Administration

This topic has expert replies
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 313
Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2015 7:01 am
Thanked: 2 times

Administration

by jain2016 » Fri Feb 05, 2016 9:31 am
Analysts believe that whereas bad decision by elected leaders can certainly hurt the economy, no administration can really be said to control or manage all of the complex and interrelated forces that determine the nation's economic strength.

A) no administration can really be said to control

B) no administration can be said that it really controls

C) that no administration can really be said to control

D) that no administration can really be said that it controls

E) that it cannot be said that any administration really controls

OAA

Hi Experts ,

Whats wrong with option B?

Please explain.

Many thanks in advance.

SJ

Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 193
Joined: Tue May 24, 2011 5:14 am
Thanked: 6 times
Followed by:1 members

by iongmat » Fri Feb 05, 2016 8:34 pm
For B this would mean

it really controls or manage...

"it really manage" is incorrect. It should have been "manages". But since "manage" is in the non-underlined portion, we cannot do anything about it.

User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 2131
Joined: Mon Feb 03, 2014 9:26 am
Location: https://martymurraycoaching.com/
Thanked: 955 times
Followed by:140 members
GMAT Score:800

by MartyMurray » Fri Feb 05, 2016 8:54 pm
jain2016 wrote:Whats wrong with option B?
Look for contrast at option A.

In option A, there is the expression can really be said to.

So the sentence created using option A includes a list of infinitives, said to control or [to] manage, meaning that the verb form manage works with the underlined portion.

In B, on the other hand, the list starts in the underlined portion with controls, which is a present tense form, and then the list continues with manage, which is either an infinitive form or a plural form that does not work with administration.

Further, B contains the expression can be said that, which is unidiomatic and does not make sense. The point is not that no administration said that or that no administration can be said that, whatever that expression even means. The point is that, and the idiomatically correct form is, no administration can really be said to.
Marty Murray
Perfect Scoring Tutor With Over a Decade of Experience
MartyMurrayCoaching.com
Contact me at [email protected] for a free consultation.

User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 698
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2015 12:12 am
Location: Noida, India
Thanked: 32 times
Followed by:26 members
GMAT Score:740

by richachampion » Tue Sep 06, 2016 6:06 pm
Marty Murray wrote:
jain2016 wrote:Whats wrong with option B?
Look for contrast at option A.

In option A, there is the expression can really be said to.

So the sentence created using option A includes a list of infinitives, said to control or [to] manage, meaning that the verb form manage works with the underlined portion.

In B, on the other hand, the list starts in the underlined portion with controls, which is a present tense form, and then the list continues with manage, which is either an infinitive form or a plural form that does not work with administration.

Further, B contains the expression can be said that, which is unidiomatic and does not make sense. The point is not that no administration said that or that no administration can be said that, whatever that expression even means. The point is that, and the idiomatically correct form is, no administration can really be said to.
Mr. Murray, Are there any other decision points in deciding A vs B?
R I C H A,
My GMAT Journey: 470 → 720 → 740
Target Score: 760+
[email protected]
1. Press thanks if you like my solution.
2. Contact me if you are not improving. (No Free Lunch!)

User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 2131
Joined: Mon Feb 03, 2014 9:26 am
Location: https://martymurraycoaching.com/
Thanked: 955 times
Followed by:140 members
GMAT Score:800

by MartyMurray » Tue Sep 06, 2016 9:49 pm
richachampion wrote:
Marty Murray wrote:
jain2016 wrote:Whats wrong with option B?
Look for contrast at option A.

In option A, there is the expression can really be said to.

So the sentence created using option A includes a list of infinitives, said to control or [to] manage, meaning that the verb form manage works with the underlined portion.

In B, on the other hand, the list starts in the underlined portion with controls, which is a present tense form, and then the list continues with manage, which is either an infinitive form or a plural form that does not work with administration.

Further, B contains the expression can be said that, which is unidiomatic and does not make sense. The point is not that no administration said that or that no administration can be said that, whatever that expression even means. The point is that, and the idiomatically correct form is, no administration can really be said to.
Mr. Murray, Are there any other decision points in deciding A vs B?
Not really.

The trap of choice B is that said that might seem to sound right somehow, because in certain situations using said that makes sense. As I said though, using said that in this situation does not make sense.
Marty Murray
Perfect Scoring Tutor With Over a Decade of Experience
MartyMurrayCoaching.com
Contact me at [email protected] for a free consultation.