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Doubt regarding conditional verb - would ?

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Doubt regarding conditional verb - would ?

by sui generis » Wed Apr 11, 2012 1:35 am
Geologists once thought that the molten rock known as lava was an underground remnant of Earth's earliest days, sporadically erupting through volcanoes, but they now know that it is continuously created by the heat of the radioactivity deep inside the planet.

(A) was an underground remnant of Earth's earliest days, sporadically erupting
(B) had been an underground remnant of Earth's earliest days and sporadically erupted
(C) was an underground remnant of Earth's earliest days, which sporadically erupted
(D) would be an underground remnant of Earth's earliest days that sporadically erupted
(E) was an underground remnant of Earth's earliest days, having sporadically erupted

OA: A

My contention is shouldn't D be the correct answer. 'Thought' implies hypothetical situation so shouldn't conditional verb ('would') be used here ? This is similar to saying that "In my childhood days, I thought that earth would be flat".

Please correct my understanding here.

Many thanks!
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by bubbliiiiiiii » Wed Apr 11, 2012 2:10 am
D is wrong because,

(D) would be an underground remnant of Earth's earliest days that sporadically erupted

that sporadically erupted seems to modify Earth's earliest days or days. This means that days were erupting which does not make any sense.
'Thought' implies hypothetical situation so shouldn't conditional verb ('would') be used here ? This is similar to saying that "In my childhood days, I thought that earth would be flat".
I doubt if hypothetical subjunctive is used in this option! Moreover, if used, then your point is applicable if the sentence contains a if clause. (If hypothetical then would/could). Since this sentence does not contain a if clause, would is not appropriate here. Thus, D could be eliminated.

As far as your example is considered, I think it should be,

In my childhood days, I thought that earth is be flat.

Can you please post the OE for this question?

I think the answer should be E (expecting a typo while posting OA). If not, then it would help me correct myself. :)
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by Bill@VeritasPrep » Wed Apr 11, 2012 7:50 am
The lava being an underground remnant is not conditional on something else happening. It either is or is not regardless of what the geologists think.

For your childhood example, it should be "in my childhood days, I thought the earth was flat."
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by GMAT Kolaveri » Wed Apr 11, 2012 8:31 am
bubbliiiiiiii wrote:
I think the answer should be E (expecting a typo while posting OA). If not, then it would help me correct myself. :)
No. OA is A. sporadically erupting correctly modifies molten rock.
Having sporadically erupted is not the correct tense.
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by sui generis » Sun Apr 15, 2012 2:24 am
The lava being an underground remnant is not conditional on something else happening. It either is or is not regardless of what the geologists think.

For your childhood example, it should be "in my childhood days, I thought the earth was flat."
Thanks Bill for the clarification. I completely understand your point that underground remnant is not conditional on what geologists think. And on the same lines the the correct sentence for my example is "In my childhood days, I thought the earth was flat". As with this example too, the same logic applies that shape of earth is not conditional on my childhood thinking.

However, I would like to ask that is this the ONLY criteria which should be looked while deciding whether a sentence is hypothetical/conditional. Say for example : In my childhood days, I believed that god does exist. Here the only criteria to decide whether conditional verb shouldn't be used is that existence of god is not conditional (or is regardless) of my childhood thought.

Also could you please give me an example where conditional verb is used in past tense ?


Many thanks
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by tanviet » Sun Apr 15, 2012 2:33 am
in A comma+doing , "erupting" must be in modifying relation with main verb "was". I do not see the relation inhere.
Why A can be corect? pls, help.
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by sui generis » Sun Apr 15, 2012 2:45 am
in A comma+doing , "erupting" must be in modifying relation with main verb "was". I do not see the relation inhere.
Why A can be corect? pls, help.
comma + ing action ("erupting through volcanoes") is simultaneous with, and subordinate to, the main action (lava was an underground remnant). These examples are very common in the GMAT world.
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