His studies of ice-polished rocks in his Alpine homeland, far outside the range of present-day glaciers, led Louis Agassiz in 1837 to propose the concept of an age in which great ice sheets had existed in what are now temperate areas
(A) in which great ice sheets had existed in what are now temperate areas
(B) in which great ice sheets existed in what are now temperate areas
(C) when great ice sheets existed where there were areas now temperate
(D) when great ice sheets had existed in current temperate areas
(E) when great ice sheets existed in areas now that are temperate
between b) and a) which one is correct??
past perfect vs simple past tense!!
- ashish1354
- Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
- Posts: 100
- Joined: Wed Jul 30, 2008 9:52 am
- Thanked: 4 times
- ashish1354
- Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
- Posts: 100
- Joined: Wed Jul 30, 2008 9:52 am
- Thanked: 4 times
i think had simply suggests that ice sheets existed in those ages and have ceased to exist now, which represents a action finished in the past which precedes the following action: studies of ice-polished rocks in his Alpine homeland, far outside the range of present-day glaciers, led Louis Agassiz in 1837
can someone explain please
can someone explain please
-
- Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
- Posts: 258
- Joined: Thu Mar 29, 2007 3:15 am
- Thanked: 7 times
- Followed by:1 members
Let me try to explain..ashish1354 wrote:i think had simply suggests that ice sheets existed in those ages and have ceased to exist now, which represents a action finished in the past which precedes the following action: studies of ice-polished rocks in his Alpine homeland, far outside the range of present-day glaciers, led Louis Agassiz in 1837
can someone explain please
"age in which great ice sheets had existed in what are now temperate areas "
"great ice sheets had existed in what are now temperate areas" is referring to age and since there are only 1 event mentioned i believe it shoud use only existed verb. Had there been two events completed in past with one event completed earlier than the second then had existed should be used.
I am not sure whether I was able to explain myself... lemme know ..
-
- Legendary Member
- Posts: 833
- Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2008 1:56 am
- Thanked: 13 times
- ashish1354
- Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
- Posts: 100
- Joined: Wed Jul 30, 2008 9:52 am
- Thanked: 4 times
led Louis Agassiz in 1837
great ice sheets had existed
are the two actions i am referring to and because ice sheets existed before discovery i am inclined towards past perfect wot say...??
great ice sheets had existed
are the two actions i am referring to and because ice sheets existed before discovery i am inclined towards past perfect wot say...??
-
- Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
- Posts: 401
- Joined: Fri May 04, 2007 9:21 am
- Thanked: 3 times
- Followed by:1 members
IMO: B
Please share your idea and your reasoning
https://bmnmed.com/home/
https://nguyensinguyen.vietnam21.org
https://bmnmed.com/home/
https://nguyensinguyen.vietnam21.org
I wil also go by B:
See the construction of the sentence..
His studies of ice-polished rocks in his Alpine homeland, far outside the range of present-day glaciers, led Louis Agassiz in 1837 to propose the concept of an age in which great ice sheets had existed in what are now temperate areas
The underlined part is a modifier of "AGE", the underlined part is describing the age, and it has nothing to do with the Louis Agassiz proposal.
Had must have been used in case
1) "Louis Agassiz" did any 2 things in the past...or some thing which affected his "Proposal of age".
2) The modifier of age stated 2 things happend in past.
But here the underlined part is just an add on information added by "which", stating only 1 past event about the age.
Hope it helps...
See the construction of the sentence..
His studies of ice-polished rocks in his Alpine homeland, far outside the range of present-day glaciers, led Louis Agassiz in 1837 to propose the concept of an age in which great ice sheets had existed in what are now temperate areas
The underlined part is a modifier of "AGE", the underlined part is describing the age, and it has nothing to do with the Louis Agassiz proposal.
Had must have been used in case
1) "Louis Agassiz" did any 2 things in the past...or some thing which affected his "Proposal of age".
2) The modifier of age stated 2 things happend in past.
But here the underlined part is just an add on information added by "which", stating only 1 past event about the age.
Hope it helps...
-
- Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
- Posts: 33
- Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2008 6:40 am
- Thanked: 1 times
B is correct.
The past perfect requires 2 events in the past. This sentence only has 1 event in the past.
If the sentence was "...an age in which great ice sheets had existed before they melted due to temperate climates", then you could use the past perfect.
Note that in the original sentence, "temperate areas" is not an event and has no verb attached to it.
The past perfect requires 2 events in the past. This sentence only has 1 event in the past.
If the sentence was "...an age in which great ice sheets had existed before they melted due to temperate climates", then you could use the past perfect.
Note that in the original sentence, "temperate areas" is not an event and has no verb attached to it.
I don't understand this either.
MGMAT says the following is correct in its SC Guide:
The teacher THOUGHT that Jimmy HAD CHEATED on the exam.
Isn't this the same idea?
... studies LED him to propose that ... HAD MELTED
Please explain!
MGMAT says the following is correct in its SC Guide:
The teacher THOUGHT that Jimmy HAD CHEATED on the exam.
Isn't this the same idea?
... studies LED him to propose that ... HAD MELTED
Please explain!
-
- Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
- Posts: 21
- Joined: Mon Feb 04, 2008 5:46 pm
- Location: st petersburg fl
- Followed by:1 members
I tend to go with B because the ice sheets existed first and then Louis was led to propose the concept. I believe that the past perfect is appropriate.
Good luck to you all (now working on the gmat) and thank you all (who took it).
IMO B because when we talk about the action began in the past and continues into the present we use past perfect or if action preceeds the earlier past action otherwise simple past.
Hence 'had existed' replaced by 'existed'
Hence 'had existed' replaced by 'existed'