SC-- Parallel contruction and subject verb: One question

[vashishtsumant]

Hello everybody,

I encountered this question while giving one practice GMAT test and still consider the solution to be wrong. Please help me out.

In fine lacquering, which is an ornamentation process, artisans paint natural lacquer obtained from trees on objects, allowing it to dry, and then smoothing it with a whetstone before the application of further coats.


a. In fine lacquering, which is an ornamentation process, artisans paint natural lacquer obtained from trees on objects, allowing it to dry, and then smoothing it with a whetstone before the application of further coats.


b. Fine lacquering is a process of ornamentation in which artisans paint objects with natural lacquer obtained from trees, allow it to dry, and then smooth it with a whetstone before applying further coats.


c. When fine lacquering, artisans do a process of ornamentation by painting on objects natural lacquer obtained from trees, allowing it to dry, and then smooth it with a whetstone before they apply further coats.


d. Fine lacquering is an ornamentation process in which artisans, painting natural lacquer obtained from trees on objects, allow it to dry, and then smooth it with a whetstone before they apply further coats.


e. The ornamentation process of fine lacquering is one in which artisans paint natural lacquer obtained from trees on objects, allow them to dry, then smoothing it with a whetstone before applying further coats.

---- The answer given is (b); The solution says that here 'paint', 'allow' and 'smooth' are parallel. But my doubt is not on parallelism but on the subject verb agreement.

In option (b), the direct object after the verb paint is 'objects' which is plural, thus the pronoun 'it' should not be singular as 'it' here must refer to 'objects' and not 'lacquer'.
But in option (a), the direct object after the verb paint is 'lacquer' which is singular and thus, the pronoun 'it' after 'allowing' can be used as now 'it' can refer to the singular 'lacquer'. But in option (a), there is the problem of parallel constructions.


Please correct me if I am wrong in my explanation.

[RonPurewal]

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