After several years of rapid growth

[sdgirl]

After several years of rapid growth, the healthy care company became one of the largest health care providers in the metropolitan area, while it then proved unable to handle the increase in business, falling months behind in its payment to doctors and hospitals.


A. while it then proved unable to handle the increase in business, falling months behind in its payment to
B. while it then proved unable to handle the increase in business and fell months behind in its payment to
C. but then it proved unable to handle the increase in business, falling months behind in its paying
D. but then proving unable to handle the increase in business, falling months behind in paying
E. but then proved unable to handle the increase in business, falling months behind in paying


OA: E
can you clairfy:
1) the usage of 'while' and 'but' -- they both show contrast
2) double gerund? someone mentioned that D was wrong because of the use of a double gerund: proving...falling

Thanks!

[Guest]

After several years of rapid growth, the healthy care company became one of the largest health care providers in the metropolitan area, while it then proved unable to handle the increase in business, falling months behind in its payment to doctors and hospitals.


A. while it then proved unable to handle the increase in business, falling months behind in its payment to
B. while it then proved unable to handle the increase in business and fell months behind in its payment to
C. but then it proved unable to handle the increase in business, falling months behind in its paying
D. but then proving unable to handle the increase in business, falling months behind in paying
E. but then proved unable to handle the increase in business, falling months behind in paying


We require a conjunction that should show contrast..
But serves that purpose.

also tense proving is inadequate......

it should be proved



~Ronniecoleman

[JonathanSchneider]

Ronnie is correct on both counts, but I'll add a bit more for clarity:

The word "while" indicates "at the same time." You are right that we can use it to mean "although." However, the meaning is not clear here with the word "while." Thus, "but" is better.

As for the -ing issue, notice that we want the first verb to be in an actual tense, and specifically parallel to "became." (The word "but" indicates parallelism.)

[botirvoy]

Jonathan,
What do you think about comma before "but"? I hear that in such case, it is better to have a separate subject in the "but" clause, as is the case in C.

[RonPurewal]

Jonathan,
What do you think about comma before "but"? I hear that in such case, it is better to have a separate subject in the "but" clause, as is the case in C.

since this appears in a CORRECT ANSWER, it is obviously acceptable.

DO NOT QUESTION OFFICIALLY CORRECT ANSWERS. it is a complete waste of your time to do so, since they are, well, correct answers. everything in them is, by definition, correct and acceptable.

therefore:

incorrect reaction: "hey, isn't this wrong, even though it appears in a correct answer?" (no, it's not wrong.)

correct reaction: "wow, that's strange. i just learned something new about SC!"

--

yes, this may be frustrating and irritating. if it makes you feel any better, i'll have you know that we instructors are constantly learning new things from the correct answers, too. (i'm occasionally quite surprised by what i see in correct answers, but i can't question them ... and neither can you, or the other guy, or anyone else who doesn't work for gmac.)

[direstraits007]

Jonathan,
What do you think about comma before "but"? I hear that in such case, it is better to have a separate subject in the "but" clause, as is the case in C.

since this appears in a CORRECT ANSWER, it is obviously acceptable.

DO NOT QUESTION OFFICIALLY CORRECT ANSWERS. it is a complete waste of your time to do so, since they are, well, correct answers. everything in them is, by definition, correct and acceptable.

therefore:

incorrect reaction: "hey, isn't this wrong, even though it appears in a correct answer?" (no, it's not wrong.)

correct reaction: "wow, that's strange. i just learned something new about SC!"

--

yes, this may be frustrating and irritating. if it makes you feel any better, i'll have you know that we instructors are constantly learning new things from the correct answers, too. (i'm occasionally quite surprised by what i see in correct answers, but i can't question them ... and neither can you, or the other guy, or anyone else who doesn't work for gmac.)

Ron,

Could you please clarify what is wrong with option C ?

Thanks!

~GeeMate.

[kamalsinghy]

I see a quite obvious awkward construction in option C ("in its paying").

Possessive 'its' should be followed by noun, but here it's verb+ing form(trying to act as gerund that is trap here in this incorrect answer).

--Kamal

[RonPurewal]

I see a quite obvious awkward construction in option C ("in its paying").

Possessive 'its' should be followed by noun, but here it's verb+ing form(trying to act as gerund that is trap here in this incorrect answer).

--Kamal

i believe that's an accurate assessment.

[kamalsinghy]

Two more things that I would like to add is

a. since subject is same after "but", there is no need to again write "it" to refer to HCC.
b. "paying" is verb+ing form, it's not gerund so it cannot stand after possessive "its". "payment" would be the right word.

--Kamal

[violetwind]

Two more things that I would like to add is

a. since subject is same after "but", there is no need to again write "it" to refer to HCC.
b. "paying" is verb+ing form, it's not gerund so it cannot stand after possessive "its". "payment" would be the right word.

--Kamal

Hi, Kamal, could you kindly explain why "paying" cannot be a gerund? because there is a noun form(payment)for this action(pay)?

Why in"in its paying to.....", the "paying" is not gerund?

Thank you very much!

[RonPurewal]

Two more things that I would like to add is

a. since subject is same after "but", there is no need to again write "it" to refer to HCC.
b. "paying" is verb+ing form, it's not gerund so it cannot stand after possessive "its". "payment" would be the right word.

--Kamal

Hi, Kamal, could you kindly explain why "paying" cannot be a gerund? because there is a noun form(payment)for this action(pay)?

Why in"in its paying to.....", the "paying" is not gerund?

Thank you very much!

this is a tricky issue; it's unclear to me whether kamal appreciates the full complexity of what is going on here, so here is my attempt at a fuller explanation:
if there exists a dedicated noun form of a word, then don't use a gerund if you can use that noun form instead.

e.g.
don't use "developing" as a gerund, since you can use "development".
don't use "paying" as a gerund, since you can use "payment".

for gerunds that have no such alternative noun form, it is of course perfectly correct to use the gerund:
her singing of the national anthem at yesterday's game was beautiful.
(there's no dedicated noun form such as "singment" or "singation" or "sing-anything-else", so the gerund here is perfectly respectable.)

[NYCFox]

After several years of rapid growth, the healthy care company became one of the largest health care providers in the metropolitan area, while it then proved unable to handle the increase in business, but then proved unable to handle the increase in business, falling months behind in paying.

", but" connects two independent clauses I heard.

company became- independent clause (good)

then proved unable to handle the increase in business, falling months behind in paying.

Is this an independent clause?
If yes, how so?
If no, why is it connected with coordinating conjunction?

Thanks

[RonPurewal]

", but" connects two independent clauses I heard.

the comma is sometimes employed when "but" is used to connect units smaller than clauses, if those units are so long that the sentence becomes difficult to read without the comma.

for instance:
James tried to sneak back into the house at 5 a.m. without waking his parents, but climbed through a window directly into the room where his father was already getting dressed.
--> try taking out the comma; if you do, the sentence becomes an unreadable blob.

[AliciaZhou]

Hi, Ron:

I chose the correct answer E since I thought there was an omitted "was" (passive voice) in the sentence.

Like this:

"After several years of rapid growth, the healthy care company became one of the largest health care providers in the metropolitan area, but then was proved unable to handle the increase in business, falling months behind in paying doctors and hospitals."

Am I right?
Because it seems impossible that HCC(healthy care company) will prove its failure to handle...

Pls explain it, thanks in advance.

[RonPurewal]

Hi, Ron:

I chose the correct answer E since I thought there was an omitted "was" (passive voice) in the sentence.

Like this:

"After several years of rapid growth, the healthy care company became one of the largest health care providers in the metropolitan area, but then was proved unable to handle the increase in business, falling months behind in paying doctors and hospitals."

Am I right?
Because it seems impossible that HCC(healthy care company) will prove its failure to handle...

Pls explain it, thanks in advance.

"proved" can also be an active-voice verb, especially in reference to descriptive qualities.
e.g.
John, who had always bragged the most about his fighting abilities, proved to be the most cowardly person in the group when actual threats arose.
or
my efforts proved insufficient, and i returned home without winning the prize.