Question

Find the part of the sentence that contains an error:

What renders the draft legislation particularly contentious is not its proposed realignment of fiscal powers per se, (1)/ but that it presumes, without empirical substantiation, (2)/ a fiscal equivalence among states whose developmental baselines are (3)/incommensurable by any normative metric. (4)

• A. (1)
• B. (2)
• C. (3)
• D. (4)

Answer 1

Answer:

B. (2)

The error is in the structure:

“is not its proposed realignment … but that it presumes …”

This creates a faulty parallel structure:

• After “not”, a noun phrase is used:

  • its proposed realignment of fiscal powers

• After “but”, a clause is used:

  • that it presumes…

Both parts should be grammatically parallel.

Correct form:

What renders the draft legislation particularly contentious is not its proposed realignment of fiscal powers per se, but its presumption, without empirical substantiation, of a fiscal equivalence…