Sentence Correction

Chocolate had been once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings and now a cocoa shortage
may make chocolate an exclusive luxury again.

A. had been once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings and now a cocoa shortage
may make chocolate
B. was once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings but now a cocoa shortage may
make chocolate
C. had once been the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings and now a cocoa shortage
will make chocolate
D. was once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings and now a cocoa
shortage may make chocolate
E. was once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings although now a cocoa shortage
may make chocolate

"Official" Ans: After some discussion

Here 2 states of sentences are given.....1 in past and 1 going in future.....
So it should be simple past rather than perfect tense (No two actions are taking place).....So eliminate C,A....
Now it should D,E or B
D is wrong because we need to show the contra here from what is in past and what will be going 2 be in present....

But is preferred over although here....because we normally use but to refer to past rather than gng 2 future....So B is the answer .....


Please let me know some other views on this

Yes B vs D

For me D > B

IMO D,

Drop A, C use of past perfect is wrong as chaitnya explained already

B/W Op'ns B, D, E,...i think the use of BUT, ALTHOUGH (includes a but in it) shows contrast in result or final outcome.

Here in this sentence the result or final outcome remains the same only the reason and time frame is change so i take it as the result continues the same...use of contrast key word is wrong..

Also, one more point, though m not sure but i believe a comma is needed before ALTHOUGH, to connect a independent clause and dependent clause properly.

hence D

+1 for D.

IMO D,

Drop A, C use of past perfect is wrong as chaitnya explained already

B/W Op'ns B, D, E,...i think the use of BUT, ALTHOUGH (includes a but in it) shows contrast in result or final outcome.

Here in this sentence the result or final outcome remains the same only the reason and time frame is change so i take it as the result continues the same...use of contrast key word is wrong..

Also, one more point, though m not sure but i believe a comma is needed before ALTHOUGH, to connect a independent clause and dependent clause properly.

hence D

atulmangal, I agree with everything you say except for that last part about the comma. On the GMAT, using a comma vs. not using one NEVER makes an answer right or wrong. There has to be some clear reason why an answer choice is wrong.

The reason why B and E are wrong is indeed the contrast indicated by BUT/ALTHOUGH, a contrast that does not exist. Had the question read

"Chocolate was once the drink of REALLY POOR PEOPLE but now a cocoa shortage
may make chocolate an exclusive luxury."

then there would really be a contrast which would provide a logical basis for conjunctions such as but and although.

However, kings are deemed rich and not poor. Thus, the question indicates that chocolate (or cocoa) was a luxury when those kings drank it, then become affordable to the general populus, and will in the future become a luxury again.

Therefore, the use of AND is completely justified in this sentence and makes D the right answer.

atulmangal wrote:IMO D,

Drop A, C use of past perfect is wrong as chaitnya explained already

B/W Op'ns B, D, E,...i think the use of BUT, ALTHOUGH (includes a but in it) shows contrast in result or final outcome.

Here in this sentence the result or final outcome remains the same only the reason and time frame is change so i take it as the result continues the same...use of contrast key word is wrong..

Also, one more point, though m not sure but i believe a comma is needed before ALTHOUGH, to connect a independent clause and dependent clause properly.

hence D

Ans: D

jaymw wrote:

IMO D,

Drop A, C use of past perfect is wrong as chaitnya explained already

B/W Op'ns B, D, E,...i think the use of BUT, ALTHOUGH (includes a but in it) shows contrast in result or final outcome.

Here in this sentence the result or final outcome remains the same only the reason and time frame is change so i take it as the result continues the same...use of contrast key word is wrong..

Also, one more point, though m not sure but i believe a comma is needed before ALTHOUGH, to connect a independent clause and dependent clause properly.

hence D

atulmangal, I agree with everything you say except for that last part about the comma. On the GMAT, using a comma vs. not using one NEVER makes an answer right or wrong. There has to be some clear reason why an answer choice is wrong.

Bro, i agree with you, but i didn't drop the choice on the basis of COMMA thing, i added that point to open up a discussion, i think in formal writing we should use a comma to separate a dependent and independent clause (though m a non native), so just to know and enhance my knowledge, i leave that concept that if i'm incorrect some expert or friend will correct me and i update myself...so what do u think, m i correct about that comma thing in formal writing???

I mean i have to write 2 essay in GMAT and i would really appreciate if you help me in this. Thanks

Jay,

I got the point now.......I missed that crucial point while coming to conclusion to the contra words.......the question states that choc in both past and future is of luxury,So no contra is needed instead an AND will do.....


I have a question here

Are the Contra words BUT,ALTHOUGH ...ctc....be defined in a sentence with out an comma preceded before?????

atulmangal, chaitanya:

First it's important for both of you to note that commas REALLY don't matter much on the GMAT. Missing a comma here and there in an essay will surely not have an effect on your AWA score!

A good mnemonic for coordinating conjunctions is the comma+FANBOYS-principle: https://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/commas.html

"and" is one of the FANBOYS conjunctions and so it requires a comma when it connects two main clauses.

"although" is not a coordinating conjunction, hence you do not need a comma.

The "and" in answer choice B really does connect two independent clauses, therefore it should be preceded by a comma. But, again, this "mistake" isn't nearly as important as the mistakes in the other answer choices.

Interesting question, though!

64. Chocolate had been once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings and now a cocoa shortage
may make chocolate an exclusive luxury again.
A. had been once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings and now a cocoa shortage
may make chocolate
B. was once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings but now a cocoa shortage may
make chocolate
C. had once been the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings and now a cocoa shortage
will make chocolate
D. was once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings and now a cocoa
shortage may make chocolate
E. was once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings although now a cocoa shortage
may make chocolate
Explanation:
Official Answer (OA) - D
Concepts Tested - Tense, Diction
A - Use of past perfect tense "—had' is incorrect since there are no two things taking place at
different times in the past. (SC Grail - pg. 55)
B - The use of "—but' is incorrect since no contrast is being implied in the sentence
C - Use of past perfect tense "—had' is incorrect since there are no two things taking place at
different times in the past. "—Will' is the wrong word since the sentence only says that this
"—may' happen.
E - The use of "—although' is incorrect since no contrast is being implied in the sentence