Error spotting (verb pattern: persist + in + -ing): Identify the erroneous segment (A/B/C) — choose D if there is no error — 'I could not convince them / because they persisted to suggest / that I was lying. / No error.'

Concept/Approach: Gerund after 'persist in'
The idiomatic construction is 'persist in + -ing': 'persisted in suggesting'. The infinitive after 'persist' is nonstandard here.

Correction
(B) 'persisted to suggest' → 'persisted in suggesting'.Corrected sentence: 'I could not convince them because they persisted in suggesting that I was lying.'

Common pitfalls
Using 'to + verb' after verbs that require a preposition + gerund (insist on doing, persist in doing).

Final Answer
(B) is erroneous → 'persisted in suggesting'.