confidential agreement

This topic has expert replies
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 87
Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2012 4:00 am
Thanked: 2 times

confidential agreement

by simone88 » Sat May 05, 2012 2:26 pm
In an attempt to guarantee the security of its innovative water purification method, the company required each employee to sign a confidentiality agreement prohibiting that its water purification methods be disclosed to companies using an analogous purification process.

A. prohibiting that its water purification methods be disclosed to companies
B. prohibiting them from the disclosing of its water purification methods to any company
C. prohibiting disclosure of its water purification methods to any company
D. that would prohibit them from disclosure of its water purification methods to companies
E. that would prohibit its water purification methods to be disclosed to a company

[spoiler]OA: C. I was undecided between A anc C. I read in a forum that "prohibiting that" is problematic, but I don't understand why.[/spoiler]
Last edited by simone88 on Sun May 06, 2012 4:59 am, edited 1 time in total.
Source: — Sentence Correction |

Legendary Member
Posts: 784
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2011 3:51 am
Thanked: 114 times
Followed by:12 members

by patanjali.purpose » Sat May 05, 2012 2:49 pm
simone88 wrote:In an attempt to guarantee the security of its innovative water purification method, the company required each employee to sign a confidentiality agreement prohibiting that its water purification methods be disclosed to companies using an analogous purification process.

A. prohibiting that its water purification methods be disclosed to companies
B. prohibiting them from the disclosing of its water purification methods to any company
C. prohibiting disclosure of its water purification methods to any company
D. that would prohibit them from disclosure of its water purification methods to companies
E. that would prohibit its water purification methods to be disclosed to a company

[spoiler]OA: C. I was undecided between A anc C. I read in a forum that "prohibiting that" is problematic, but I don't understand why.[/spoiler]
The other way to handle is to look at

1) COMPANIES...AN..PROCESS (AN PURIFICATION PROCESS requires we use singular COMPANY); DROP A/D
2) Its a subjunctive so WOULD is not correct; drop E
3) prohibiting THEM (them does not have any antecedent); drop B/D

IMO C

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 1248
Joined: Thu Mar 29, 2012 2:57 pm
Location: Everywhere
Thanked: 503 times
Followed by:192 members
GMAT Score:780

by Bill@VeritasPrep » Sat May 05, 2012 3:00 pm
simone88 wrote:In an attempt to guarantee the security of its innovative water purification method, the company required each employee to sign a confidentiality agreement prohibiting that its water purification methods be disclosed to companies using an analogous purification process.

A. using an -ing verb with "that" doesn't work
B. Pronoun error--"them" refers to "employee"
C. correct
D. Same pronoun error as B
E. Using the conditional "would" doesn't work
Join Veritas Prep's 2010 Instructor of the Year, Matt Douglas for GMATT Mondays

Visit the Veritas Prep Blog

Try the FREE Veritas Prep Practice Test

Legendary Member
Posts: 2789
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 12:19 am
Location: Chennai, India
Thanked: 206 times
Followed by:43 members
GMAT Score:640

by GmatKiss » Sat May 05, 2012 8:28 pm
Please take sometime and underline the question to make it readable.

Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 87
Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2012 4:00 am
Thanked: 2 times

by simone88 » Sun May 06, 2012 5:01 am
Bill@VeritasPrep wrote:
A. using an -ing verb with "that" doesn't work
in the sense that it should be prohibiting its water purification methods be disclosed...?

Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 87
Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2012 4:00 am
Thanked: 2 times

by simone88 » Sun May 06, 2012 5:03 am
Bill@VeritasPrep wrote: B. Pronoun error--"them" refers to "employee"
so if I wanted to make it correct I should say prohibiting it?

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 1248
Joined: Thu Mar 29, 2012 2:57 pm
Location: Everywhere
Thanked: 503 times
Followed by:192 members
GMAT Score:780

by Bill@VeritasPrep » Sun May 06, 2012 9:03 am
simone88 wrote:
Bill@VeritasPrep wrote:
A. using an -ing verb with "that" doesn't work
in the sense that it should be prohibiting its water purification methods be disclosed...?
"Prohibiting its water purification methods FROM being disclosed" would be better. We can't use "be" on its own there.
so if I wanted to make it correct I should say prohibiting it?
We can't use "it" to refer to people.
Join Veritas Prep's 2010 Instructor of the Year, Matt Douglas for GMATT Mondays

Visit the Veritas Prep Blog

Try the FREE Veritas Prep Practice Test

Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 87
Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2012 4:00 am
Thanked: 2 times

by simone88 » Tue May 08, 2012 1:42 am
ok, all clear so far
thx

• Page 1 of 1