The growth rate of ABC Motors in 2017 was the same ________ XYZ Motors in 2016. A. as off B. as those of C. as that off D. as that of

GATE 2019 · General Aptitude · Prepositions · medium

Answer: D. as that of

1. Identify the antecedent noun: The noun being compared is 'the growth rate' — a singular countable noun. The replacement pronoun must therefore be 'that' (not 'those', which is plural).
2. Choose the right preposition: 'of' not 'off': The phrase 'as that of XYZ Motors' means 'as the growth rate of XYZ Motors'. The word needed is the preposition 'of' (showing association). 'Off' is an entirely different word.
3. Confirm option D: Full sentence: 'The growth rate of ABC Motors in 2017 was the same as that of XYZ Motors in 2016.' This is grammatically correct and idiomatically natural.