1000 Series 968 Question

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1000 Series 968 Question

by singhag » Sat Feb 20, 2010 11:05 am
Interest rates on mortgages have declined steadily during the first six months of this year but virtually remained unchanged during the next three months.
(A) have declined steadily during the first six months of this year but virtually remained unchanged
(B) declined steadily during the first six months of this year but virtually remain unchanged
(C) steadily declined during the first six months of this year but remain virtually unchanged
(D) declined steadily during the first six months of this but have remained virtually unchanging'
(E) declined steadily during the first six months of this year but have remained virtually unchanged

Kindly post your answer with an explanation...OA after some discussion
Last edited by singhag on Sat Feb 20, 2010 11:29 am, edited 1 time in total.
Source: — Sentence Correction |

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by kstv » Sat Feb 20, 2010 11:26 am
have remained virtually makes more sense. Present perfect for an event in the past continuing in the present.
So D or E.

unchanged matches declined. So E.

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by gmatmachoman » Sat Feb 20, 2010 12:31 pm
kstv wrote:have remained virtually makes more sense. Present perfect for an event in the past continuing in the present.
So D or E.

unchanged matches declined. So E.
Agreed...E uses 2 actions.

Past tense for the action that took place 6 months back & present perfect for the one that took place in th epast & continues in to the present!!

But can any one tell what if C looks like this ??

(C) steadily declined during the first six months of this year but remained virtually unchanged


Will c be a right choice then???

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by bhumika.k.shah » Sat Feb 20, 2010 9:40 pm
Interest rates on mortgages have declined steadily during the first six months of this year but virtually remained unchanged during the next three months.

A. have declined steadily during the first six months of this year but virtually remained unchanged - present perfect tense not required here . ELIMIATE

B. declined steadily during the first six months of this year but virtually remain unchanged - declined ..remain not parallel ELIMINATE

C. steadily declined during the first six months of this year but remain virtually unchanged - declined ..remain not parallel ELIMINATE

D. declined steadily during the first six months of this but have remained virtually unchanging - of this what ? who ? when ? why ? ELIMINATE

E. declined steadily during the first six months of this year but have remained virtually unchanged - declined...remained..parallel.CORRECT

Hope this helps :)

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by bhumika.k.shah » Sat Feb 20, 2010 9:41 pm

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by gmatmachoman » Sun Feb 21, 2010 12:15 am
gmatmachoman wrote:
But can any one tell what if C looks like this ??

(C) steadily declined during the first six months of this year but remained virtually unchanged


Will C be a right choice then???

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by bhumika.k.shah » Sun Feb 21, 2010 5:56 am
Gee good question gmatmachoman :)

even i would like to know whether it should be declined steadily or steadily declined ???

Any views ?
gmatmachoman wrote:
gmatmachoman wrote:
But can any one tell what if C looks like this ??

(C) steadily declined during the first six months of this year but remained virtually unchanged


Will C be a right choice then???

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by singhag » Sun Feb 21, 2010 11:13 am
OA E

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