ayushiiitm wrote:
What I want to know is when to use expletive IT and when to not use it. (Is there a check). Are there any traps where GMAT could make us choose the expetive IT, when other answer could be correct
EDIT:
Please ignore the SC above and disregard my response below.
The SC above is not viable.
The OA implies the following:
The plastics are taking more time to deteriorate than it originally seemed they would [take to deteriorate].
Here, the words in brackets are omitted, but their presence is implied.
On the GMAT, a verb such as
take may be omitted only if it appears in the SAME FORM earlier in the sentence.
In the OA, the implied verb
take does NOT appear earlier in the sentence.
Thus, the OA is not viable, and the SC lacks a correct answer.
Another issue:
The referent for
it includes the omitted words in brackets.
The GMAT will not employ
it to refer to words that are omitted.
On the GMAT, the referent for
it will always be explicit and clear.
For a deeper explanation of this issue, check my post here:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/sentence-str ... tml#764472
Please DISREGARD:
An expletive is a word that that doesn't refer to anything but serves a placeholder so that the sentence can express its meaning:
There are many ways to win the race.
In the sentence above, there doesn't really refer to anything. However, the meaning of the sentence is clear.
In general, we should avoid answer choices that use expletives because an expletive makes the sentence longer and wordier. However, length and wordiness are issues of style, not grammar. If each of the other answer choices has a clear error, an answer choice with an expletive will be the best of the five and therefore the correct answer.
In the SC above, E is correct because each of the other answers is unclear or contains an error.
Q Researchers are finding out that plastics are taking more time to deteriorate than they originally seemed.
A) They originally seemed. They originally seemed what? We don't know, so A is out.
B) they seemed originally They seemed originally what? We don't know, so B is out. Also, originally should be placed before seemed, the verb that it's modifying.
C) it seemed that they would originally The modifier originally needs to be placed before seemed, the verb that it's modifying.
D) it originally seemed It originally seemed what? We don't know, so D is out.
E) it originally seemed they would Ah! The inclusion of the words they would makes the meaning clear: the plastics are taking more time to deteriorate than it originally seemed they would take to deteriorate.
Since E has no clear error and expresses the meaning the most clearly, E is the best answer choice.
The correct answer is E.
But just to be clear:
Avoid answer choices that contain expletives. Choose an answer choice with an expletive only when each of the other answer choices has a clear error.
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