Sentence Correction

j_shreyans wrote:Jan Micker's 1652 masterwork Bird's Eye View of Amsterdam, which had been painted long before such a vantage point became possible, features spatial relationships that are more subtle and intricate than in most other seventeenth-century Dutch paintings.


A) which had been painted long before such a vantage point became possible, features spatial relationships that are more subtle and intricate than in

B) painted by the artist long before such a vantage point was to become possible, and featuring spatial relationships that are more subtle and intricate than those in

C) which the artist painted long before the possibility of such a vantage point, featuring spatial relationships that are more subtle and intricate than the ones in

D) painted long before the possibility of such a vantage point, with spatial relationships that are more subtle and intricate than the ones in

E) painted long before such a vantage point became possible, features spatial relationships that are more subtle and intricate than those in

GMATGuruNY wrote: A: spatial relationships that are more subtle and intricate than in most other seventeenth-century Dutch paintings.
Here, the intent is to compare TWO DIFFERENT COPIES of spatial relationships.
Copy 1: the spatial relationships in Jan Micker's masterwork
Copy 2: the spatial relationships in most other 17th century Dutch paintings.
To compare two different copies of something, the second copy should be represented by a COPY PRONOUN:
that for a singular copy, those for a plural copy.

ceilidh.erickson wrote:"there are better spacial relationships in painting X than in painting Y." This wouldn't imply that the spacial relationships are the same.

iongmat wrote:

GMATGuruNY wrote: A: spatial relationships that are more subtle and intricate than in most other seventeenth-century Dutch paintings.
Here, the intent is to compare TWO DIFFERENT COPIES of spatial relationships.
Copy 1: the spatial relationships in Jan Micker's masterwork
Copy 2: the spatial relationships in most other 17th century Dutch paintings.
To compare two different copies of something, the second copy should be represented by a COPY PRONOUN:
that for a singular copy, those for a plural copy.

Hello GMATGuruNY, this aspect has always confused me. So, from your post, my understanding is that if we don't use that/those, it would mean that the "same" spatial relationship is being compared and so, it does not make sense.

So, then why is the following correct:

Certain pesticides can become ineffective if used repeatedly in the same place; one reason is suggested by the finding that there are much larger populations of presticide-degrading microbes in soils with a relatively long history of pesticide use than in soils that are free of such chemicals.

Should it not mean that the "same" populations are being compared? It should have been:

Certain pesticides can become ineffective if used repeatedly in the same place; one reason is suggested by the finding that there are much larger populations of presticide-degrading microbes in soils with a relatively long history of pesticide use than those in soils that are free of such chemicals.

Your explanation would help clear the doubt.

GMATGuruNY wrote: Where a modifier is placed affects meaning.

If a prepositional modifier such as in soils is attached to the SUBJECT of a comparison, a copy pronoun is required.
POPULATION IN SOILS with a relatively long history of pesticide use are larger than THOSE IN SOILS that are free of such chemicals.
Here, in soils is attached to populations (subject).
As a result, the first subject refers to ONE SET OF POPULATIONS (populations in soils with a relatively long history of pesticide use), while the second subject refers to a DIFFERENT SET OF POPULATIONS (populations in soils that are free of such chemicals).
For this reason, a COPY PRONOUN is required to represent the second set of populations.

If a prepositional modifier such as in soils follows the VERB in a comparison, a copy pronoun is NOT required.
There are much larger populations in soils with a relatively long history of pesticide use than in soils that are free of such chemicals.
Here, in soils follows the verb are, implying the following comparison:
Much larger populations ARE IN SOILS with a relatively long history of pesticide use than ARE IN SOILS that are free of such chemicals.
Here, in soils is NOT attached to populations (subject).
As a result, the subject populations refers NOT to a specific set of populations but to populations IN GENERAL.
For this reason, no copy pronoun is required.

RBBmba@2014 wrote:

GMATGuruNY wrote: Where a modifier is placed affects meaning.

If a prepositional modifier such as in soils is attached to the SUBJECT of a comparison, a copy pronoun is required.
POPULATIONS IN SOILS with a relatively long history of pesticide use are larger than THOSE IN SOILS that are free of such chemicals.
Here, in soils is attached to populations (subject).
As a result, the first subject refers to ONE SET OF POPULATIONS (populations in soils with a relatively long history of pesticide use), while the second subject refers to a DIFFERENT SET OF POPULATIONS (populations in soils that are free of such chemicals).
For this reason, a COPY PRONOUN is required to represent the second set of populations.

If a prepositional modifier such as in soils follows the VERB in a comparison, a copy pronoun is NOT required.
There are much larger populations in soils with a relatively long history of pesticide use than in soils that are free of such chemicals.
Here, in soils follows the verb are, implying the following comparison:
Much larger populations ARE IN SOILS with a relatively long history of pesticide use than ARE IN SOILS that are free of such chemicals.
Here, in soils is NOT attached to populations (subject).
As a result, the subject populations refers NOT to a specific set of populations but to populations IN GENERAL.
For this reason, no copy pronoun is required.

Hi Mitch - Is it ALWAYS TRUE in GMAT ? I mean, is the above DISTINCTION ALWAYS followed on GMAT ?

Curious to hear your thoughts...Much thanks in advance!

aflaam wrote:Hello Mitch,
Jan Micker's 1652 masterwork Bird's Eye View of Amsterdam, which had been painted long before such a vantage point became possible, features spatial relationships that are more subtle and intricate than[spatial relationships] in most other seventeenth-century Dutch paintings.

Isn't ellipsis perfect in A?

Moreover, is which had been uncalled for compared to painted long before in E?

GMATGuruNY wrote: If a prepositional modifier such as in soils follows the VERB in a comparison, a copy pronoun is NOT required.
There are much larger populations in soils with a relatively long history of pesticide use than in soils that are free of such chemicals.

GMATGuruNY wrote:An exception:
If the second clause refers to SAME ENTITY as the first clause, then a copy pronoun is not required.
Sales of the drug were higher in the United States than in Canada.

GMATGuruNY wrote:If a modifier is attached to the subject in the first clause, apply the following rule.

RULE 1: If the modifier may be repeated in the second clause with no error in meaning, a copy pronoun is not required in the second clause:
Sales of the drug were higher in the United States than in Canada.

RULE 2: If the modifier may NOT be repeated in the second clause, then a copy pronoun is required in the second clause:
Sales in the United States were higher than in Canada.

To convey a sensical comparison, a copy pronoun is required:
Sales in the United States were higher than THOSE in Canada.

RBBmba@2014 wrote:

GMATGuruNY wrote: If a prepositional modifier such as in soils follows the VERB in a comparison, a copy pronoun is NOT required.
There are much larger populations in soils with a relatively long history of pesticide use than in soils that are free of such chemicals.

Is there any kind of EXCEPTION of this SPECIFIC rule mentioned above ? I mean, is it ALWAYS TRUE in GMAT?

GMATGuruNY wrote:An exception:
If the second clause refers to SAME ENTITY as the first clause, then a copy pronoun is not required.
Sales of the drug were higher in the United States than in Canada.

So, this above particular EXCEPTION is basically what you mention below in the RULE 1. Am I correct ?

GMATGuruNY wrote:If a modifier is attached to the subject in the first clause, apply the following rule.

RULE 1: If the modifier may be repeated in the second clause with no error in meaning, a copy pronoun is not required in the second clause:
Sales of the drug were higher in the United States than in Canada.