Sentence Correction

Because of wireless service costs plummeting in the last year, and as mobile phones are increasingly common, many people now using their mobile phones to make calls across a wide region at night and on weekends, when numerous wireless companies provide unlimited airtime for a relatively small monthly fee.

A. Because of wireless service costs plummeting in the last year, and as mobile phones are increasingly common, many people
B. As the cost of wireless service plummeted in the last year and as mobile phones became increasingly common, many people
C. In the last year, with the cost of wireless service plummeting, and mobile phones have become increasingly common, there are many people
D. With the cost of wireless service plummeting in the last year and mobile phones becoming increasingly common, many people are
E. While the cost of wireless service has plummeted in the last year and mobile phones are increasingly common, many people are

OAD

Please explain.

Many thanks in advance.

Kavin

Needgmat wrote:Because of wireless service costs plummeting in the last year, and as mobile phones are increasingly common, many people now using their mobile phones to make calls across a wide region at night and on weekends, when numerous wireless companies provide unlimited airtime for a relatively small monthly fee.

A. Because of wireless service costs plummeting in the last year, and as mobile phones are increasingly common, many people
B. As the cost of wireless service plummeted in the last year and as mobile phones became increasingly common, many people
C. In the last year, with the cost of wireless service plummeting, and mobile phones have become increasingly common, there are many people
D. With the cost of wireless service plummeting in the last year and mobile phones becoming increasingly common, many people are
E. While the cost of wireless service has plummeted in the last year and mobile phones are increasingly common, many people are

In A and B, many people (subject) lacks a verb.
Eliminate A and B.

A conjunction such as and must serve to connect PARALLEL FORMS.
C: with the cost of wireless service plummeting, and mobile phones have become
Here, the red portion (a prepositional modifier) and the blue portion (a clause) are not parallel forms.
Eliminate C.

A while-modifier must serve to express an action happening AT THE SAME TIME as the main action.
E: While the cost of wireless service has plummeted in the last year, many people are now using
Here, the red portion happened IN THE LAST YEAR, whereas the blue portion is happening NOW.
Since the while-modifier does not serve to express an action happening at the same time as the main action, eliminate E.

The correct answer is D.

GMATGuruNY wrote:

Needgmat wrote:Because of wireless service costs plummeting in the last year, and as mobile phones are increasingly common, many people now using their mobile phones to make calls across a wide region at night and on weekends, when numerous wireless companies provide unlimited airtime for a relatively small monthly fee.

A. Because of wireless service costs plummeting in the last year, and as mobile phones are increasingly common, many people
B. As the cost of wireless service plummeted in the last year and as mobile phones became increasingly common, many people
C. In the last year, with the cost of wireless service plummeting, and mobile phones have become increasingly common, there are many people
D. With the cost of wireless service plummeting in the last year and mobile phones becoming increasingly common, many people are
E. While the cost of wireless service has plummeted in the last year and mobile phones are increasingly common, many people are

In A and B, many people (subject) lacks a verb.
Eliminate A and B.

A conjunction such as and must serve to connect PARALLEL FORMS.
C: with the cost of wireless service plummeting, and mobile phones have become
Here, the red portion (a prepositional modifier) and the blue portion (a clause) are not parallel forms.
Eliminate C.

A while-modifier must serve to express an action happening AT THE SAME TIME as the main action.
E: While the cost of wireless service has plummeted in the last year, many people are now using
Here, the red portion happened IN THE LAST YEAR, whereas the blue portion is happening NOW.
Since the while-modifier does not serve to express an action happening at the same time as the main action, eliminate E.

The correct answer is D.

Hi Mitch,

I eliminated E because the meaning. 'while' introduces contradiction but the meaning does not show that contradiction. So eliminate E.

is my reasoning valid?

Thanks

In A and B, many people (subject) lacks a verb.
Eliminate A and B.

A conjunction such as and must serve to connect PARALLEL FORMS.
C: with the cost of wireless service plummeting, and mobile phones have become
Here, the red portion (a prepositional modifier) and the blue portion (a clause) are not parallel forms.
Eliminate C.

A while-modifier must serve to express an action happening AT THE SAME TIME as the main action.
E: While the cost of wireless service has plummeted in the last year, many people are now using
Here, the red portion happened IN THE LAST YEAR, whereas the blue portion is happening NOW.
Since the while-modifier does not serve to express an action happening at the same time as the main action, eliminate E.

The correct answer is D.

Hi GMATGuruNY ,

Thanks for your explanation.

Just a quick question - Can you please advise that in OA WITH modifier, modifying what?

Also in OA how is AND connecting a parallel form?

Please explain.

Many thanks in advance.

Kavin

Mo2men wrote:
Hi Mitch,

I eliminated E because the meaning. 'while' introduces contradiction but the meaning does not show that contradiction. So eliminate E.

is my reasoning valid?

Thanks

This line of reasoning is valid.
Generally, an introductory while-modifier must serve to express a CONTRASTING action that happens at the same time as the main action.
E: While the cost of wireless service has plummeted in the last year, many people are now using their mobile phones to make calls.
Here, the two colored portions are not contrasting but are SIMILAR: both indicate the popularity of mobile phones.
Eliminate E.

Needgmat wrote:Can you please advise that in OA WITH modifier, modifying what?

I explain the purpose of the with-modifier in my second post here:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/on-account-o ... 80820.html

Also in OA how is AND connecting a parallel form?

OA: With the cost of wireless service plummeting in the last year and [with] mobile phones becoming increasingly common
Here, the word in brackets is omitted but implied.
Each of the portions connected by and is composed of with + NOUN PHRASE + VERBing modifier.

OA: With the cost of wireless service plummeting in the last year and [with] mobile phones becoming increasingly common
Here, the word in brackets is omitted but implied.
Each of the portions connected by and is composed of with + NOUN PHRASE + VERBing modifier.

Hi GMATGuruNY ,

Thanks for your explanation. All clear.

Thanks,

Kavin