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Correct Usage of Being

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Correct Usage of Being

by sungoal » Mon Nov 14, 2011 7:28 pm
Charles Lindbergh, for his attempt at a solo transatlantic flight, was very reluctant to have any extra weight on his plane, he therefore refused to carry even a pound of mail, despite being offered $1,000 to do so.
A. Charles Lindbergh, for his attempt at a solo transatlantic flight, was very reluctant to have any extra weight on his plane, he therefore
B. When Charles Lindbergh was attempting his solo transatlantic flight, being very reluctant to have any extra weight on his plane, he
C. Since he was very reluctant to carry any extra weight on his plane when he was attempting his solo transatlantic flight, so Charles Lindbergh
D. Being very reluctant to carry any extra weight on his plane when he attempted his solo transatlantic flight was the reason that Charles Lindbergh
E. Very reluctant to have any extra weight on his plane when he attempted his solo transatlantic flight, Charles Lindbergh

Source: GMATPrep

Experts please explain why option D is wrong. I found D similar to a officially correct sentence below:

Being heavily committed to a course of action, especially one that has worked well in the past, is likely to make an executive miss signs of incipient trouble or misinterpret them when they do appear. This is a correct answer picked from OG12 SC question. What is the difference in the sentence structure between this sentence and option D mentioned above
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by thestartupguy » Tue Nov 15, 2011 12:24 am
sungoal wrote:Charles Lindbergh, for his attempt at a solo transatlantic flight, was very reluctant to have any extra weight on his plane, he therefore refused to carry even a pound of mail, despite being offered $1,000 to do so.
A. Charles Lindbergh, for his attempt at a solo transatlantic flight, was very reluctant to have any extra weight on his plane, he therefore [Semicolon is required to introduce an independent clause]
B. When Charles Lindbergh was attempting his solo transatlantic flight, being very reluctant to have any extra weight on his plane, he [Being - modifier error]
C. Since he was very reluctant to carry any extra weight on his plane when he was attempting his solo transatlantic flight, so Charles Lindbergh [wrong construction]
D. Being very reluctant to carry any extra weight on his plane when he attempted his solo transatlantic flight was the reason that Charles Lindbergh [being - modifier error]
E. Very reluctant to have any extra weight on his plane when he attempted his solo transatlantic flight, Charles Lindbergh [Correct answer, Charles current modifies 'very reluctant..']

Source: GMATPrep

Experts please explain why option D is wrong. I found D similar to a officially correct sentence below:

Being heavily committed to a course of action, especially one that has worked well in the past, is likely to make an executive miss signs of incipient trouble or misinterpret them when they do appear. This is a correct answer picked from OG12 SC question. What is the difference in the sentence structure between this sentence and option D mentioned above

IMO E
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by tuanquang269 » Tue Nov 15, 2011 1:46 pm
Hi, msr4mba, you give your example quite similar in the bottom line, but you do not give any remain 4 answer choices of that problem. Because GMAT always looks us choosing the best answer choice. In Charles Lindbergh problem, choice D is very very wordy and sound bad. E is better express clear meaning.

Hope that help
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by gmatpup » Wed Nov 16, 2011 7:43 am
D. Being very reluctant to carry any extra weight on his plane when he attempted his solo transatlantic flight was the reason that Charles Lindbergh


When you see a sentence begin with 'Being' it usually must be a subordinate clause and must properly modify the noun right after. For example, if a sentence is written as "Being the only person at the game, Bob sat in the front row" (something like that) , then the use of Being is correct because it is BOB that is the only person at the game. Choice D is a run on sentence and the phrase "Being very reluctant to carry any extra weight on his plane etc." is not modifying Charles Lindbergh properly.

I hope this helps in some way
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by GMATGuruNY » Wed Nov 16, 2011 7:54 am
sungoal wrote:Charles Lindbergh, for his attempt at a solo transatlantic flight, was very reluctant to have any extra weight on his plane, he therefore refused to carry even a pound of mail, despite being offered $1,000 to do so.
A. Charles Lindbergh, for his attempt at a solo transatlantic flight, was very reluctant to have any extra weight on his plane, he therefore
B. When Charles Lindbergh was attempting his solo transatlantic flight, being very reluctant to have any extra weight on his plane, he
C. Since he was very reluctant to carry any extra weight on his plane when he was attempting his solo transatlantic flight, so Charles Lindbergh
D. Being very reluctant to carry any extra weight on his plane when he attempted his solo transatlantic flight was the reason that Charles Lindbergh
E. Very reluctant to have any extra weight on his plane when he attempted his solo transatlantic flight, Charles Lindbergh

Source: GMATPrep

Experts please explain why option D is wrong. I found D similar to a officially correct sentence below:

Being heavily committed to a course of action, especially one that has worked well in the past, is likely to make an executive miss signs of incipient trouble or misinterpret them when they do appear. This is a correct answer picked from OG12 SC question. What is the difference in the sentence structure between this sentence and option D mentioned above
In D, being very RELUCTANT TO CARRY...was the reason that Charles Lindbergh REFUSED TO CARRY seems redundant.

The primary issue, however, is meaning: the sentence intends to focus on CHARLES LINDBERGH, but the subject in D is BEING VERY RELUCTANT. By making CHARLES LINDBERG the subject and turning VERY RELUCTANT into a modifier, E expresses the intended meaning better:

VERY RELUCTANT to have any extra weight...CHARLES LINDBERGH refused to carry.
Being heavily committed to a course of action, especially one that has worked well in the past, is likely to make an executive miss signs of incipient trouble or misinterpret them when they do appear.
The intention of this SC is to focus not on an executive but on the dangers of BEING HEAVILY COMMITTED. Thus, it is appropriate that BEING HEAVILY COMMITTED is the subject of the sentence.
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