Sentence Correction

Combining enormous physical strength with higher intelligence, the Neanderthals appear as equipped for facing any obstacle the environment could put in their path, but their relatively sudden disappearance during the Paleolithic era indicates that an inability to adapt to some environmental change led to their extinction.

(A) appear as equipped for facing any obstacle the environment could put in their path,
(B) appear to have been equipped to face any obstacle the environment could put in their path,
(C) appear as equipped to face any obstacle the environment could put in their paths,
(D) appeared as equipped to face any obstacle the environment could put in their paths,
(E) appeared to have been equipped for facing any obstacle the environment could put in their path,

OA: B

Is not OA having Present perfect, why is that necessary ? and why Option C is wrong ?

Regards,
Uva.

Hi Uva,

I also made the same mistake . But the explanation i got was that 'appear as equipped' tells you that they are equipped now in their current form ,which is illogical. Appear to have been equipped tells you that they were equipped in the past.

src_saurav wrote:Hi Uva,

I also made the same mistake . But the explanation i got was that 'appear as equipped' tells you that they are equipped now in their current form ,which is illogical. Appear to have been equipped tells you that they were equipped in the past.

Hi Saurav,

Using Present perfect also means it is in current right ? so how it is correct ?

Regards,
Uva

Hi, Here we have two currents . We need a sense of the past. So that comes from the 'have been' . This is the part that is called logical predication.

In English, we have two infinitive tenses: the present infinitive (TO + VERB) and the perfect infinitive (TO + HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE).

The present infinitive expresses CONTEMPORANEOUS action (an action happening AT THE SAME TIME as the main action):
John IS proud TO BE president.
Here, John IS proud (in the present) TO BE president (also in the present).

The perfect infinitive expresses PRIOR action (an action that happened PRIOR to the main action):
John IS proud TO HAVE BEEN president.
Here, John IS proud (in the present) TO HAVE BEEN president (in the past).

One definition of to appear is to seem.
The intention of the SC above is to discuss WHAT SEEMS TO BE TRUE about the Neanderthals.
The Neanderthals appear to have been equipped to face any obstacle..
Here, the Neanderthals APPEAR (in other words, they SEEM -- right now, in the present) TO HAVE BEEN EQUIPPED (in the past).

Hi GMATGuruNY ,

Just a quick question, why perfect infinitive is required in this? why not present infinitive suits in this SC?

please help sir.

Thanks

rsarashi wrote:

In English, we have two infinitive tenses: the present infinitive (TO + VERB) and the perfect infinitive (TO + HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE).

The present infinitive expresses CONTEMPORANEOUS action (an action happening AT THE SAME TIME as the main action):
John IS proud TO BE president.
Here, John IS proud (in the present) TO BE president (also in the present).

The perfect infinitive expresses PRIOR action (an action that happened PRIOR to the main action):
John IS proud TO HAVE BEEN president.
Here, John IS proud (in the present) TO HAVE BEEN president (in the past).

One definition of to appear is to seem.
The intention of the SC above is to discuss WHAT SEEMS TO BE TRUE about the Neanderthals.
The Neanderthals appear to have been equipped to face any obstacle..
Here, the Neanderthals APPEAR (in other words, they SEEM -- right now, in the present) TO HAVE BEEN EQUIPPED (in the past).

Hi GMATGuruNY ,

Just a quick question, why perfect infinitive is required in this? why not present infinitive suits in this SC?

please help sir.

Thanks

Incorrect: The Neanderthals appear to be equipped to face any obstacle.
Here, to be equipped (present infinitive) implies that the Neanderthals are equipped -- RIGHT NOW, in the PRESENT -- to face any obstacle.
Since the Neanderthals no longer exist, this meaning is nonsensical.

Incorrect: The Neanderthals appear to be equipped to face any obstacle.
Here, to be equipped (present infinitive) implies that the Neanderthals are equipped -- RIGHT NOW, in the PRESENT -- to face any obstacle.
Since the Neanderthals no longer exist, this meaning is nonsensical.

Hi GMATGuruNY ,

Thank you so much sir.

Understood.

GMATGuruNY wrote:The present infinitive expresses CONTEMPORANEOUS action (an action happening AT THE SAME TIME as the main action):
John IS proud TO BE president.
Here, John IS proud (in the present) TO BE president (also in the present).

gmatguru,
need some clarification here...in some of your posts, i guess you've mentioned that present infinitive expresses an action that is in future with reference to the main action.

but in your above quote it's mentioned that they are CONTEMPORANEOUS. where is the catch ?

could you please clarify where I'm going wrong ?

ngk4mba3236 wrote:

GMATGuruNY wrote:The present infinitive expresses CONTEMPORANEOUS action (an action happening AT THE SAME TIME as the main action):
John IS proud TO BE president.
Here, John IS proud (in the present) TO BE president (also in the present).

gmatguru,
need some clarification here...in some of your posts, i guess you've mentioned that present infinitive expresses an action that is in future with reference to the main action.

but in your above quote it's mentioned that they are CONTEMPORANEOUS. where is the catch ?

could you please clarify where I'm going wrong ?

John is proud to be president.
Here, the STATE-OF-BEING expressed by the infinitive modifier in blue (to be president) is contemporaneous with the main action (John is proud).

Mary plans to attend college.
Here, the INTENT expressed by the infinitive modifier in blue (to attend college) is contemporaneous with the main action (Mary plans).
Although the INTENT is contemporaneous with the main action, the actual ACT (attending college) is to happen in the future.

so, when STATE-OF-BEING is expressed by the present infinitive , ONLY in such cases the present infinitive expresses CONTEMPORANEOUS action -- an action happening AT THE SAME TIME as the main action.
(in all other scenarios, the action expressed by the present infinitive will NOT be CONTEMPORANEOUS , BUT indicate FUTURE sense!)

did I get you right ?

ngk4mba3236 wrote:so, when STATE-OF-BEING is expressed by the present infinitive , ONLY in such cases the present infinitive expresses CONTEMPORANEOUS action -- an action happening AT THE SAME TIME as the main action.
(in all other scenarios, the action expressed by the present infinitive will NOT be CONTEMPORANEOUS , BUT indicate FUTURE sense!)

did I get you right ?

The distinguishing factor seems to be the main verb.

If the main verb expresses a STATE-OF-BEING, then the infinitive modifier expresses a concurrent action or state-of-being:
The children seemed to enjoy the show
John was proud to be president.
The witness did not appear to understand the question.
In each case, the main verb in blue expresses a state-of-being, with the infinitive modifier in red expressing a contemporaneous action or state-of-being.

If the main verb expresses an ACTION, then the infinitive modifier typically expresses a concurrent INTENT:
Sarah decided to attend college.
Here, the main verb in blue expresses an action, with the infinitive modifier in red expressing the concurrent intent of this action.
Since the infinitive action here is intended, it is not actually happening at the same time as the main verb.
The intent is concurrent; the actual action is not.

GMATGuruNY wrote:The distinguishing factor seems to be the main verb.

If the main verb expresses a STATE-OF-BEING, then the infinitive modifier expresses a concurrent action or state-of-being:
The children seemed to enjoy the show
John was proud to be president.
The witness did not appear to understand the question.
In each case, the main verb in blue expresses a state-of-being, with the infinitive modifier in red expressing a contemporaneous action or state-of-being.

If the main verb expresses an ACTION, then the infinitive modifier typically expresses a concurrent INTENT:
Sarah decided to attend college.
Here, the main verb in blue expresses an action, with the infinitive modifier in red expressing the concurrent intent of this action.
Since the infinitive action here is intended, it is not actually happening at the same time as the main verb.
The intent is concurrent; the actual action is not.

I get you here...however, I guess, this example should be in the 2nd category : The witness did not appear to understand the question, because the main verb -- did not appear -- seems to express an ACTION...!!

thoughts please ?