A tricky parallel structure problem.

<p>The model of the city may not have moving cars on its roads, "but there are a functional set of streetlamps"</p>

<p>(A) but there are a functional set of streetlamps
(B) but it does have a functional set of streetlamps
(C) but there is a functional set of streetlamps</p>

<p>My first choice of answer was C because it corrects the error made in the original sentence. The original sentence improperly used are to describe a singular subject "a full of set of streetlamps". However, I was wrong. The correct answer is B. The answer key explains that Choice B corrects the error(of improper use of plural verb "are) and maintains proper parallel structure which is ignored by choice C. </p>

<p>I don't understand why parallelism matters in this compound sentence. Why does the dependent sentence ", but there are... streetlamps" have to be parallel with the independent sentence "the model...roads"?</p>

<p>Collegeboard likes everything to be as parallel as possible</p>

<p>The structure of (B) is as such:
The model of the city may not [have + noun] but it does [have + noun]</p>

<p>I agree that (C), under different circumstances would be correct, but the instructions say to choose the “most correct,” so when given the comparison, (B) is more parallel. </p>

<p>Yes, CB sucks. Make sure you eliminate all the wrong answers before selecting the right one.</p>

<p>this question actually goes a little beyond parallelism…
It’s a matter of VOICE SHIFT…</p>

<p>You have an active voice contruction to a passive voice construction… This means a lot…
Normally, you shouldn’t shift voices within a sentence unless there’s some stylistic issue involved… (Style is not an issue on CB tests as you know…)</p>

<p>and partly you are right… It’s not about parallelism… Much of CB answer explanations are inadequate…</p>