Modifier Question Clarity Regarding Modifiers.

[goelnikhils]

When rates were raised in 1985, postal service officials predicted they would make further rate increases unnecessary for at least three years.
A. they would make further rate increases unnecessary
B. they would mean that further rate increases would not be
needed
C. that it would not be necessary for further rate increases
D. that the increase would make further rate increases
unnecessary
E. further rate increases will not be needed

I have a very basic question here 'predicted' is a verb then how can 'that' clause modify it .
OA is 'D'.

I referred to this post one-of-ronald-reagan-s-first-acts-as-president-was-to-t2126.html and other material from OG that says modifiers have these rules
- 'comma -ing' - modifying preceding clause
- ed - modifiers - modifying preceding nouns
- participle modifiers - modifiying nouns or providing more informtion about preciding clauses.
- Adverbial modifiers

Please let me know why D is the answer beacuse as per Manhattan SC Strategy Book , 'that' is a relative modifier and is used to modify the preciding noun.

Any prompt response will surey help to clarify a lot of doubts .

[tpsharma2u]

hi..
that is not used as a modifier here...
any thoughts/action such as predicted, mandated,said, ordered etc are generally reqd to be followed by 'that'

[goelmohit2002]

I also agree with tpsharma...that it is not the modifier usage but more of idiomatic usage....of that....

In general bossy and thinking verbs need to be followed by that....

For bossy verbs please refer to page#115 of Manhattan Sc guide(4th edition)...

In the above A and B can be kicked out because there is no logical referent for "they".

C = i guess necessary to is correct idiom. (Please tell me if I am wrong here)
E = missing that

[RonPurewal]

Please cite the source (author) of this problem. We cannot reply unless a source is cited (and, if no source is cited, we will have to delete the post!). Thanks.

also note that OTHER FORUMS DO NOT COUNT AS SOURCES. the cited source must be the ORIGIN of the problem.

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we will delete the post within a week or two if the source is not cited.

to the original poster: note that the word "that" has several different functions in english. it's a huge mistake to think that it has the same function in every instance!