Sentence Correction

The rise in the Commerce Department's index of leading economic indicators suggest that the economy should continue its expansion into the coming months, but that the mixed performance of the index's individual components indicates that economic growth will proceed at a more moderate pace than in the first quarter of this year.

(A) suggest that the economy should continue its expansion into the coming months, but that
(B) suggest that the economy is to continue expansion in the coming months, but
(C) suggests that the economy will continue its expanding in the coming months, but that
(D) suggests that the economy is continuing to expand into the coming months, but that
(E) suggests that the economy will continue to expand in the coming months, but

its in C refers to?
Why C and D are wrong?

vishalwin wrote: Why C and D are wrong?

To suggest X = to imply that X is LIKELY to be true.
To indicate X = to show that X is DEFINITELY true.

C and D: The rise...suggests...that the mixed performance...indicates.
Here, the usage of suggests means that the portion in red is LIKELY to be true.
This meaning is nonsensical.
It is contradictory to say that the portion in red -- something that is DEFINITELY true -- is LIKELY to be true.
Eliminate C and D.

vishalwin wrote:The rise in the Commerce Department's index of leading economic indicators suggest that the economy should continue its expansion into the coming months, but that the mixed performance of the index's individual components indicates that economic growth will proceed at a more moderate pace than in the first quarter of this year.

(A) suggest that the economy should continue its expansion into the coming months, but that
(B) suggest that the economy is to continue expansion in the coming months, but
(C) suggests that the economy will continue its expanding in the coming months, but that
(D) suggests that the economy is continuing to expand into the coming months, but that
(E) suggests that the economy will continue to expand in the coming months, but

its in C refers to?

In C, its refers to the economy.

Why C and D are wrong?

The point here is that the index of leading indicators suggests that the expansion will continue, while the performance of the individual components of the index indicates that growth will be more moderate than it was in the first quarter.

The sentences created using C and D mash together the two ideas described above, basically conveying the following.

The index suggests that the expansion will continue, but the index suggests that the performance of the components of the index indicates that growth will be more moderate.

The idea that the index would suggest things about the performance of its own components is nonsensical, as the performance of the components is the basis of the information provided by the index.

GMATGuruNY wrote:

vishalwin wrote: Why C and D are wrong?

To suggest X = to imply that X is LIKELY to be true.
To indicate X = to show that X is DEFINITELY true.

C and D: The rise...suggests...that the mixed performance...indicates.
Here, the usage of suggests means that the portion in red is LIKELY to be true.
This meaning is nonsensical.
It is contradictory to say that the portion in red -- something that is DEFINITELY true -- is LIKELY to be true.
Eliminate C and D.

Thanks Mitch,

In C, future progressive is used. Is it correct to use future progressive in the future alone? For example we use past progressive to show an action happening simultaneously with another action 'I was sleeping when you called'and in D, present progressive is used for something that will happend in the future.I eliminated C and D based on tenses. Could you please explain whether such usage is correct and give more information when future progressive is used.I find it difficult to recall tenses in stressful situations.

Thanks in advance.
Al

Alchemist14 wrote:In C, future progressive is used. Is it correct to use future progressive in the future alone? For example we use past progressive to show an action happening simultaneously with another action 'I was sleeping when you called'and in D, present progressive is used for something that will happend in the future.I eliminated C and D based on tenses. Could you please explain whether such usage is correct and give more information when future progressive is used.I find it difficult to recall tenses in stressful situations.

Thanks in advance.
Al

Hi Al. I don't think you have to be as technical about tenses as you seem to be seeking to be given your question. You can just look at the meaning conveyed by the version of the sentence to check the validity of the construction.

For instance, in the version created using choice D, suggests that the economy is continuing to expand into the coming months just doesn't make sense.

The economy is expanding into months?

The economy is expanding in the future?

Neither of those interpretations make sense, and so without knowing a thing about the tenses you mentioned, or worrying about them, you can easily eliminate D.

GMAT verbal is not a grammar test. It's a test of vision and of skill in using logic to make decisions.

Alchemist14 wrote:In C, future progressive is used.

Not so.
The future progressive = will be + VERBing.
This construction does not appear in C.

Marty Murray wrote:
Hi Al. I don't think you have to be as technical about tenses as you seem to be seeking to be given your question. You can just look at the meaning conveyed by the version of the sentence to check the validity of the construction.

For instance, in the version created using choice D, suggests that the economy is continuing to expand into the coming months just doesn't make sense.

The economy is expanding into months?

The economy is expanding in the future?

Neither of those interpretations make sense, and so without knowing a thing about the tenses you mentioned, or worrying about them, you can easily eliminate D.

GMAT verbal is not a grammar test. It's a test of vision and of skill in using logic to make decisions.

Thank you Marty,

Here are other examples,

Joachim Raff and Giacomo Meyerbeer are examples of the kind of composer who receives popular acclaim while living,who declines in reputation

Part of the proposed increase in state education spending is due to higher enrollment: students in public schools have grown steadily in number

I found that these are also similar to the concept you showed in your post. Am I correct? Students grow in numbers and X and Y decline in reputation does not make sense.

Thanks.
Al

Alchemist14 wrote:Thank you Marty,

Here are other examples,

Joachim Raff and Giacomo Meyerbeer are examples of the kind of composer who receives popular acclaim while living,who declines in reputation

Part of the proposed increase in state education spending is due to higher enrollment: students in public schools have grown steadily in number

I found that these are also similar to the concept you showed in your post. Am I correct? Students grow in numbers and X and Y decline in reputation does not make sense.

Thanks.
Al

Hi Al.

Actually I find the first of those examples to not be clearly wrong, at least in terms of meaning.

Joachim Raff and Giacomo Meyerbeer are examples of the kind of composer who ... declines in reputation ...

seems ok, if debatably so, to me. In the answer choice from which you got that example, there is an additional issue, a tense issue.

... who declines in reputation after death and who never regained popularity again

The use of the past tense form, regained, does not make sense here. The sentence is discussing a type of composer, the type of composer who never regains popularity. There is no reason to use the past tense in that context, as the point being made is not about something that happened in the past. Meanwhile regained and declines are not parallel.

So those clear issues are for eliminating that answer choice better than the debatable correctness of declines in reputation.

The second,

students in public schools have grown steadily in number

is awkward and a little weird, possibly conveying that the students themselves have grown rather than that the number of students has grown, and it's presence may serve as a decision point, especially if there is a more clear and concise version in another answer choice. However, I would not necessarily use its presence to eliminate an answer choice.

This example, from the same SC question, is more clearly nonsensical.

enrollment: since students in public schools have grown steadily in number since the mid-1980's and, at nearly 47 million, have reached a record high.

The students themselves have not reached a record high. That idea is clearly wrong. The number of students has reached a record high. A clear meaning issue like that one is the type of issue that is best for using as a decision point when you are deciding which SC answer choice to choose.