Hi hey_thr67:
I am going to make this especially long post so that we may benefit from knowing multiple ways of tackling sentence correction. Also, I will provide a way of selecting "compared to" vs "compared with" that you won't go wrong anytime. It might be controversial for some folks, but it is the correct way of using compared + preposition.
Let's focus on the question at hand.
We can do this (find the correct option) in two ways.
1. by understanding the intended meaning of the sentence. From what I read in posts, GMAT of late has been testing meaning a lot more (implying that there may be more than one option which is grammatically correct). GMAT folks have always tested meaning, but this particular shift may be paralyzing to some in the exam. Let's see how meaning plays in this one.
Essentially, we have children (with a certain quality in their parents) who are compared with children(with parents having a different quality).
So the correct option must compared children whose parents speak English as a second language with children whose parents speak English natively. For the first way, do not pay attention to whether "compared with" or "compared to" is the right construction; just follow along.
With that in mind, let's weigh the options against each other.
A: to those whose native language is English
Here, children with parents speaking English as a second language are compared with the other children, who themselves speak English. Distorts the intended meaning. Ambiguous in a way. INCORRECT.
B: with children whose native language is English
This also makes the intended meaning distorted in the same way A does. INCORRECT.
C: with those who are native English speakers
This has the same problems as A and B, making it seem as if we are comparing children with parents.
INCORRECT.
D: to children whose parents do not
This looks like a contender. But in a very sneaky way, it changes the meaning. If the parents of the children in the second group do not speak English as a second language, it can mean one of two things.
a. The parents are native English speakers.
b. The parents do not speak English at all. (Or may be as a third language, if such a thing exists).
We don't know which of a or b is true. So the comparison is inaccurate. INCORRECT.
E: with children whose parents are native English speakers
By elimination, this should be the correct answer. Let's check it anyway. We do have children, whose parents speak English as a second language, compared with children whose parents are native English speakers. CORRECT.
This is how you can do a "sentence correction" question using a "critical reasoning" approach.
Now, let's look at a mixed approach. Here we use our knowledge of idiomatic usage of compared.
For choosing between compared with vs compared to, remember the following trick.
1. Compared to should only be used only when highlighting similarity between two things.
2. Compared with can be used whether highlighting similarities or differences.
So it depends on whether the speaker is trying to highlight similarities or differences. If it is clear, that differences are being emphasized, select "compared with" 100% of the time.
If similarities are being emphasized, select either "compared to" or "compared with" (** I personally like to use compared to in such cases, but "compared with" is fine too.)
Let's look at a few examples of the CORRECT usage.
Ronaldo does not compare to Pele as a great soccer player. (comparing similar quality of playing soccer).
You cannot compare my soccer skills to my brother's singing.
I compared the flight of a concord to that of an eagle.
I compared the flight of a concord with that of an eagle.
With that in mind, let's look at the choices. We know that, in this case, a difference between the two sets of children is being emphasized. So eliminate all options that use "compared to". So, A and D are out and we are left with B, C, and E.
Among those options, since we are looking for the option that talks of the "parents" of children, eliminate B and C. That leaves us with E as the right answer.
Let me know if this helps
