Sentence Correction

kutlee wrote:Hi Mitch,

In A, it is unclear whether their refers to changes or to effects.
Eliminate A.
But THEIR appear after CHANGES IN WORKING CONDITIONS. Can THEIR refer to something that follows?

No.
On the GMAT, a pronoun will always serve to refer to a PRECEDING noun, with two exceptions:

Exception 1:
If an introductory pronoun includes a pronoun without an antecedent, the referent will be the SUBJECT OF THE FOLLOWING CLAUSE.
SC28 in the OG12:
Building on civilizations that preceded THEM in coastal Peru, the MOCHICA developed their own elaborate society.
Here, the introductory pronoun in red includes a pronoun without an antecedent (them).
The referent for this pronoun is the subject of the following clause (the Mochica).

Exception 2:
One purpose of it is to serve as an EXPLETIVE: a placeholder pronoun that DELAYS THE SUBJECT.
The delayed subject will usually be a that-clause or an infinitive phrase that follows the usage of it.
SC3 in the OG12:
IT was not until almost 1900 that scholars and critics seriously began studying.
Here, it is standing in for the that-clause in red.
Conveyed meaning:
That scholars and critics began studying was not until almost 1900.

Answer choice A in the SC above:
an intensive series of experiments that would investigate changes in working conditions as to their effects on workers' performance.
Here, neither Exception 1 nor Exception 2 applies.
Thus, their must serve to refer to a PRECEDING plural noun or possessive.

GMATGuruNY wrote:

IN the mid-1920s the Hawthorne Works of the Western Electric Company was the scene of an intensive series of experiments that would investigate changes in working conditions as to their effects on workers' performance.

a) that would investigate changes in working conditions as to their effects on workers' performance

b) investigating the effects that changes in working conditions would have on workers' performance

c) for investigating what the effects on workers' performance are that changes in working conditions would cause

d) that investigated changes in working conditions' effects on workers' performance

e) to investigate what the effects changes in working conditions would have on workers' performance

In A, it is unclear whether their refers to changes or to effects.
Eliminate A.

Thank you for your explanation. I do not believe their can refer effects because effects immediately follows their. Can you explain more what your meaning is?
Thanks in advance!

Crystal W wrote: Thank you for your explanation. I do not believe their can refer effects because effects immediately follows their. Can you explain more what your meaning is?
Thanks in advance!

There was a typo in my original post, which should have read as follows:

In A, it is unclear whether their refers to changes or to CONDITIONS.

I've amended the post accordingly.

GMATGuruNY wrote:

IN the mid-1920s the Hawthorne Works of the Western Electric Company was the scene of an intensive series of experiments that would investigate changes in working conditions as to their effects on workers' performance.

a) that would investigate changes in working conditions as to their effects on workers' performance

b) investigating the effects that changes in working conditions would have on workers' performance

c) for investigating what the effects on workers' performance are that changes in working conditions would cause

d) that investigated changes in working conditions' effects on workers' performance

e) to investigate what the effects changes in working conditions would have on workers' performance

In A, it is unclear whether their refers to changes or to conditions.
Eliminate A.

C: The Hawthorne Works WAS the scene...for investigating...what the effects...ARE.
Here, the sequence of events is illogical:
It is not possible that the Hawthorne Works WAS the scene (in the past) for investigating what the effects ARE (in the present).
Eliminate C.

D: changes in working conditions' effects
Here, there are changes in the EFFECTS.
The intended meaning of the original sentence is that there were changes in the WORKING CONDITIONS THEMSELVES.
Since D does not convey the intended meaning, eliminate D.

Construction: what + the + NOUN.
In this construction, what generally serves as the DIRECT OBJECT of a subsequent verb, while the + NOUN serves as the SUBJECT of this verb.
The director does not understand what the author of the graphic novel intended.
Here, what serves as the direct object of intended, while the author serves as the subject of this verb.
Conveyed meaning:
The author intended WHAT.

E: what the effects changes in working conditions would have on workers' performance
Implication of the portions in red:
The effects would have WHAT.
Not the intended meaning.
Eliminate E.

The correct answer is B.

Thank you for your explanation! I have a quick question on E, what's the function of "changes" in this sentence? Is a noun or verb?
Thanks in advance!

GMATGuruNY wrote:

Crystal W wrote:Thank you for your explanation! I have a quick question on E, what's the function of "changes" in this sentence? Is a noun or verb?
Thanks in advance!

In E, changes is a noun -- a noun modified by in working conditions.
What KIND of changes?
Changes IN WORKING CONDITIONS.

Dear Mitch,
1- In choice E, what is the ' the effects changes'? is viable construction ? or should it be 'changes of the effects' ?

2- Which one is the following correct:
we don't know what consumers will think of the new design.
we don't know what the consumers will think of the new design

Thanks

Mo2men wrote:Dear Mitch,
1- In choice E, what is the ' the effects changes'? is viable construction ? or should it be 'changes of the effects' ?

Neither construction is viable.
In my post above, I explain why E is incorrect as written.
changes of the effects implies that the EFFECTS are changing.
The intended meaning here is the reverse: that certain changes are expected to have EFFECTS.

2- Which one is the following correct:
we don't know what consumers will think of the new design.
we don't know what the consumers will think of the new design

Both are fine.
The first sentence refers to consumers IN GENERAL.
The second sentence refers to a SPECIFIC SET of consumers.

GMATGuruNY wrote:[

2- Which one is the following correct:
we don't know what consumers will think of the new design.
we don't know what the consumers will think of the new design

Both are fine.
The first sentence refers to consumers IN GENERAL.
The second sentence refers to a SPECIFIC SET of consumers.

Thanks Mitch.

But "the" was dropped in first example, does this make any difference in the rule you stated above "what + the + NOUN"? If no difference, how come the revised version of E as quoted below would be correct and choice A is inocrrect:

E, revised: what effects changes in working condition would have on workers' performance
Conveyed meaning:
changes in working conditions would have WHAT EFFECTS on workers' performance.
This meaning is sensical, but your revision of E seems more convoluted than the OA.

Thanks

GMATGuruNY wrote:

Mo2men wrote:

GMATGuruNY wrote:

2- Which one is the following correct:
we don't know what consumers will think of the new design.
we don't know what the consumers will think of the new design

Both are fine.
The first sentence refers to consumers IN GENERAL.
The second sentence refers to a SPECIFIC SET of consumers.

Thanks Mitch.

But "the" was dropped in first example, does this make any difference in the rule you stated above "what + the + NOUN"?

E: what the effects changes in working conditions
Here, the red portion is followed by a NOUN PHRASE (changes in working conditions).

Your sentences:
what consumers will think
what the consumers will think
Here, the two blue portions are each followed by a VERB (will think).

One reason that E is inviable is that what + the + NOUN is followed not by a verb but by a noun.
Your sentences avoid this issue.
As a result, both of your sentences are viable.
In general:
what + the + NOUN should be followed not by a noun but by a VERB.

Thanks Mitch for your prompt reply.

I have question in the revised E : E, revised: what effects changes in working condition would have on workers' performance
Does 'what effects' play role of object to the sentence comes after it?

Mo2men wrote:I have question in the revised E : E, revised: what effects changes in working condition would have on workers' performance
Does 'what effects' play role of object to the sentence comes after it?

Conveyed meaning:
Changes in working conditions would have what effects on workers' performance.
Here, what effects is the direct object of would have.

Pronouns + Awkwardness/wordiness + Logical

A: "their" in "investigate changes ... as to their effects" is unclear.
C: "investigating what are the effects...working conditions would cause" wordy and awkward.
D: Double possessives make the choice unclear and awkward. The intended meaning involves "effects of the changes", but this choice seems to indicate that the conditions themselves haven't changed - only their "effects" have. That's not the intended meaning.
E: "to investigate X" is concise and clear as compared to "to investigate what X is".
B: The participle "investigating" follows "experiments" immediately. No filler words are necessary; this is good concision.
"would" is used properly here, as a past-tense form of "will".
(i.e., if this sentence were translated into the present tense, it would read "...that changes ... will have"). Hence, B is the answer.