Company's Announcement.

This topic has expert replies

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 2228
Joined: Wed Dec 27, 2006 3:28 pm
Location: Montreal, Canada
Thanked: 639 times
Followed by:694 members
GMAT Score:780

by Stacey Koprince » Thu Jul 23, 2009 5:15 pm
e.g. E1 = Mary completed her work. ( The first completed event)
E2 = Mary went to play tennis.(The second completed event)
E3 = Her mother arrived.(The third completed event)
You wouldn't see that on the test. To be clear, you'd have to use "first blah blah blah and then blah blah and finally blah" or something similar to delineate three separate timeframes.

You might see something like: 2 events happened simultaneously and then some third event happened later.

When the teacher came back to the classrom, she thought that the boys had been studying but the girls had been goofing off.

Or 1 event happened and then two others happened simultaneously and later.

One teacher thought that Jimmy had cheated on the exam but the other believed his protestations of innocence.
Please note: I do not use the Private Messaging system! I will not see any PMs that you send to me!!

Stacey Koprince
GMAT Instructor
Director of Online Community
Manhattan GMAT

Contributor to Beat The GMAT!

Learn more about me

Legendary Member
Posts: 1799
Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2008 3:03 am
Thanked: 36 times
Followed by:2 members

by goelmohit2002 » Thu Jul 23, 2009 7:48 pm
Stacey Koprince wrote: only (a) I think that it will rain today. The question is not whether it will rain later today, but whether I think right now that it will. If I really do think that right now, then we use "will."

I could also say:
I thought that it would rain today.

I thought (in the past - maybe yesterday?) that it would rain today - I'm predicting. And the implication is that it hasn't actually rained today, so I was wrong. If it had actually rained today, I'd say "I knew that it was going to rain today - I told you so yesterday!"
Thanks a lot Stacey.

But I am a bit confused.....

Can you please look into the following thread....here discussion is about may Vs might....

https://www.beatthegmat.com/sc-which-is- ... tml#164342

Here the result is that both may and might can be used in present tenses:

may = when we have more certainity.
might = when we have less certainity.

Can you please tell whether this is indeed the case....before your reply of will Vs would I was of the similar opinion....that both will and would can be used for present cases. Your reply really cleared this wrong conception of mine.

will = when we have more certainity.
would = when we have less certainity.

Can you please help clear the may Vs might issue too....Can they both be used in present cases....or might is used only for past and may is used only for present...

Thanks
Mohit
Last edited by goelmohit2002 on Thu Jul 23, 2009 8:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Legendary Member
Posts: 1799
Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2008 3:03 am
Thanked: 36 times
Followed by:2 members

by goelmohit2002 » Thu Jul 23, 2009 7:54 pm
Stacey Koprince wrote:
e.g. E1 = Mary completed her work. ( The first completed event)
E2 = Mary went to play tennis.(The second completed event)
E3 = Her mother arrived.(The third completed event)
You wouldn't see that on the test. To be clear, you'd have to use "first blah blah blah and then blah blah and finally blah" or something similar to delineate three separate timeframes.

You might see something like: 2 events happened simultaneously and then some third event happened later.

When the teacher came back to the classrom, she thought that the boys had been studying but the girls had been goofing off.

Or 1 event happened and then two others happened simultaneously and later.

One teacher thought that Jimmy had cheated on the exam but the other believed his protestations of innocence.
Thanks a lot Stacey...

Can you please look into the following thread...

https://www.beatthegmat.com/first-women- ... tml#164233

here the sentence seems to be using past perfect + three simple past(although they are not parallel)....and also past perfect is not the first activity in this sentence....

Can you please tell how using the past perfect is correct here ?

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 2228
Joined: Wed Dec 27, 2006 3:28 pm
Location: Montreal, Canada
Thanked: 639 times
Followed by:694 members
GMAT Score:780

by Stacey Koprince » Fri Jul 24, 2009 6:44 am
I'm really trying to think of an official question that has ever required me to know the difference between "may" and "might." I can't think of one. The difference is really too subtle, I think, for the GMAT to test this. Remember - they want to write questions that nobody can argue with, and when you're talking about something that's a tiny bit more (or less) certain, how can you write a question that somebody can't argue with?

Honestly, I really wouldn't worry about this distinction. (IMHO, of course)
Please note: I do not use the Private Messaging system! I will not see any PMs that you send to me!!

Stacey Koprince
GMAT Instructor
Director of Online Community
Manhattan GMAT

Contributor to Beat The GMAT!

Learn more about me

Legendary Member
Posts: 1799
Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2008 3:03 am
Thanked: 36 times
Followed by:2 members

by goelmohit2002 » Fri Jul 24, 2009 6:48 am
Stacey Koprince wrote:I'm really trying to think of an official question that has ever required me to know the difference between "may" and "might." I can't think of one. The difference is really too subtle, I think, for the GMAT to test this. Remember - they want to write questions that nobody can argue with, and when you're talking about something that's a tiny bit more (or less) certain, how can you write a question that somebody can't argue with?

Honestly, I really wouldn't worry about this distinction. (IMHO, of course)
Many thanks Stacey....

So I can forget about this rule....

Many thanks again....many of the misconceptions are cleared with your help. !!!!

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 2228
Joined: Wed Dec 27, 2006 3:28 pm
Location: Montreal, Canada
Thanked: 639 times
Followed by:694 members
GMAT Score:780

by Stacey Koprince » Fri Jul 24, 2009 6:48 am
here the sentence seems to be using past perfect + three simple past(although they are not parallel)....and also past perfect is not the first activity in this sentence....
I posted in that other thread. That's not actually what's going on in that sentence. You've got three parallel past events, constructed correctly, in a list. Then, within one of those events, you've got additional information about another event. Just for those two events, past perfect and simple past are used correctly.

You don't (necessarily) need to relate every verb in the sentence to every other verb.
Please note: I do not use the Private Messaging system! I will not see any PMs that you send to me!!

Stacey Koprince
GMAT Instructor
Director of Online Community
Manhattan GMAT

Contributor to Beat The GMAT!

Learn more about me

Legendary Member
Posts: 1799
Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2008 3:03 am
Thanked: 36 times
Followed by:2 members

by goelmohit2002 » Fri Jul 24, 2009 12:26 pm
Thanks a lot Stacey !!!

Legendary Member
Posts: 1799
Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2008 3:03 am
Thanked: 36 times
Followed by:2 members

by goelmohit2002 » Wed Jul 29, 2009 5:59 am
Stacey Koprince wrote:I'm really trying to think of an official question that has ever required me to know the difference between "may" and "might." I can't think of one. The difference is really too subtle, I think, for the GMAT to test this. Remember - they want to write questions that nobody can argue with, and when you're talking about something that's a tiny bit more (or less) certain, how can you write a question that somebody can't argue with?

Honestly, I really wouldn't worry about this distinction. (IMHO, of course)
Hi Stacey,

Thanks a lot for clearing this May Vs Might Myth....

There is one similar looking(after your may Vs might reply) that this there can Vs Could.....

To me now it looks Can = only present/future....
Could = for past thing....

But the below link and many other similar link say something different:

Can you please have a look at below:

https://gmatclubindia.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=270

Can you please tell what indeed is the case ?

Thanks
Mohit

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 2228
Joined: Wed Dec 27, 2006 3:28 pm
Location: Montreal, Canada
Thanked: 639 times
Followed by:694 members
GMAT Score:780

by Stacey Koprince » Wed Jul 29, 2009 2:33 pm
Couple of things here.

First, "could" can be used as the past tense of "can."

I can go to the party next week.

I could not go to last week's party.

You can also use "could" for a possibility, a conditional, a hypothetical, or to indicate something that is possible to occur but won't for some reason.

I think I could wash the car. (It's possible, but I'm not sure.)

I could wash the car, but I don't want to. (It's possible hypothetically, but I'm not going to do it.)

I can wash the car this afternoon. (I have the ability to do this - I'm offering to do it.)

If you were to make dinner, I could wash the car this evening. (conditional - I'll do it if you do something else, but it's unclear whether either thing will happen.)

If you make dinner, I will wash the car this evening (conditional again, but now I'm saying "make dinner" instead of "were to make" - so I'm using a stronger verb form. Therefore, my half of the bargain now also comes with the stronger "will" instead of "could.")
Please note: I do not use the Private Messaging system! I will not see any PMs that you send to me!!

Stacey Koprince
GMAT Instructor
Director of Online Community
Manhattan GMAT

Contributor to Beat The GMAT!

Learn more about me

Legendary Member
Posts: 1799
Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2008 3:03 am
Thanked: 36 times
Followed by:2 members

by goelmohit2002 » Thu Jul 30, 2009 11:30 am
Stacey Koprince wrote:Couple of things here.

First, "could" can be used as the past tense of "can."

I can go to the party next week.

I could not go to last week's party.

You can also use "could" for a possibility, a conditional, a hypothetical, or to indicate something that is possible to occur but won't for some reason.

I think I could wash the car. (It's possible, but I'm not sure.)

I could wash the car, but I don't want to. (It's possible hypothetically, but I'm not going to do it.)

I can wash the car this afternoon. (I have the ability to do this - I'm offering to do it.)

If you were to make dinner, I could wash the car this evening. (conditional - I'll do it if you do something else, but it's unclear whether either thing will happen.)

If you make dinner, I will wash the car this evening (conditional again, but now I'm saying "make dinner" instead of "were to make" - so I'm using a stronger verb form. Therefore, my half of the bargain now also comes with the stronger "will" instead of "could.")
Thanks a lot Stacey.

Don't u think that it is a grey area like May Vs Might....

Can you please tell have u come across a GMAT problem where split was between can Vs could (except for past usage of could)....

As u said before that May Vs Might you have never encountered...

Thanks
Mohit

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 2228
Joined: Wed Dec 27, 2006 3:28 pm
Location: Montreal, Canada
Thanked: 639 times
Followed by:694 members
GMAT Score:780

by Stacey Koprince » Mon Aug 03, 2009 10:31 am
Hmm, between "can" and "could," eliminating the past tense issue...

I can't think of an official question that depends on this specific split off the top of my head. I think that would be a tough question for them to defend - the meaning would have to be very clear in the original sentence.

If anyone does find one (again, an OFFICIAL question, not just any question! :)), let us know so we can discuss it!
Please note: I do not use the Private Messaging system! I will not see any PMs that you send to me!!

Stacey Koprince
GMAT Instructor
Director of Online Community
Manhattan GMAT

Contributor to Beat The GMAT!

Learn more about me

Legendary Member
Posts: 1799
Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2008 3:03 am
Thanked: 36 times
Followed by:2 members

by goelmohit2002 » Mon Aug 03, 2009 10:36 am
Stacey Koprince wrote:Hmm, between "can" and "could," eliminating the past tense issue...

I can't think of an official question that depends on this specific split off the top of my head. I think that would be a tough question for them to defend - the meaning would have to be very clear in the original sentence.

If anyone does find one (again, an OFFICIAL question, not just any question! :)), let us know so we can discuss it!
Thanks Stacey !!!

This will probably be better question to ask in that case....

Do you ever remember kicking out any option.....in any of the questions (forget about the question itself :-))...based on this can Vs could split ? Basically do you ever remember where you used the above distinction of possibility etc....using can Vs could split(except for present Vs past split case)

If not then surely we mortal animals can surely forget about this rule :-)..as there are other too many other rules to remember.... :-)

Kindly tell.

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 2228
Joined: Wed Dec 27, 2006 3:28 pm
Location: Montreal, Canada
Thanked: 639 times
Followed by:694 members
GMAT Score:780

by Stacey Koprince » Mon Aug 10, 2009 1:37 pm
Nope. Again, not an official question, and that's all that counts here. I wouldn't base what I study on something I saw only on a test-prep-company question if I had never seen that thing tested on an official question. (That goes for my own company, too!)

So, yes, don't worry about this.
Please note: I do not use the Private Messaging system! I will not see any PMs that you send to me!!

Stacey Koprince
GMAT Instructor
Director of Online Community
Manhattan GMAT

Contributor to Beat The GMAT!

Learn more about me

Legendary Member
Posts: 1799
Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2008 3:03 am
Thanked: 36 times
Followed by:2 members

by goelmohit2002 » Mon Aug 10, 2009 10:23 pm
Stacey Koprince wrote:Nope. Again, not an official question, and that's all that counts here. I wouldn't base what I study on something I saw only on a test-prep-company question if I had never seen that thing tested on an official question. (That goes for my own company, too!)

So, yes, don't worry about this.
Thanks a ton Stacey !!!!