a question about comparision and I give an example

[saintjingjing]

No1 prep sc: Despite recent increases in sales and cash flow that have propelled automobile companies' common stocks to new highs, several industry analysts expect automakers, in order to conserve cash, to set dividends more conservatively than they were
A. to set dividends more conservatively than they were
B. to set dividends more conservatively than they have been
C. to be more conservative than they have been in setting dividends
D. that they will be more conservative than they were in setting dividends
E. that they will be more conservative than they have been to set dividends

Hi Ron, I want to ask something on the comparative pattern like this question.
A I think "set dividends" belongs to verb, but in A, were belongs to be, So it is not parallel. Delete
B "set dividends" belongs to verb, in B, "have been "belongs Verb( I think) because it is the perfect tense of verb,
C " be.. belongs to be, but have been belongs Verb because it is the perfect tense of verb,
from prep sc new one, sorry I forget the numeber

And I search posts from M, and I read what you have written, but I still do not realize why my idea is wrong?
What is more, some one explains that I could directly choose C becuase the meaning of this question.
But I do not know, so can you explain that point to me? thank you

[patelbhavesh_09]

No1 prep sc: Despite recent increases in sales and cash flow that have propelled automobile companies' common stocks to new highs, several industry analysts expect automakers, in order to conserve cash, to set dividends more conservatively than they were
A. to set dividends more conservatively than they were
B. to set dividends more conservatively than they have been
C. to be more conservative than they have been in setting dividends
D. that they will be more conservative than they were in setting dividends
E. that they will be more conservative than they have been to set dividends

Hi Ron, I want to ask something on the comparative pattern like this question.
A I think "set dividends" belongs to verb, but in A, were belongs to be, So it is not parallel. Delete
B "set dividends" belongs to verb, in B, "have been "belongs Verb( I think) because it is the perfect tense of verb,
C " be.. belongs to be, but have been belongs Verb because it is the perfect tense of verb,
from prep sc new one, sorry I forget the numeber

And I search posts from M, and I read what you have written, but I still do not realize why my idea is wrong?
What is more, some one explains that I could directly choose C becuase the meaning of this question.
But I do not know, so can you explain that point to me? thank you

what is OA?

is it B?

[saintjingjing]

In fact, answer is C. I am confussed about B. In order to undertand the comparision, I justify AB, and I write my question

No1 prep sc: Despite recent increases in sales and cash flow that have propelled automobile companies' common stocks to new highs, several industry analysts expect automakers, in order to conserve cash, to set dividends more conservatively than they were
A. to set dividends more conservatively than they were
B. to set dividends more conservatively than they have been
C. to be more conservative than they have been in setting dividends
D. that they will be more conservative than they were in setting dividends
E. that they will be more conservative than they have been to set dividends

Hi Ron, I want to ask something on the comparative pattern like this question.
A I think "set dividends" belongs to verb, but in A, were belongs to be, So it is not parallel. Delete
B "set dividends" belongs to verb, in B, "have been "belongs Verb( I think) because it is the perfect tense of verb,
C " be.. belongs to be, but have been belongs Verb because it is the perfect tense of verb,
from prep sc new one, sorry I forget the numeber

And I search posts from M, and I read what you have written, but I still do not realize why my idea is wrong?
What is more, some one explains that I could directly choose C becuase the meaning of this question.
But I do not know, so can you explain that point to me? thank you

what is OA?

is it B?

[RonPurewal]

please search the forum for existing threads before you post, and please do not post new threads on problems for which the forum already contains existing threads.

post35595.html

after reading the posts in the linked thread, please post any remaining questions there, not here.
thanks.