Practice GMAT Sentence Correction Question

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After a storied investment bank recently fired its CEO and hired an outspoken and flamboyant replacement, members of the news media centered their stories on the replacement's claims that, based upon his past work at a private equity firm, he can return the investment bank to profitability.

A)	that, based upon his past work at a private equity firm, he can return the investment bank to profitability
B)	of the ability, based upon his past work at a private equity firm, of returning the investment bank to profitability
C)	of being able to return, based upon his past work at a private equity firm, the investment
D)	to be, based upon his past work at a private equity firm, able to return the investment bank to profitability
E)	that, based upon his past work at a private equity firm, he is capable of returning the investment bank back to profitability

Correct Answer: A

The verb claims should be followed by one of two patterns: (1) that followed by a subordinate clause (2) claims followed by an infinitive (set apart by commas).

claims is correctly followed by that and a subordinate clause set apart by commas
the phrase claims of the ability, ..., of returning is neither grammatical nor idiomatic
the phrase claims of being able to return, ..., the investment is neither grammatical nor idiomatic
the phrase to be...able to return should not be split up as it creates an awkward construction; to be able to return can be made concise by removing to be able
the phrase returning the investment bank back is redundant as the words returning and back convey the same idea; the phrase he is capable of can be shortened to the phrase he can

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