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

Redeem
TTP OnDemand GMAT Video Course
Featured Course

Target Test Prep GMAT OnDemand

Scott Woodbury-Stewart’s private virtual classroom — 400 hours of master-class video lessons for the GMAT Focus Edition.

  • 715+ score guarantee — highest in the industry (99th percentile)
  • 52 chapters · 1,500+ lessons · 4,000+ practice questions
  • 400 hours of video · 1,500+ instructor-led HD smartboard lessons
  • 300,000+ students accepted to Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Booth & Sloan & more
  • 24/7 live support + weekly Zoom office hours with GMAT instructors
  • TTP AI Assist — 24/7 AI-powered virtual tutor for instant help
  • 1,200+ flashcards + AI-powered study assistant & daily calendar
  • OnDemand, LiveTeach & GMAT Bootcamp formats available
  • Also: GRE, SAT Math & Executive Assessment courses
  • MBA Admissions Consulting now available
  • 🏆 2025 EdTech Breakthrough Award: Test Prep Solution Provider of the Year
  • 200,000+ students served
  • 5-day free trial — $0 to start, no auto-billing, cancel anytime
★★★★★ 5.0 (559 reviews)
130-pt guarantee
$0 to start then $127/mo
Start Free 5-Day Trial Read 559 Reviews →

GMAT Prep - Magpie

Expert replies
Post new topic Locked
Previous Topic Next Topic
User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 393
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2009 9:18 pm
Location: Chicago
Thanked: 8 times
by riteshbindal » Sun Sep 27, 2009 9:15 pm
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 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 country have been attacked by the birds
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 birds.
c) by the time they reach adulthood, 98 percent of men and 75 percent of the women born in the country had been attacked by the birds.
d) 98 percent of the men and 75 percent of the women that were born in the country were attacked by the birds by the time they reach adulthood.
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 birds

OA after some discussion.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Source: — Sentence Correction |
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 114
Joined: Wed Sep 23, 2009 10:57 pm
Thanked: 18 times
GMAT Score:760

by GMATBootcamp » Sun Sep 27, 2009 9:44 pm
IMO ans is C

I always try to identify the main subject of a sentence first. In this case it is clearly "98 percent of men and 75 percent of women."

With the subject know, the proper antecedent should be plural - "they." It's a bit tricky because antecedents usually precede the pronoun, but there is no rule specifically stating that antecedents cannot follow the referring pronoun.

A - verb "had reached" doesn't fit logically with the rest of the sentence. ELIMINATE
B - modifier error. ELIMINATE
D - "they" logically refers to the birds instead of the people. ELIMINATE
E - modifier error. ELIMINATE

Only ans C is grammatically correct.
Paul

Focused GMAT Preparation
www.thegmatbootcamp.com
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 393
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2009 9:18 pm
Location: Chicago
Thanked: 8 times

by riteshbindal » Sun Sep 27, 2009 9:52 pm
Can you please explain the modifier errors?
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Aug 12, 2009 4:03 am

by adamk » Sun Sep 27, 2009 10:38 pm
Dont think C makes sense, as it mixes up the tenses.
By the time they "reach"... "had been attacked"

IMO E
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 114
Joined: Wed Sep 23, 2009 10:57 pm
Thanked: 18 times
GMAT Score:760

by GMATBootcamp » Mon Sep 28, 2009 7:29 am
in B - "who were born in the country" is a non restrictive clause and needs to refer to the noun immediately preceding it. This refers to women, when it logically needs to refer to both men and women. Maybe by using the phrase "all of whom..."
in E - "by the time they reached adulthood had been attacked by birds" again needs to refer to immediate noun preceding the phrase. The noun used is "country," which is incorrect.
Paul

Focused GMAT Preparation
www.thegmatbootcamp.com
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Legendary Member
Posts: 2326
Joined: Mon Jul 28, 2008 3:54 amFollowed by: 2 members
Thanked: 173 times
GMAT Score:710

by gmatmachoman » Sun Jan 17, 2010 6:22 am
IMO E..

Proper Usage of Past Perfect tense(had been attacked) & past tense(reached) ....

B & C have this tense error...reach(Present tense) & Past Perfect tense (had been attacked)

Guys Plz help me on to this one!!
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 130
Joined: Fri Apr 20, 2012 8:13 amFollowed by: 4 members
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Thanked: 16 times
GMAT Score:650

by tisrar02 » Thu Jan 24, 2013 10:43 am
Answer should be C and the choice is written wrong.

In answer choice C the word is "reachED" thus making this the correct answer.
Dedication is what leads to success...
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 447
Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2012 7:13 amFollowed by: 13 members
Thanked: 46 times
GMAT Score:700

by hemant_rajput » Thu Jan 24, 2013 11:06 am
riteshbindal wrote: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 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 country have been attacked by the birds
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 birds.
c) by the time they reach adulthood, 98 percent of men and 75 percent of the women born in the country had been attacked by the birds.
d) 98 percent of the men and 75 percent of the women that were born in the country were attacked by the birds by the time they reach adulthood.
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 birds

OA after some discussion.
I think option A,B and C are eliminated because of they(subject verb agreement). Here they is not having a subject.

now between d and e.

in d the highlighted they refer to bird not to men and women; does it changes the meaning of sentence.

so IMO e

Guys please correct me if my explanation is wrong I'm also new to this section.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 192
Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2012 5:04 pmFollowed by: 5 members
Thanked: 20 times
GMAT Score:650

by bpolley00 » Thu Jan 24, 2013 11:19 am
Ron has already gone over this: The answer is C and here is a detailed explanation, which covers everyone's current dilemas with this question.
https://www.manhattangmat.com/forums/the ... t7402.html
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 78
Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2013 5:03 amFollowed by: 4 members
Thanked: 9 times
GMAT Score:700

by shenoydevika » Thu Jan 24, 2013 10:34 pm
As tisrar02 said, the answer choice should be C and it has been wrongly written. It should read " 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."

Thankyou bpolley00, for the link to the explanation.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 192
Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2012 5:04 pmFollowed by: 5 members
Thanked: 20 times
GMAT Score:650

by bpolley00 » Fri Jan 25, 2013 6:10 am
Absolutely. I know Ron can explain it more thoroughly than I can. I hope it helps as this SC question is a tough one.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Post new topic Locked
• Page 1 of 1