Can you Spot the Meaning Error? - Part 2
Last time, we tried a problem that tested meaning; we also discussed how to compare entire chunks of the answer choices. Today, we're going to combine those two things into a new skill.
Try this GMATPrep problem from the free exams and then well talk about it.
* The striking differences between the semantic organization of Native American languages and that of European languages, in both grammar and vocabulary, have led scholars to think about the degree to which differences in language may be correlated with nonlinguistic differences.(A) that of European languages, in both grammar and vocabulary, have
(B) that of European languages, including grammar and vocabulary, has
(C) those of European languages, which include grammar and vocabulary, have
(D) those of European languages, in grammar as well as vocabulary, has
(E) those of European languages, both in grammar and vocabulary, has
At first glance, the underline isnt super long on this one. Glance down the first word of each answer. What does a split between that and those signify?
Both are pronouns, so theyre referring to something else in the sentence. In addition, one is singular and one is plural, so it will be important to find the antecedent (the word to which the pronoun refers).
Next, read the original sentence. What do you think?It isn't super long but it still manages to pack in some complexity. Learn how to strip it down and youll be prepared for even more complex sentence structures.
My first thought was: okay, now I see why they offered that vs. those. Should the pronoun refer to the plural differences or to the singular organization?
It could be easy to get turned around here, so strip down the sentence structure:
The differences between X and __________.
What should come next? Y! The sentence is making a comparison and that comparison is incomplete until it finishes off with the second item. Since Y needs to be parallel to X, the pronoun should match organization: that.
The word of is another clue. Heres the full structure of the comparison:
between the organization of A and (the organization) of B.
Organization of can be replaced with that of, and you do need to repeat the word of. If you dont, the sentence would effectively read:
between the organization of A and the organization B.
You cant say the organization B (unless B is the name of the organization); it has to be the organization of B.
Excellent. Eliminate answers (C), (D), and (E).
(As an aside, if you have ever heard the myth that, if you need to guess, you should choose the more common difference take a look at this problem. The more common difference, those, leads to the wrong answer. In this case, the test writers must have data that people are very likely to make this mistakeit doesn't sound bad to me, either, though I know its wrong!)
What next? If you still had 3 or 4 choices left, Id probably recommend examining the original sentence for other errors. Because there are only 2 choices left, I recommend comparing the two and dealing with whatever differences you see.
(A) that of European languages, in both grammar and vocabulary, have(B) that of European languages, including grammar and vocabulary, has
There are two differences: in both vs. including and have vs. has. Deal with whichever you think will be easier for you. I think most people will find the second one more approachable, so lets tackle that one.
Again, the difference lies in number: singular vs. plural. What is the subject for this verb?
Go back to your prior examination of the sentence structure:
The differences between X and Y, (in both/including) G and V, (have/has)
Ah, okay! They have nested a bunch of modifiers in between the subject and verb, hoping that well pick up the wrong subject. Check this out:
The differences [between X and Y], [modifier], have/has
The core of the sentence is The differences have led scholars to think (about something). The sentence needs the plural verb have. Answer (B) is wrong.
The correct answer is (A).
What about that in both / including / etc. difference?
Answers (A) through (D) are arguably all okay in this area. I dont love (B)it isnt the way a native speaker would typically speakbut the test isnt trying to distinguish between native and non-native speakers, so the subject-verb agreement error is included as the definitive error.
Answer (E) breaks parallelism. It should say either in both grammar and vocabulary or both in grammar and in vocabulary.
Join us next time for another look at these topics!
Key Takeaways: Strip to the Core
(1) In the end, this problem really tested number agreement (via both a pronoun and a verb), which seems like it should be easy. Notice how hard they can make things, though, when they nest a bunch of modifiers together between the subject and the verb. If you learn how to read or group chunks of words, you can strip out the modifiers to get to the core of the sentence.
(2) When you do want to strip the sentence down, examine the core first: subjects and verbs. Eliminate any errors, then see what you have left. At that point, if you have only 2 or 3 answers left, its best to compare those answers for differences.
(3) Dont automatically deal with the first difference that you see. Ask yourself whether you actually know what to do with it. Sometimes, theres a more clear difference later on, as in this problem. Have vs. has is easier to handle than that whole in both / including / which / etc issue.
* GMATPrep questions courtesy of the Graduate Management Admissions Council. Usage of this question does not imply endorsement by GMAC.