Heating-oil prices are expected to be higher

Heating-oil prices are expected to be higher this year than last because refiners are paying about $5 a barrel more for crude oil than they were last year.

3 Explanations

▲

SUKRITI BAHL

Answers can also be eliminated on the basis of the following:
Idiom - Higher than and NOT higher this year over last. So B & D out

Higher and Rise - mean same - so B & E out .
Between A & C - Are paying .... were paying v/S Are paying.... did paying..
As explained in the video. Therefore , A

Jun 21, 2015 • Comment

▲

Jonathan , Magoosh Tutor

Hi Sravya,
Good question. We're not comparing two sets of prices, actually. Heating oil prices are expected to be higher THIS YEAR than LAST [year]. "this year" and "last" are actually adverbial -- telling us WHEN prices are expected to be higher. We're comparing the two time periods, not the prices.

If we had:

"This year's prices are expected to be higher than last year's." THEN we would be correctly comparing two sets of prices.

May 15, 2015 • Comment

▲

Mike McGarry, Magoosh Tutor

May 23, 2013 • Comment

Naren Sitham

Answer choice B if you check OG it says 'pay' and not paying, so we cant dismiss it based on 'did'. I can see rise higher is redundant.
I still dont get the OG explanation 'more than' should immediately follow $5 a barrel - why is this?

Oct 23, 2013 • Reply

Sravya Avasarala

Is it apt to just say 'heating- oil prices are expected to be higher this year than last' ? Shouldn't the than be followed by last year's ?

May 13, 2015 • Reply