While some economists believe that Germany should be warned by the Eur

The best answer is B.
Concepts tested:
1) Conditional Results
In sentences expressing a conditional result (X will happen if Y happens), the verb of the main clause should be in the future tense and the verb of the if clause should be in the present indicative. Thus, is backed (in B) is consistent with will take.

2) will vs would
We already know that we need future tense here. One must note that, would is used to indicate a future with reference to something someone said in the past.
Will is for something someone said in the present in relation to the future.

Option A,D ,E eliminated
Here we need will.

3) meaning:
Option b vs c.
C distorts the meaning by suggesting that the only way germans will comply is through sanctions.

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A. only if it would be backed by sanctions.
use of would in if clause is incorrect (incorrect)

B. only if it is backed by sanctions.

if present, then future ---this is correct
placement of only is correct here and thus express the intended meaning that---only if it is backed by sanction, it will take the warning seriously (correct)

C. if it is backed only by sanctions.
placement of only is wrong here -it changes the intended meaning of the sentence and says that, if backed only by sanctions (means that there are several ways but only sanctions are helpful) german will take the warning seriously --this is not the case (incorrect)

D. if it was only backed by sanctions.
-- the use of the past tense verb(was) is incorrect ---since in non underlined part future tense is used (others say that Germany will take the warning seriously)--if we are talking of future in past would --is correct (incorrect)

E. if it would only be backed by sanctions.
use of would in if clause is incorrect (incorrect)

this is a question thats testing conditional i.e. if..then statements

"Germany will take the warning seriously" this is the then statement which is not underlined and is in simple future tense therefore "if" statement should be in present tense

therefore we are down to the options B and C
B. only if it is backed by sanctions.
C. if it is backed only by sanctions.

now notice the meaning change between only backed by sanctions and backed only by sanctions

therefore "B" is the correct option!

Hi,
IMO B.

Two things to note here:
If simple present, then simple future- Only B & C follow this construction. So rest, A,D ,& E, are out.
use of adjective ONLY- it should modify the whole IF clause. In C only modifies by sanction which changes the meaning. Hence B is the only grammatical and logical correct answer choice.

While some economists believe that Germany should be warned by the European Commission that it could face the imposition of radical restrictions on its domestic fiscal policymaking as early as the beginning of next year, others say that Germany will take the warning seriously only if it would be backed by sanctions.

The sentence provides a contrasting situation where one group of economists says that Germany should be warned by EC whereas the other group says Germany will not take the warning seriously for which the warning must have support from various sanctions.

The second part of the original sentence is a conditional verb formation(if .. then clause) i.e. if sanctions back warning then Germany will take it seriously. Going by that non-underlined part of the second part of sentence uses simple future form of verb – will so the underlined part must have simple present form of verb. Also, pronoun ‘it’ properly refers to warning without any ambiguity.

Thus we can easily eliminate A, D and E. Since C slightly changes the meaning of the sentence by shifting the place of ‘only’ i.e. something other than sanctions can also back warning which is not the case. Hence B is the right correct answer.

A. only if it would be backed by sanctions. – WRONG. As discussed above.
B. only if it is backed by sanctions. – CORRECT.
C. if it is backed only by sanctions. - WRONG. As discussed above.
D. if it was only backed by sanctions. - WRONG. As discussed above.
E. if it would only be backed by sanctions. - WRONG. As discussed above.

Answer (B).

While some economists believe that Germany should be warned by the European Commission that it could face the imposition of radical restrictions on its domestic fiscal policymaking as early as the beginning of next year, others say that Germany will take the warning seriously only if it would be backed by sanctions.

A. only if it would be backed by sanctions.
if must be followed by present tense

B. only if it is backed by sanctions.
Correct

C. if it is backed only by sanctions.
Only has been misplaced,hence change the meaning

D. if it was only backed by sanctions.
Tense error

E. if it would only be backed by sanctions.
Tense error

The sentence intends to say that some economists believe that Germany should be warned by Europe, while others believe that Germany might not take the warning seriously unless the warning is backed by sanctions.

C, D & E place the word 'only' incorrectly to change the meaning.

C. if it is backed only by sanctions - implies that nothing else backs the warning except the sanctions.
D. if it was only backed by sanctions - implies that sanctions should do nothing to the warning except back it. Further, use of 'was' is incorrect.
E. if it would only be backed by sanctions - implies that sanctions should do nothing to the warning except back it

A and B place the 'only if' correctly after 'take the warning seriously'. However, since the non-underlined portion uses simple present and future tense, the use of 'would' is not appropriate. Would is used to predict future from the point of view of past

others say that Germany will take the warning seriously


B is the answer

Official Explanation

Correct Answer: B

The best answer is B. In sentences expressing a conditional result (X will happen if Y happens), the verb of the main clause should be in the future tense and the verb of the if clause should be in the present indicative. Thus, is backed (in B) is consistent with will take.