GMAT Prep-Magpies

In this question, I have a doubt on the antecedent of "they". Can anyone please advise..


The first detailed study of magpie attacks in Australia indicates that by the time they had reached adulthood, 98 percent of men and 75 percent of women born in the country have been attacked by the birds.

A)by the time they had reached adulthood, 98 percent of men and 75 percent of women born in the country have been attached by the birds.
INCORRECT; perfect tense issue.

B)by the time they reach adulthood, 98 percent of men and 75 percent of women, who were born in the country, had been attacked by the birds.
INCORRECT; tense issue

C)by the time they reached adulthood, 98 percent of men and 75 percent of women born in the country had been attacked by the birds.

D)98 percent of men and 75 percent of women that were born in the country were attacked by the birds by the time they reach adulthood.
INCORRECT; tense issue

E)98 percent of men and 75 percent of women who were born in the country, by the time they reached adulthood had been attacked by the birds.
INCORRECT; the red part should have been stated between commas.

This is Question ID 2377 in the GMATFix Solutions Engine (full solution).

Verb tense is tested. There are two correct ways to express the idea in the sentence.

Correct option 1.
"people had been attacked by the time they reached adulthood." This option uses past and past perfect to describe two related past actions. The past perfect ("had been attacked") should be used on the earlier action. In this case, the people had been attacked BEFORE they reached adulthood.

Correct option 2.
"people have been attacked by the time they reach adulthood". This option tells the story from the perspective of the present. This is appropriate when stating an axiom (a truth that holds regardless of time) such as "researchers found that people who eat vegetables are healthier" or "...will live longer".


Only answers C and E correctly use one of the options above (option 1).

Compare C to E

C: by the time they reached adulthood, people born in the country had been attacked.

E: people who were born in the country, by the time they reached adulthood had been attacked.

C is better because it is simpler to understand (simpler structure)
==> E is missing a comma after adulthood to offset "by the time they reached adulthood" and make it clear that the end is linked to the beginning
==> "people who were born" in E is more complex than "people born" for no reason. That's a red flag.

Answer C

Another issue with C & E is:
C)by the time they reached adulthood, 98 percent of men and 75 percent of women born in the country had been attacked by the birds.
--> This gives a meaning that out of total men & women - 98% men & 75% women were attacked..

E)98 percent of men and 75 percent of women who were born in the country, by the time they reached adulthood had been attacked by the birds.
--> This gives a meaning that 98% of men & 75% women were born in country..