OG 10 SC

[ankit]

The Baldrick Manufacturing Company has for
several years followed a policy aimed at decreasing operating costs and improving the efficiency of its
distribution system.
(A) aimed at decreasing operating costs and improving
(B) aimed at the decreasing of operating costs and to improve
(C) aiming at the decreasing of operating costs and improving
(D) the aim of which is the decreasing of operating costs and improving
(E) with the aim to decrease operating costs and to improve

How to choose between A & E.Please elucidate..........

[TP]

The Baldrick Manufacturing Company has for
several years followed a policy aimed at decreasing operating costs and improving the efficiency of its
distribution system.
(A) aimed at decreasing operating costs and improving
(B) aimed at the decreasing of operating costs and to improve
(C) aiming at the decreasing of operating costs and improving
(D) the aim of which is the decreasing of operating costs and improving
(E) with the aim to decrease operating costs and to improve

How to choose between A & E.Please elucidate..........

Isn't "with the aim to" idiomatically incorrect?

[goMba]

Due to the use of the word 'aim' it seems to me that this is a subjuntive mood and hence base verbs should be used (as noted in the chapter#3 of Man SC guide). Therefore i will go with (E). Can you share the correct answer?

[JonathanSchneider]

You are right, TP, that "with the aim to" is incorrect idiomatically. We "aim to do" something, but we do something "with the aim of doing" something else.

As to the question of the subjunctive, while the word "aim" does indicate a desire, we do not have to use the subjunctive in such cases. Notice that this is the case with other subjunctive words as well. For example, the word "command." "I command that you go to the store" is subjunctive. But "I command you to go to the store" is infinitive. Both are okay.

[huongvo191]

I would still go for E since there is a point in A I cannot explain: it should be "a policy aiming at..." (which is the shorted form of "a policy which aims at..."-active voice), not "a policy aimed at...." (which is equal to "a policy which is aimed at..."-passive voice). I don't see any reason to use passive voice in this case.
Ron, can anyone explain this point, please. Thank you.

[akanksha_soneja]

What is the answer? According to me it should be A

[tim]

I would still go for E since there is a point in A I cannot explain: it should be "a policy aiming at..." (which is the shorted form of "a policy which aims at..."-active voice), not "a policy aimed at...." (which is equal to "a policy which is aimed at..."-passive voice). I don't see any reason to use passive voice in this case.
Ron, can anyone explain this point, please. Thank you.

wrong. sounds like you are just making up a rule here. the answer is A..

[alisonlu007]

If (E) had been "with the aim of decreasing...etc", would E have been ok?

[tim]

I would caution you against ever asking "what if" questions about changing parts of verbal questions, because there are often several interconnected parts that cannot be fully accounted for by a single change. Just focus on why the right answer is right and why all the wrong answers are wrong. In this case though, your example would still be wrong because of parallelism.

[ShubhamG503]

Please advise

The Baldrick Manufacturing Company has for several years followed a policy aiming at decreasing operating costs and improving the efficiency of its distribution system

This would have been correct as well right? We dont necessary need aimed at here. Just want to check my tenses are ok or not.

[tim]

You didn't read a single word of my previous post, did you?

[ShubhamG503]

Sorry sorry. Well noted

[tim]

Glad to hear it. Just want to keep everyone on track focusing on the right way to study!

[puntkub]

Hi Instructor,

what is the defferent between
The Baldrick manufacturing company has for several years followed a policy aimed....

The Baldrick manufacturing company has for several years followed a policy aiming....


thank you in advance