gmat740 wrote:Despite recent increases in sales and cash flow that have propelled automobile companies’ stocks to new highs, several industry analysts expect automakers, in order to conserve cash, to set dividend more conservatively then they were.

A. to set dividends more conservatively than they were.
B. to set dividends more conservatively than they have been.
C. to be more conservative than they have been in setting dividends.
D. that they will be more conservative than they were in setting dividends.
E. that they will be more conservative than they have been to set dividen

[spoiler]OA-C [/spoiler]

C.

remove "in order to conserve cash" and it becomes clearer.

A - "than they were." unlike comparison
b- "than they have been." unlike comparison
d - usage of "they" which is ambiguous referents --> analysts or automakers...also violates idiom "expect x to be"
e - usage of "they" which is ambiguous referents --> analysts or automakers. also violates idiom "expect x to be"

c- "to be more conservative than they have been" is a like comparison. also correct idiom of "expect x to be"

shahdevine wrote:

gmat740 wrote:Despite recent increases in sales and cash flow that have propelled automobile companies’ stocks to new highs, several industry analysts expect automakers, in order to conserve cash, to set dividend more conservatively then they were.

A. to set dividends more conservatively than they were.
B. to set dividends more conservatively than they have been.
C. to be more conservative than they have been in setting dividends.
D. that they will be more conservative than they were in setting dividends.
E. that they will be more conservative than they have been to set dividen

[spoiler]OA-C [/spoiler]

C.

remove "in order to conserve cash" and it becomes clearer.

A - "than they were." unlike comparison
b- "than they have been." unlike comparison
d - usage of "they" which is ambiguous referents --> analysts or automakers...also violates idiom "expect x to be"
e - usage of "they" which is ambiguous referents --> analysts or automakers. also violates idiom "expect x to be"

c- "to be more conservative than they have been" is a like comparison. also correct idiom of "expect x to be"

E and D do not violate the idiomatic expression.
According to MGMAT, EXPECT can be used either with "... to be" or with "...that...will..."

However, my question is as follows.
What is the difference between B and C?
Everything is similar, except the usage of words.
=> Why is "conservative in setting dividends" is better than "to set dividends more conservatively"??
please explain...

shahdevine wrote:

gmat740 wrote:Despite recent increases in sales and cash flow that have propelled automobile companies’ stocks to new highs, several industry analysts expect automakers, in order to conserve cash, to set dividend more conservatively then they were.

A. to set dividends more conservatively than they were.
B. to set dividends more conservatively than they have been.
C. to be more conservative than they have been in setting dividends.
D. that they will be more conservative than they were in setting dividends.
E. that they will be more conservative than they have been to set dividen

[spoiler]OA-C [/spoiler]

C.

remove "in order to conserve cash" and it becomes clearer.

A - "than they were." unlike comparison
b- "than they have been." unlike comparison
d - usage of "they" which is ambiguous referents --> analysts or automakers...also violates idiom "expect x to be"
e - usage of "they" which is ambiguous referents --> analysts or automakers. also violates idiom "expect x to be"

c- "to be more conservative than they have been" is a like comparison. also correct idiom of "expect x to be"

excellent explanations

shahdevine wrote:

gmat740 wrote:Despite recent increases in sales and cash flow that have propelled automobile companies’ stocks to new highs, several industry analysts expect automakers, in order to conserve cash, to set dividend more conservatively then they were.

A. to set dividends more conservatively than they were.
B. to set dividends more conservatively than they have been.
C. to be more conservative than they have been in setting dividends.
D. that they will be more conservative than they were in setting dividends.
E. that they will be more conservative than they have been to set dividen

[spoiler]OA-C [/spoiler]

C.

remove "in order to conserve cash" and it becomes clearer.

A - "than they were." unlike comparison
b- "than they have been." unlike comparison
d - usage of "they" which is ambiguous referents --> analysts or automakers...also violates idiom "expect x to be"
e - usage of "they" which is ambiguous referents --> analysts or automakers. also violates idiom "expect x to be"

c- "to be more conservative than they have been" is a like comparison. also correct idiom of "expect x to be"

Can you please explain A & B => Unlike comparison?

Also, even in C, "they" looks ambiguous. Please explain, why "they" in C is correct

Thanks

gmat740 wrote:

shahdevine wrote:

gmat740 wrote:Despite recent increases in sales and cash flow that have propelled automobile companies’ stocks to new highs, several industry analysts expect automakers, in order to conserve cash, to set dividend more conservatively then they were.

A. to set dividends more conservatively than they were.
B. to set dividends more conservatively than they have been.
C. to be more conservative than they have been in setting dividends.
D. that they will be more conservative than they were in setting dividends.
E. that they will be more conservative than they have been to set dividen

[spoiler]OA-C [/spoiler]

C.

remove "in order to conserve cash" and it becomes clearer.

A - "than they were." unlike comparison
b- "than they have been." unlike comparison
d - usage of "they" which is ambiguous referents --> analysts or automakers...also violates idiom "expect x to be"
e - usage of "they" which is ambiguous referents --> analysts or automakers. also violates idiom "expect x to be"

c- "to be more conservative than they have been" is a like comparison. also correct idiom of "expect x to be"

Can you please explain A & B => Unlike comparison?

Also, even in C, "they" looks ambiguous. Please explain, why "they" in C is correct

Thanks

Yes so A and B essentially are taking different parts of speech(verb vs. adjective) and comparing them.

"comparatively" is an adverb modifying a verb/infinitive/, "to set." Adding "more" means that the verb "comparatively" is modifying has to equal a verb at the end of the comparison. You can't leave the end of the sentence as "they were" or "they have been." We don't know if "more conservatively" is modifying the verb "to be" or "to set dividends." The author in this case would have to be more descriptive and say "more conservatively than they been doing."

In C, the "than" equation is logical. In "to be more conservative than they have been" we know that "conservative" is modifying "they."