Noun phrase

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neeti2711: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 116; Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2012 9:48 pm; Thanked: 3 times

by neeti2711 » Thu Mar 16, 2017 12:20 am

Despite offering significant discounts, Detroit automakers were losing U.S. market share to lower-cost rivals from Japan and South Korea, which are gaining ground even while offering smaller discounts.

(A) Despite offering significant discounts, Detroit automakers were losing
(B) Despite offering significant discounts, Detroit automakers are losing
(C) Despite significant discounts, the Detroit automakers lost
(D) Despite significant discounts, the Detroit automakers continuing to lose
(E) The Detroit automakers, despite significant discounts, were losing

OA: B

'Despite' is a preposition and so should be followed by a noun or noun phrase. Is "offering significant discounts" a noun phrase?

Source: Beat The GMAT — Sentence Correction | Thu Mar 16, 2017 12:20 am

Ali Tariq: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 272; Joined: Wed Nov 09, 2016 11:11 amFollowed by: 204 members; Location: Lahore, Pakistan; Thanked: 87 times

by Ali Tariq » Thu Mar 16, 2017 2:52 am

'Despite' is a preposition and so should be followed by a noun or noun phrase

Correct!

Is "offering significant discounts" a noun phrase?

Yes!

To be more specific,
"offering significant discounts" is a gerund phrase. gerunds are Verbing nouns.

Offering is a Direct object(noun) of preposition despite.

discounts is a Direct object(noun) of gerund offering.

Significant is an adjective modifying discounts

Which discounts?
Significant discounts.

Direct objects answer what or whom

Despite what?
Despite offering

Offering what?
offering discounts.

which discounts?
significant discounts.

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Ali Tariq: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 272; Joined: Wed Nov 09, 2016 11:11 amFollowed by: 204 members; Location: Lahore, Pakistan; Thanked: 87 times

by Ali Tariq » Thu Mar 16, 2017 2:58 am

Can you spot noun phrase/gerund phrase in the following sentence?

Riding a roller coaster scares my younger brother, who is 32 years old.

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Ali Tariq: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 272; Joined: Wed Nov 09, 2016 11:11 amFollowed by: 204 members; Location: Lahore, Pakistan; Thanked: 87 times

by Ali Tariq » Thu Mar 16, 2017 3:02 am

Riding a roller coaster, Ali passed out.

Is Riding a roller coaster still a noun( noun phrase / gerund phrase)?

Ans:NO .

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