Thread for Sentence Correction and Appropriate Usage in VA

koseram · 05:56 PM

Hey Frnds,

Quote:

Originally Posted by koseram

coming to sentence correction in Verbal Ability....
I think it is one of those areas where you are very circumspect about.....
some doubt will be lurking inside while attempting those appropriate
usage questions..

albeit the less no of Q's we get in cat, in my view, if we are confident
of solving these questions, that would increase our level of ease in the
verbal section....

keeping that in mind, I would like to start posting some sentence correction Q's everyday....from the GMAT OG guide....we can probably discuss the same before I post the explanatory answer.....

I would make this a daily and periodic excersie...
I will post 6 Q's per day...
one starting at 10:00 A.M (every 1/2 hr) thru 13:00
---MONDAY THRU FRIDAY--- (coz most people wud be online)

so folks, see U on Monday.....

deepu · 18-09-2005, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by koseram

Hey Frnds,

I would make this a daily and periodic excersie...
I will post 6 Q's per day...
one starting at 10:00 A.M (every 1/2 hr) thru 13:00
---MONDAY THRU FRIDAY--- (coz most people wud be online)

so folks, see U on Monday.....

Man gr8 work..waiting for something like this to come up....Kudos..gogo
me too waiting for Monday..

koseram · 10:41 AM

Here comes the first set……

11. Based on accounts of various ancient writers, scholars have painted a sketchy picture of the activities of an all-female cult that, perhaps as early as the sixth century B.C., worshipped a goddess known in Latin as Bona Dea, "the good goddess."

(A) Based on accounts of various ancient writers

(B) Basing it on various ancient writers' accounts

(C) With accounts of various ancient writers used for a basis

(D) By the accounts of various ancient writers they used

(E) Using accounts of various ancient writers

ankit.3k · 19-09-2005, 10:27 AM

is the answer for second question E??

koseram · 19-09-2005, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ankit.3k

is the answer for second question E??

when you answer the Q, please explain the analysis u have done....
it can be skimpy or detailed, but it might help others in some way.....

cheers!!

koseram · 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by koseram

Here comes the first set……

11. Based on accounts of various ancient writers, scholars have painted a sketchy picture of the activities of an all-female cult that, perhaps as early as the sixth century B.C., worshipped a goddess known in Latin as Bona Dea, "the good goddess."
.............................

11.

In choice A, the introductory clause beginning Based on modifies scholars, the noun that immediately follows it:

in other words, A says that scholars were based on the accounts of various ancient writers. Choice B is awkward and imprecise in that the referent for the pronoun it is not immediately clear.

C and D are also wordy and awkward, and in D By the accounts... they used is an unidiomatic and roundabout way of saying thatscholars used me accounts.

E, the best choice, is clear and concise; it correctly uses a present participle (or
"-ing" verb) to introduce the modifier describing how the scholars worked.

koseram · 19-09-2005, 10:43 AM

No .2

12. Formulas for cash flow and the ratio of debt to equity do not apply to new small businesses in the same way as they do to established big businesses, because they are growing and are seldom in equilibrium.

(A) Formulas for cash flow and the ratio of debt to equity do not apply to new small businesses in the same way as they do to established big businesses, because they are growing and are seldom in equilibrium.

(B) Because they are growing and are seldom in equilibrium, formulas for cash flow and the ratio of debt to equity do not apply to new small businesses in the same way as they do to established big businesses.

(C) Because they are growing and are seldom in equilibrium, new small businesses are not subject to the same applicability of formulas for cash flow and the ratio of debt to equity as established big businesses.

(D) Because new small businesses are growing and are seldom in equilibrium, formulas for cash flow and the ratio of debt to equity do not apply to them in the same way as to established big businesses.

(E) New small businesses are not subject to the applicability of formulas for cash flow and the ratio of debt to equity in the same way as established big businesses, because they are growing and are seldom in equilibrium.

koseram · 19-09-2005, 10:59 AM

I think D is the best answer...D gives the cause first, and effect later......B & C use they (pronoun) before any a noun..so ruled out....

Quote:

Originally Posted by koseram

No .2

12. Formulas for cash flow and the ratio of debt to equity do not apply to new small businesses in the same way as they do to established big businesses, because they are growing and are seldom in equilibrium.

(A) Formulas for cash flow and the ratio of debt to equity do not apply to new small businesses in the same way as they do to established big businesses, because they are growing and are seldom in equilibrium.

(B) Because they are growing and are seldom in equilibrium, formulas for cash flow and the ratio of debt to equity do not apply to new small businesses in the same way as they do to established big businesses.

(C) Because they are growing and are seldom in equilibrium, new small businesses are not subject to the same applicability of formulas for cash flow and the ratio of debt to equity as established big businesses.

(D) Because new small businesses are growing and are seldom in equilibrium, formulas for cash flow and the ratio of debt to equity do not apply to them in the same way as to established big businesses.

(E) New small businesses are not subject to the applicability of formulas for cash flow and the ratio of debt to equity in the same way as established big businesses, because they are growing and are seldom in equilibrium.

koseram · 19-09-2005, 11:03 AM

Answer to Question 12
In A, the they after because is ambiguous; it seems illogically to refer to Formulas because they and Formulas are each the grammatical subject of a clause and because the previous they refers to Formulas. In A and B, do not apply to... in the same way as they do to is wordy and awkward. D, the best choice, says more concisely in the same way as to. Also in B, because they refers to formulas, the introductory clause states confusedly that the formulas are growing. In C and E, subject to the [same] applicability of... is wordy, awkward, and imprecise; furthermore, are is preferable either before or after established big businesses to complete the comparison. Finally, the referent of they is not immediately clear in E.

13. State officials report that soaring rates of liability insurance have risen to force cutbacks in the operations of everything from local governments and school districts to day-care centers and recreational facilities.

(A) rates of liability insurance have risen to force
(B) rates of liability insurance are a force for
(C) rates for liability insurance are forcing
(D) rises in liability insurance rates are forcing
(E) liability insurance rates have risen to force

koseram · 19-09-2005, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by koseram

Answer to Question 12
13. State officials report that soaring rates of liability insurance have risen to force cutbacks in the operations of everything from local governments and school districts to day-care centers and recreational facilities.

(A) rates of liability insurance have risen to force
(B) rates of liability insurance are a force for
(C) rates for liability insurance are forcing
(D) rises in liability insurance rates are forcing
(E) liability insurance rates have risen to force

think soaring and risen are redundant in the sentence......prolly C is the best bet...