This castle was built on this site by the royal family over a period of five hundred years; the hill on which it stood was of great strategic importance.
A. This castle was built by the royal family on this site over a period of five hundred years; the hill on which it stood was of great strategic importance
B. This castle had been built on this site by the royal family over a period of five hundred years; the hill on which it stands was of great strategic importance
C. This castle was built on this site by the royal family over a period of five hundred years; the hill on which it is now standing was of great strategic importance
D. The royal family built this castle on this site over a period of five hundred years; the hill on which it stood was of great strategic importance
E. The royal family built this castle on this site over a period of five hundred years; the hill on which it stands was of great strategic importance
Target Test Prep is 20% off right now!
Use code FLASH20
Available with Beat the GMAT members only code
MORE DETAILS
Castle bult by royals
This topic has expert replies
-
hemant_rajput
- Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
- Posts: 447
- Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2012 7:13 am
- Thanked: 46 times
- Followed by:13 members
- GMAT Score:700
A. it stood...wrong tensepsm12se wrote:This castle was built on this site by the royal family over a period of five hundred years; the hill on which it stood was of great strategic importance.
A. This castle was built by the royal family on this site over a period of five hundred years; the hill on which it stood was of great strategic importance
B. This castle had been built on this site by the royal family over a period of five hundred years; the hill on which it stands was of great strategic importance
C. This castle was built on this site by the royal family over a period of five hundred years; the hill on which it is now standing was of great strategic importance
D. The royal family built this castle on this site over a period of five hundred years; the hill on which it stood was of great strategic importance
E. The royal family built this castle on this site over a period of five hundred years; the hill on which it stands was of great strategic importance
B. had been...wrong verb
C. standing ..wrong tense
D. same as A.
E. correct.
C.
I'm no expert, just trying to work on my skills. If I've made any mistakes please bear with me.
GMAT/MBA Expert
-
Tommy Wallach
- GMAT Instructor
- Posts: 451
- Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2010 11:58 am
- Location: New York City
- Thanked: 188 times
- Followed by:120 members
- GMAT Score:770
Hey Guys,
Great notes already, but I thought I'd do a slightly more in-depth study:
(B) "by the royal family" is oddly placed. It could be modifying "site" (as in the royal family built or designed the site). The past perfect tense makes no sense here, because it implies that something happened afterwards ("I had eaten 12 hot dogs...but then I threw them all up.").
(C) "by the royal family" is oddly placed again. I don't actually see a problem with the present progressive tense. It's not perfect, but it isn't wrong, though the "now" is weirdly placed/redundant: "The hill on which we are standing was once very important."
(D) Same tense error as (A).
(E) Correct.
Hope that adds a bit of information!
-t
Great notes already, but I thought I'd do a slightly more in-depth study:
(A) The verb "stood" is in the past tense, implying that the castle isn't there anymore. This is incorrect because the first half of the sentence says "this castle" and "this site," implying that the castle is still there.This castle was built on this site by the royal family over a period of five hundred years; the hill on which it stood was of great strategic importance.
A. This castle was built by the royal family on this site over a period of five hundred years; the hill on which it stood was of great strategic importance
B. This castle had been built on this site by the royal family over a period of five hundred years; the hill on which it stands was of great strategic importance
C. This castle was built on this site by the royal family over a period of five hundred years; the hill on which it is now standing was of great strategic importance
D. The royal family built this castle on this site over a period of five hundred years; the hill on which it stood was of great strategic importance
E. The royal family built this castle on this site over a period of five hundred years; the hill on which it stands was of great strategic importance
(B) "by the royal family" is oddly placed. It could be modifying "site" (as in the royal family built or designed the site). The past perfect tense makes no sense here, because it implies that something happened afterwards ("I had eaten 12 hot dogs...but then I threw them all up.").
(C) "by the royal family" is oddly placed again. I don't actually see a problem with the present progressive tense. It's not perfect, but it isn't wrong, though the "now" is weirdly placed/redundant: "The hill on which we are standing was once very important."
(D) Same tense error as (A).
(E) Correct.
Hope that adds a bit of information!
-t
Tommy Wallach, Company Expert
ManhattanGMAT
If you found this posting mega-helpful, feel free to thank and/or follow me!
ManhattanGMAT
If you found this posting mega-helpful, feel free to thank and/or follow me!
-
patanjali.purpose
- Legendary Member
- Posts: 784
- Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2011 3:51 am
- Thanked: 114 times
- Followed by:12 members
But Tommy, it may be possible that the speaker of the sentence is pointing at a picture of castle in a book. In such case, would you still feel that CASTLE STANDS is betterThis castle was built on this site by the royal family over a period of five hundred years; the hill on which it stood was of great strategic importance.
A. This castle was built by the royal family on this site over a period of five hundred years; the hill on which it stood was of great strategic importance
(A) The verb "stood" is in the past tense, implying that the castle isn't there anymore. This is incorrect because the first half of the sentence says "this castle" and "this site," implying that the castle is still there. -t
GMAT/MBA Expert
-
Tommy Wallach
- GMAT Instructor
- Posts: 451
- Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2010 11:58 am
- Location: New York City
- Thanked: 188 times
- Followed by:120 members
- GMAT Score:770
Hey Patanjali,
That's a real stretch! If you ever find yourself thinking "What if this is being said to someone while both of them are looking at it in a book," you're probably overthinking it. : )
-t
That's a real stretch! If you ever find yourself thinking "What if this is being said to someone while both of them are looking at it in a book," you're probably overthinking it. : )
-t
Tommy Wallach, Company Expert
ManhattanGMAT
If you found this posting mega-helpful, feel free to thank and/or follow me!
ManhattanGMAT
If you found this posting mega-helpful, feel free to thank and/or follow me!
-
dixitnagpal
- Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2013 4:21 am
HI Tommy ,
IN E) on which it stands isnt changing the meaning and making the sentence awkward. As per my understanding it as if castle itself stands , however C is clearly saying on which it is now standing, although being redundant isnt C more clear in meaning than E. Please Explain.
IN E) on which it stands isnt changing the meaning and making the sentence awkward. As per my understanding it as if castle itself stands , however C is clearly saying on which it is now standing, although being redundant isnt C more clear in meaning than E. Please Explain.
