BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem

modifier and pronoun example

This topic has expert replies
Post new topic Locked
Previous Topic Next Topic
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 32
Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2012 9:52 am

modifier and pronoun example

by nikhilgupta » Thu Jan 26, 2012 12:36 am
By applying optimization techniques commonly used to plan operations, it is possible to determine how much effort ought to be devoted to each of a company's products in order to meet its goals in both the short and long terms.

it is possible to determine how much effort ought to be devoted to each of a company's products in order to meet its goals in both the short and long terms

a company's managers can determine how much effort should be dedicated to each of the company's products in order to meet its short and long term goals

it can be determined by company managers how much effort ought to be devoted to each of the company's products in order to meet its goals, both short and long term

it may be possible for company managers to determine how much effort should be dedicated to each of these products in order to meet the company's short and long term goals

managers at a company can determine how much effort ought to be dedicated to each of these products in order to meet the company's goals in both the short and long term


OA B




My doubt is " what does its refer to in option B"
Top
Source: — Sentence Correction |
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2011 11:47 am
Thanked: 2 times

by scorebeater » Thu Jan 26, 2012 2:35 am
its is singular, so the antecedent of it must be singular. Look at the option B. You find only one NOUN that is singular. COMPANY.
Top

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 273
Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2010 5:37 am
Location: Durham, NC
Thanked: 154 times
Followed by:74 members
GMAT Score:770

by Whitney Garner » Wed Feb 01, 2012 4:53 pm
nikhilgupta wrote:My doubt is " what does its refer to in option B"
Hi nikhilgupta!

Part of the confusion might be the fact that the "company" isn't really in the sentence in choice B - it is only there as an adjective (possessive). Here is the weird little rule for possessive pronouns. I can use a possessive noun to point back to EITHER an actual noun OR a possessive noun. All other pronouns (object and subject) can only point back to actual nouns (not something that only shows up as a possessive).

So in choice B, "its" is the possessive of "it" and is referring back to the "company's".

Hope this helps clear up the confusion!
:)
Whit
Whitney Garner
GMAT/GRE/EA Instructor & Anxiety/Accommodations Coach
www.whitneygarner.com

Contributor to Beat The GMAT!

Math is a lot like love - a simple idea that can easily get complicated :heart-eyes:
Top
Legendary Member
Posts: 627
Joined: Thu Jun 23, 2011 9:12 am
Thanked: 4 times
Followed by:1 members

by mankey » Sat Feb 04, 2012 11:18 am
Dear Experts

What is the OA to this question?

B vs E for me. B looks good but because of "its", it looks ambiguous and will choose E.

Please help.

Regards.
Top
User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 172
Joined: Wed Jul 09, 2008 3:35 am
Thanked: 3 times
Followed by:1 members
GMAT Score:610

by karthikgmat » Tue Feb 07, 2012 2:24 am
E is wrong because of "these goals"
Top
Post new topic Locked
• Page 1 of 1