GMAT Sentence Correction Discussions

MBA
6210
Hi,
someone pls explain the below one:

1) Although the government's expenditures on law suits involving tobacco companies amounts to a sum dramatically lower than that spent by tobacco companies, many believe that the government should allocate no more funds to a battle they perceive as pointless.
a) expenditure on law suits involving tobacco companies amounts to a sum dramatically lower than
b) expenditures on law suits involving tobacco companies amount to a sum dramatically less than
c) expenditures on law suits involving tobacco companies amount to a sum dramatically lower than
d) law suit expenditures regarding tobacco companies amount to a dramatically lower sum than
e) law suit expenditures against tobacco companies amounts to a sum dramatically lower than

The dilemma is between B and C. I thought "sum" is uncountable just like "amount" or "money" and hence preferred "less than" rather than "lower than". Pls correct me if wrong.

Few more.........

1)Although the invention of the printing press led to a significant reconceptualization of textual production in the fifteenth century, what has been equally significant in the twentieth century is the invention of the computer.
a)what has been equally significant in the twentieth century
b)equally significant in the twentieth century has been
c)no less significant in the twentieth century is
d)what was equally significant in the twentieth century were
e)no less significant in the twentieth century was
2)Scientists are currently trying to determine the extent to which tectonic plates have been shifted from their previous positions by earthquakes and other similar phenomena.
a)to which tectonic plates have been shifted
b)to which tectonic plates have shifted
c)of the shift of tectonic plates
d)of tectonic plates shifting
e)that tectonic plates have been shifted

3)It was anomalies in the orbit of Uranus that led to the discovery of Neptune.
a)It was anomalies in the orbit of Uranus
b)It was the orbit of Uranus showing anomalies that
c)They were anomalies in the orbit of Uranus that
d)The orbit of Uranus being anomalous was what
e)The anomalies in the orbit of Uranus was what
6211
My take is "B".
D & E: Wrong because of "goverment's law suit expenditures".
C: wrong because of subject-verb aggreement (expenditure & amount)
B/w A & B, I'll go with B because of the use of "less".

I am sorry ... it is expenditures in C..its a typo..edited the original post.
6212
mathenthu Says
I am sorry ... it is expenditures in C..its a typo..edited the original post.

I'll still go with B...."less" preferred over "lower".
6213
2011MBAGrad Says
I'll still go with B...."less" preferred over "lower".

But answer is given as C .. stating that "less than" should be used for uncountable things....i thought "sum" is uncountable as I mentioned earlier....not sure though how it is countable...thats why posted here...
6214
Hi,
someone pls explain the below one:

1) Although the governments expenditures on law suits involving tobacco companies amounts to a sum dramatically lower than that spent by tobacco companies, many believe that the government should allocate no more funds to a battle they perceive as pointless.
a) expenditure on law suits involving tobacco companies amounts to a sum dramatically lower than
b) expenditures on law suits involving tobacco companies amount to a sum dramatically less than
c) expenditures on law suits involving tobacco companies amount to a sum dramatically lower than
d) law suit expenditures regarding tobacco companies amount to a dramatically lower sum than
e) law suit expenditures against tobacco companies amounts to a sum dramatically lower than

The dilemma is between B and C. I thought "sum" is uncountable just like "amount" or "money" and hence preferred "less than" rather than "lower than". Pls correct me if wrong.



the answer must be 'C' only....going by your logic we can't count 'sum' so it can't be 'lower' but if you notice it's given 'a sum less than'....don't you think it should have been to a sum 'lesser than'
6215

Money becomes countable when "Sum" is attached to it. Hence the right answer here is lower rather than less. Also please note that here you are comparing the sum of money and not money.
expenditures on law suits involving tobacco companies are dramatically less than -> Good
expenditures on law suits involving tobacco companies amount to a sum dramatically lower than -> Good

6216

I have a confusion. Why the option A is not correct. Its using singular "expenditure" and singular verb "amounts" and alongwith sum is countable and its using lower than. Someone please answer.

6217

I think that option 'A' is always the same as the main sentence .. I am not sure if there was a typo here ?


expenditures on law suits involving tobacco companies amounts to a sum dramatically lower than

6218
I think that option 'A' is always the same as the main sentence .. I am not sure if there was a typo here ?


expenditures on law suits involving tobacco companies amounts to a sum dramatically lower than

edited the option...sry..its a typo
6219


A) By the time that the reinforcements will have come to the battle, all the hard work will have been done already.

B) By the time the reinforcements come to the battle, all the hard work will have been done.

C) By the time the reinforcements came to the battle, all the hard work will have been done.

D) By the time the reinforcements are coming to the battle, all the hard work will have been done.

E) By the time the reinforcements, coming to the battle, all the hard work will be done.

Please post your reply with reasoning.
6220
Hi,
someone pls explain the below one:

1) Although the governments expenditures on law suits involving tobacco companies amounts to a sum dramatically lower than that spent by tobacco companies, many believe that the government should allocate no more funds to a battle they perceive as pointless.
a) expenditures on law suits involving tobacco companies amounts to a sum dramatically lower than
b) expenditures on law suits involving tobacco companies amount to a sum dramatically less than
c) expenditures on law suits involving tobacco companies amount to a sum dramatically lower than
d) law suit expenditures regarding tobacco companies amount to a dramatically lower sum than
e) law suit expenditures against tobacco companies amounts to a sum dramatically lower than

The dilemma is between B and C. I thought "sum" is uncountable just like "amount" or "money" and hence preferred "less than" rather than "lower than". Pls correct me if wrong.


Expenditures (plural)--Amount(Plural) is required.

higher and lower we use for physical entities
The height of the chair is lower than that of the table.
for percents and fractions we use less not lower or fewer.

Less => noun
Lower => adjective

for time ,distance, money we use 'less'
for countable entities we use fewer
for percents and fractions we use less not lower or fewer.

eg:fewer chocolates
less than $541
less than 3 weeks
less than 3 kms

higher and lower we use for physical entities
The height of the chair is lower than that of the table.

C can be eliminated
reason-Sum-countable.. less-countable



A) By the time that the reinforcements will have come to the battle, all the hard work will have been done already.-- that and already are redudant. and usage of inconsistent tenses
B) By the time the reinforcements come to the battle, all the hard work will have been done.-- correct and unambiguous use of simple present and future perfect tenses.

C) By the time the reinforcements came to the battle, all the hard work will have been done.-- no need for past tense.

D) By the time the reinforcements are coming to the battle, all the hard work will have been done.-- no need for present continuous tense also.

E) By the time the reinforcements, coming to the battle, all the hard work will be done.-- again inconsistent use of tense

Please post your reply with reasoning.


What's the OA?
6221

Please explain why you pick up an answer. i know the right answer. but i want to know, why is it right so ple explain:

Past assessments of the Brazilian rain forest have used satellite images to tally deforested areas, where farmers and ranchers have clear-cut and burned all the trees, but such work has not addressed either logging, which is the removal of only selected trees, as well as surface fires, burning down individual trees but do not denude the forest.

A. which is the removal of only selected trees, as well as surface fires, burning
B. which removes only selected trees, or surface fires that burn
C. which removes only selected trees, along with surface fires that burn
D. removing only selected trees, or surface fires, burning
E. removing only selected trees, as well as surface fires that burn

6222

Your answer is right and thanks 4 d explanation.

6223

D For the above question

6224
Please explain why you pick up an answer. i know the right answer. but i want to know, why is it right so ple explain:

Past assessments of the Brazilian rain forest have used satellite images to tally deforested areas, where farmers and ranchers have clear-cut and burned all the trees, but such work has not addressed either logging, which is the removal of only selected trees, as well as surface fires, burning down individual trees but do not denude the forest.

A. which is the removal of only selected trees, as well as surface fires, burning
B. which removes only selected trees, or surface fires that burn
C. which removes only selected trees, along with surface fires that burn
D. removing only selected trees, or surface fires, burning
E. removing only selected trees, as well as surface fires that burn

kmch09 Says
D For the above question



Even i thought it is D. but it isn't.
6225

The Answer is "B" which removes only selected trees, or surface fires that burn. The reason for this is use of right idiom "either--or". This leave us with B and D. B is better as it used simple tense and is parallel.

6226

In Sentence Correction, the writers of these questions will often try to bait you toward generalization, tempting you to discern the difference between methods of phrasing an obscure idiom or asking you to read a multi-clause, 45-word sentence five different times to see what "sounds right." You're applying to business school, however, not to the editorial desk of the New York Times; your "core competencies," as they pertain to grammar, are likely somewhat limited. Accordingly, your goal should be to seek out the errors that you know how to correct, and only worry about others when absolutely necessary (which shouldn't be often, if at all). Consider the question:
Unlike water, which is complimentary, all passengers will need to pay cash for beverages during the transoceanic flight.
(A) Unlike water, which is complimentary
(B) Besides water, which is offered free of charge
(C) Unless the drink is water, which is complimentary
(D) Not like water, which is offered free of charge
(E) With water being the only exception

6227

C is the answer

6228
In Sentence Correction, the writers of these questions will often try to bait you toward generalization, tempting you to discern the difference between methods of phrasing an obscure idiom or asking you to read a multi-clause, 45-word sentence five different times to see what sounds right. Youre applying to business school, however, not to the editorial desk of the New York Times; your core competencies, as they pertain to grammar, are likely somewhat limited. Accordingly, your goal should be to seek out the errors that you know how to correct, and only worry about others when absolutely necessary (which shouldnt be often, if at all). Consider the question:
Unlike water, which is complimentary, all passengers will need to pay cash for beverages during the transoceanic flight.
(A) Unlike water, which is complimentary
(B) Besides water, which is offered free of charge
(C) Unless the drink is water, which is complimentary
(D) Not like water, which is offered free of charge
(E) With water being the only exception


The answer is B
6229

I go with B... First I use the 3/2 elimination rule :

Past assessments of the Brazilian rain forest have used satellite images to tally deforested areas, where farmers and ranchers have clear-cut and burned all the trees, but such work has not addressed either logging, which is the removal of only selected trees, as well as surface fires, burning down individual trees but do not denude the forest.
which removes only selected trees, or surface fires that burn ...
1. Either should have or .. Safely elliminate ACE
2. in D removing only selected trees mean , that we don't have a proper particle modifier which modifies the noun logging. This can be done only by using which /that. hence this means we can eliminate D . Always note that when we are seeing something like Noun A, modifier to noun A, then Modifier to noun A should be a particle modifier in majority of the cases. When we select within b/d, we can safely eliminate d