Oversupply

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Oversupply

by AnjaliOberoi » Tue Dec 24, 2013 10:03 pm
Because an oversupply of computer chips has sent prices plunging, the manufacturer
has announced that it will cut production by closing its factories for two days a
month.
A. Because an oversupply of computer chips has sent prices plunging
B. Because of plunging prices for computer chips, which is due to an oversupply
C. Because computer chip prices have been sent plunging, which resulted from an
oversupply
D. Due to plunging computer chip prices from an oversupply
E. Due to an oversupply, with the result that computer chip prices have been sent
plunging

OA A, not able to make the problem with D

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by Mike@Magoosh » Wed Dec 25, 2013 4:08 pm
AnjaliOberoi wrote:Because an oversupply of computer chips has sent prices plunging, the manufacturer
has announced that it will cut production by closing its factories for two days a
month.
A. Because an oversupply of computer chips has sent prices plunging
B. Because of plunging prices for computer chips, which is due to an oversupply
C. Because computer chip prices have been sent plunging, which resulted from an
oversupply
D. Due to plunging computer chip prices from an oversupply
E. Due to an oversupply, with the result that computer chip prices have been sent
plunging

OA A, not able to make the problem with D
Dear AnjaliOberoi,
I'm happy to respond. :-)

The problem with (D) & (E) is the phrase "due to." The phrase "due to" is not entirely synonymous with "because of", but it is often erroneously used this way. The words "because of" are a compound preposition, so "because of X" can be an adverbial phrase that modifies the action of the following clause. By contrast, the word "due" is an adjective, and needs to modify a noun. When the phrase "Due to A" begins a sentence, the first noun following that phrase is modified by "due". Think of the sentence in (D):
Due to plunging computer chip prices from an oversupply, the manufacturer has announced that it will cut production by closing its factories for two days a month.
In that version, we are saying that the "manufacturer" is "due to plunging computer chip prices ...." --- in other words, the manufacturer is somehow caused by plunging prices ---- of course, that makes no sense at all.

See more of an explanation here:
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2013/gmat-idiom ... nsequence/

Does this make sense?
Mike :-)
Magoosh GMAT Instructor
https://gmat.magoosh.com/

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by theCodeToGMAT » Wed Dec 25, 2013 11:28 pm
Mike@Magoosh wrote:
AnjaliOberoi wrote: The words "because of" are a compound preposition, so "because of X" can be an adverbial phrase that modifies the action of the following clause. By contrast, the word "due" is an adjective, and needs to modify a noun. When the phrase "Due to A" begins a sentence, the first noun following that phrase is modified by "due".
Hey Mike, Thanks for this useful information...
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