Question

The stock market collapse of 1929 had far-reaching consequences for the national economy, causing a nationwide collapse in home values, putting millions out of work, and by erasing the investment savings of one-fifth of the population.

• A. and by erasing
• B. and erasing
• C. and having erased
• D. and erased
• E. by erasing

Hint:

When listing actions, ensure that each part of the list follows the same grammatical structure for clarity and readability.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understand the sentence structure.
The phrase “and erasing” correctly links the actions of the stock market collapse. The sentence lists actions using parallel structure.
Step 2: Review the options.
- (A) "and by erasing" introduces an unnecessary "by," which disrupts the parallelism.
- (B) "and erasing" maintains the parallel structure of the sentence, making it the correct choice.
- (C) "and having erased" introduces an awkward verb tense that doesn’t match the other actions.
- (D) "and erased" lacks the continuity and parallel structure of the actions.
- (E) "by erasing" introduces a misplaced preposition that doesn’t fit the sentence structure.
Conclusion:
The correct answer is (B) because it maintains parallel structure and clarity in the sentence.