BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem

Target Test Prep · GMAT

Choose how you want to prepare

Learn live with an expert or move at your own pace. Every option includes the complete TTP study system.

★★★★★5.0559 reviews
Vote for Target Test Prep, Newsweek Readers’ Choice Awards 2026
NEWSWEEK READERS’ CHOICE 2026

BIG NEWS! Target Test Prep has been nominated, and they’d love your vote!

TTP has worked incredibly hard to build the best test prep experience possible, and winning Newsweek’s 2026 Readers’ Choice Award for Best Test Prep would mean a lot to them. If TTP has helped you, they’d be incredibly grateful for your vote. You can vote once each day through September 9.

Vote for TTP
GMATLiveTeach 7 seats left
Chris Peckover
NEXT LIVE COHORT

Oct 13 to Jan 7, 2027

with Chris Peckover

Schedule
Tue, Thu · 8:00 to 10:00 PM ET
Included
40 live hours + 6 months of GMAT OnDemand
  • Live instruction and real-time questions
  • Class recordings and assigned practice
View class & enroll
Limited cohort · enrollment openTarget Test Prep
EALiveTeach 5 seats left
Logan Thompson
EXECUTIVE ASSESSMENT

Sep 6 to Dec 6, 2026

with Logan Thompson

Schedule
Sun · 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM ET
Included
40 hours of live online classes plus six months of access to the complete TTP EA OnDemand course.
  • 165+ EA Score Guarantee
  • 4,100+ Quant, Verbal, and Integrated Reasoning practice questions
  • 400+ hours of in-depth video lessons
  • 3,000+ step-by-step video solutions
View EA class & enroll
Limited cohort · enrollment openTarget Test Prep
GMATOnDemand Start anytime
SELF-PACED MASTERCLASS

Target Test Prep GMAT OnDemand

Complete access from day one. Study on your schedule.

715+ score guarantee
$0to start then $127/mo
  • Personalized study plan and analytics
  • Thousands of lessons and practice questions
Start free 5-day trial
Read 559 reviewsTarget Test Prep

Compare the format, schedule, and included access before enrolling. Prices and seat counts shown reflect the supplied offer details.

GMAT Prep Question

Expert replies
Post new topic Locked
Previous Topic Next Topic
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 30
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2007 8:53 pm
Thanked: 1 times
by Sumit69 » Tue Apr 10, 2007 6:23 pm
Many writers of modern English have acquired careless habits that damage the clarity of their prose, <but these habits can be broken >if they are willing to take the necessary trouble.

(A) but these habits can be broken
(B) but these habits are breakable
(C) but they can break these habits
(D) which can be broken
(E) except that can be broken

What shd be the answer to this? Please explain. i got it wrong
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Source: — Sentence Correction |
Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2006 1:58 am

by k_pankaj_r » Tue Apr 10, 2007 7:41 pm
I think the ans is 'C'...
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 36
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2007 7:15 am

by nauman » Tue Apr 10, 2007 8:01 pm
I think A is correct.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2006 1:58 am

by k_pankaj_r » Tue Apr 10, 2007 9:32 pm
but A has 'be'..which is normally incorrect in gmat..not sure though..
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2007 12:18 am

by Kuba » Tue Apr 10, 2007 11:14 pm
I think C is correct. It clarifies the ambiguous prounouns "they". In A,B for example, "they" is ambiguous, because it may refer to writers or habits...So I'd go for C.

Many writers of modern English have acquired careless habits that damage the clarity of their prose, <but these habits can be broken >if they are willing to take the necessary trouble.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 26
Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2007 1:32 pm

by jaspetrovic » Wed Apr 11, 2007 4:32 pm
I agree with Kuba. The answer is C.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Legendary Member
Posts: 559
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2007 1:29 amFollowed by: 2 members
Thanked: 5 times

by Cybermusings » Sat Apr 14, 2007 3:52 am
I would go with D...whats the OA
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Apr 12, 2007 8:15 am

by vigh_mahesh » Sat Apr 14, 2007 6:20 am
I think its B. A is passive, C D and E, reference of pronoun is ambiguous
What is the OA
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 70
Joined: Sun Mar 18, 2007 9:35 amFollowed by: 1 member
Location: mumbai

by RAGS » Sat Apr 14, 2007 8:08 am
I think it should be C here but is used as a conjunction and hence both parts should be parallel
so the first part says Writers have habits so the second part should say they can break these habbits

sumit please post the ans
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 48
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2007 3:29 am
Thanked: 2 times

by leo » Sat Apr 14, 2007 10:39 pm
OA is C
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Legendary Member
Posts: 627
Joined: Thu Jun 23, 2011 9:12 amFollowed by: 1 member
Thanked: 4 times

by mankey » Mon Jan 09, 2012 8:49 am
Some expert please explain this one.

Regards.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 645
Joined: Mon Jul 26, 2010 12:42 pmFollowed by: 227 members
Location: US
Thanked: 527 times

by e-GMAT » Tue Jan 10, 2012 11:21 am
Hi,
Many writers of modern English have acquired careless habits that damage the clarity of their prose, but these habits can be broken if they are willing to take the necessary trouble.

Image

Notice that the second half of the sentence starting with "but" follows the if-then construction. The underlined portion of the sentence is in passive voice that makes "these habits" the subject of the 'then' clause. In the 'if' clause, the subject is "they" that logically refers to "Many writers", the subject of the opening independent clause of the sentence.
Since pronoun "they" is at the subject position of the 'if' the clause, and "these habits" is at the subject position of the 'then' clause, structurally "they" seems to refer to "these habits". This is not correct. So we have pronoun reference error here.
Sumit69 wrote:(A) but these habits can be broken
Wrong as discussed.
Sumit69 wrote:(B) but these habits are breakable
Same error as in A.
Sumit69 wrote:(C) but they can break these habits
Correct answer. Now, "Many writers", "they" and "they" all three are at the subject position of their respective clauses. Both the pronoun s "they" in the 'if' and the 'then' clause logically as well as grammatically refer to the subject of the opening clause "Many writers".
Sumit69 wrote:(D) which can be broken
Wrong. Relative pronoun "which" illogically refers to "prose".
Sumit69 wrote:(E) except that can be broken
i. "that" does not have a clear referent.
ii. Use of "except" is incorrect here.

Image

1. Pronouns must have a clear antecedent.
2. Relative pronouns must be places as close to the modifiers they refer to as possible.

These concepts have been covered in e-gmat concepts:
1. Level 1 - Pronouns (This concept features in Preview Level 1 Concepts available in Free Trial. Just register and learn the concept.)
2. Level 2 - Modifiers - Relative Pronouns

Thanks.
Shraddha
Image
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Post new topic Locked
• Page 1 of 1