Select the most appropriate option to substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence.
The food intolerance industry has grown dramatically in the previous decade, chiefly because of a boost in Coeliac and Crohn’s disease cases, as well as increasing awareness among health-conscious clients.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Explanation
The correct answer is option 4 i.e. owing primarily to a rise.
Error concept: Tone, clarity, and appropriate phrase usage
What is wrong: The phrase “chiefly because of a boost” is grammatically acceptable but stylistically weak and slightly informal in tone for a factual, report-style sentence.
Grammatical concept:
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In formal writing, phrases like 'owing primarily to a rise' are clearer and more precise.
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“Boost” is informal; “rise” is more formal and fits better in the context of a serious topic like medical trends.
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'Owing to' is a more refined alternative to 'because of.'
Analysis of the options:
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contextually because of a spark – awkward phrasing; “spark” doesn’t suit medical trends.
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pretty much entirely because of a boil-down – informal and confusing; “boil-down” is not appropriate.
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casually due to a growth – “casually” is illogical here; wrong tone.
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owing primarily to a rise – grammatically correct, formal, and contextually appropriate.
Correction: owing primarily to a rise
Final sentence: The food intolerance industry has grown dramatically in the previous decade, owing primarily to a rise in Coeliac and Crohn’s disease cases, as well as increasing awareness among health-conscious clients.
Hence, the chosen option is correct.