same tense issue as in A. Additionally, 'complained about their commission rate is too low' is incorrect. We need a 'that' to make the meaning clear.
Option D: The same 'complain about' issue as in C.
Option E: The same tense issue as seen in A and C.
Hope this is clear.

This is a very dubious question, please specify the source.


The original reads "complained" and this is not an error. The "is" has no bearing on the "complained", nor has the "referring". Artists could have complained in a meeting before, and the rate can still be too low at present. "Referring" is a present participle and it can refer to any tense.


This is wrong because "when referring" is not idiomatic.

This changes the meaning: complained == complain. Change of meaning is fatal error on GMAT, cannot be true.

"In reference to" is not idiomatic.

"When referring to" is not idiomatic.

"With reference to" is idiomatic. "Changed" is as in the original. This is my choice.

This explanation is incorrect. The artist are not referring. "Referring" is not used as a verb in this sentence, but as a present participle. It opens the present participial modifier that can be used correctly in any tense.

Not wrong. It conveys the original meaning which you have marked red. It is not very wordy. It contains the correct idiom which you have marked red.