Difficult SC problem from Knewton

Expert replies

need720+: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 68; Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2011 9:47 am; Thanked: 6 times

by need720+ » Sat Jul 30, 2011 3:47 am

The report indicates that last year one of the nation's most successful construction companies widened the gap between its profitability and that of other construction companies, and an analyst advised the company to invest $6 million into further development, a recommendation that could result in more spending by the construction company on its own equipment and decreasing the dependence on other companies to supply machinery.

* (A)decreasing the dependence
* (B)the decreasing dependence
* (C)decreased dependence
* (D)the dependence decreased
* (E)the dependence decreasing

Please provide explanation.

OA C

Last edited by need720+ on Sat Jul 30, 2011 10:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Source: Beat The GMAT — Sentence Correction | Sat Jul 30, 2011 3:47 am

atuljadhav: Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts; Posts: 13; Joined: Tue Sep 08, 2009 6:55 am; Thanked: 3 times

by atuljadhav » Sat Jul 30, 2011 4:06 am

IMO C.

need720+: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 68; Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2011 9:47 am; Thanked: 6 times

by need720+ » Sat Jul 30, 2011 5:08 am

atuljadhav wrote:IMO C.

Please provide explanation why A,B,D, E are wrong and C is correct.

Tani: Legendary Member; Posts: 1255; Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2008 2:08 pmFollowed by: 90 members; Location: St. Louis; Thanked: 312 times

by Tani » Sat Jul 30, 2011 5:22 am

The underlined portion needs to be parallel with "more spending". Therefore is has to be a noun preceded by an adjective. "Decreased spending" is the only one that fits that requirement.

Tani Wolff

aspirant2011: Legendary Member; Posts: 1574; Joined: Fri Jan 28, 2011 2:52 amFollowed by: 13 members; Thanked: 88 times

by aspirant2011 » Sat Jul 30, 2011 7:29 am

Tani Wolff - Kaplan wrote:The underlined portion needs to be parallel with "more spending". Therefore is has to be a noun preceded by an adjective. "Decreased spending" is the only one that fits that requirement.

Hi Tani,

Is B wrong because spending is not parallel to the decreasing??????

need720+: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 68; Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2011 9:47 am; Thanked: 6 times

by need720+ » Sat Jul 30, 2011 7:49 am

Tani Wolff - Kaplan wrote:The underlined portion needs to be parallel with "more spending". Therefore is has to be a noun preceded by an adjective. "Decreased spending" is the only one that fits that requirement.

Hi Tani,

I am not able to understand how "Decreased spending" is a noun. Could you please explain?
I am having a hard time differentiating between participles and gerunds? Any tips.

gmatblood: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 489; Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2011 11:10 amFollowed by: 5 members; Thanked: 28 times

by gmatblood » Sat Jul 30, 2011 10:59 am

IMO C, stand alone!

monlin: Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts; Posts: 2; Joined: Sat Jul 30, 2011 11:13 am

by monlin » Sat Jul 30, 2011 11:25 am

IMO C....what is OA?

Tani: Legendary Member; Posts: 1255; Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2008 2:08 pmFollowed by: 90 members; Location: St. Louis; Thanked: 312 times

by Tani » Sat Jul 30, 2011 7:30 pm

A gerund is the -ing form of a verb used as a noun. Here "spending" is the noun. For the -ing form to be a participle, it must be coupled with a helping verb such as "is" or "has been".

Skiing is my favorite sport. (gerund)
I have been skiing all week. (participle)

Tani Wolff

aspirant2011: Legendary Member; Posts: 1574; Joined: Fri Jan 28, 2011 2:52 amFollowed by: 13 members; Thanked: 88 times

by aspirant2011 » Sat Jul 30, 2011 10:02 pm

Tani Wolff - Kaplan wrote:A gerund is the -ing form of a verb used as a noun. Here "spending" is the noun. For the -ing form to be a participle, it must be coupled with a helping verb such as "is" or "has been".

Skiing is my favorite sport. (gerund)
I have been skiing all week. (participle)

Hi Tani,

Can you please clarify why option B is exactly wrong?????

Is it wrong because spending is not parallel to the decreasing??????

Tani: Legendary Member; Posts: 1255; Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2008 2:08 pmFollowed by: 90 members; Location: St. Louis; Thanked: 312 times

by Tani » Sun Jul 31, 2011 7:01 am

"decreasing the dependence" is a verb phrase while "decreased dependence" is a noun phrase and therefore parallel to "more spending"

Tani Wolff

aspirant2011: Legendary Member; Posts: 1574; Joined: Fri Jan 28, 2011 2:52 amFollowed by: 13 members; Thanked: 88 times

by aspirant2011 » Sun Jul 31, 2011 7:33 am

Tani Wolff - Kaplan wrote:"decreasing the dependence" is a verb phrase while "decreased dependence" is a noun phrase and therefore parallel to "more spending"

Hi Tani,

I think you mistook what I asked as you have mentioned about option A but I asked about option B i.e the decreasing dependance.....

Request you to clarify on the same

Featured schoolRound 2 closes Jan 7, 2027 65 days left

Chicago Booth

Since 1982, 10 Booth faculty members have received the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, more than any other business school.

#3
U.S. News rank: $175,000
Median base salary: 670
Average GMAT Focus: 635
Students in the class

Apply to Booth Visit chicagobooth.edu See the full profile

Photo: Warren LeMay, CC BY-SA 2.0

GMAT Course Reviews

563 reviews

1168 reviews

431 reviews

359 reviews

147 reviews

5/5

5 Star (563 Reviews)

"Target Test Prep is the closest to the official version of the GMAT exam, about 99% accuracy in terms of the quality and quantity of information. The course has excellently created singular sets of focused lessons and tests for every possible topic that one could come across in the official GMAT exam."

"The TTP course maximizes the efficiency of the time you spend studying. It will take time and effort but I could almost guarantee that if you complete the course exactly as it is laid out you will get an amazing score. They also have a very responsive team willing to help with any questions you might have."

"TTP has two things that I think no other test prep company offers: A teaching approach that reinforces understanding and an attitude that will give you the mental preparedness needed to succeed on the test. TTP gives you a deep understanding of the concept you need to know while teaching you how to think."

Write a Review