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

Redeem

B or E? Difference please

Expert replies
by sophia08 » Wed Dec 31, 2008 10:04 am
For some birds the sense of smell appears to play a role in navigation, since pigeons with surgically removed olfactory nerves [u]were found to have increased difficulties[/u] in homing.

A. were found to have increased difficulties

B. have been found to have increased difficulty

C. were found to have increasing difficulty

D. had been found to have increased difficulties

E. have been found to have increasing difficulties
Join the discussion
Source: — Sentence Correction |

by crossingfingers » Wed Dec 31, 2008 11:22 am
i would say B...'increased difficulty in homing' sounds right compared to E...and since the sentence is in present tense...we can forget the remaining options
Join the discussion

by maihuna » Wed Dec 31, 2008 12:22 pm
Rule for present perfect is:

has/have + participle(the +ed form of verb) verb here is increase..its past participle is
increased not increasing....

B rocks
Join the discussion

by brb588 » Wed Dec 31, 2008 3:41 pm
You both are not answering her question. She knows the others are wrong, but wants to know why not E over B.

The birds are only having one problem: homing. There are no difficulties, there is a difficulty. Therefore, it should be B over E.
Join the discussion

by logitech » Wed Dec 31, 2008 3:43 pm
brb588 wrote:You both are not answering her question. She knows the others are wrong, but wants to know why not E over B.

The birds are only having one problem: homing. There are no difficulties, there is a difficulty. Therefore, it should be B over E.
Finally someone who ACTUALLY reads what the poster ASKS.

Thanks brb588!
LGTCH
---------------------
"DON'T LET ANYONE STEAL YOUR DREAM!"
Join the discussion

by sumithshah » Thu Jan 01, 2009 3:18 am
"Increasing" also kills it - we cant have a continuous tense here
Join the discussion

by vivek.kapoor83 » Thu Jan 01, 2009 4:20 am
why not A.
why we need perfect tense here.The situation is not continous and it was over when pigeon reached destination...couldnt get that
Join the discussion

by sumithshah » Thu Jan 01, 2009 4:25 am
Here is how you would go about it

A, D E out for "difficulties"

C out for "increasing"

You have nothing else left to eliminate - right answer :-)
Join the discussion

by rogue_rohit » Thu Jan 01, 2009 7:56 am
1) I have "difficulties" in Y1 because I cant do X and I cant do Z

2) I have difficulty in Y2 because I cant do X

I cant understand why "difficulty" is preferred over "difficulties". As you can see from example above both of them can be correct.

Any clarifications please, thanks!
Join the discussion

by sumithshah » Thu Jan 01, 2009 8:22 am
I have difficulties would imply singular difficulty in multiple things. Apply that to the sentence and it wont make any sense.
Join the discussion

• Page 1 of 1