Dear
[email protected],
I'm happy to respond.
First of all, notice that you are posting a question that has already be posted and discussed thoroughly on BTG. See this link:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/private-inve ... 53864.html
As a general rule, it's much better to read an existing discussion, perhaps adding your own questions, rather than beginning an entirely new thread.
Here's the text:
During the 1980s, approximately $50 billion in private investment capital is estimated to have left Mexico and added to the strain on the country's debt-ridden economy.
(A) During the 1980s, approximately $50 billion in private investment capital is estimated to have left Mexico and added
(B) During the 1980s, it is estimated that approximately $50 billion in private investment capital left Mexico and added
(C) It is estimated that there was approximately 50 billion in private investment capital that left Mexico during the 1980's and added
(D) It is estimated that during the 1980's approximately 50 billion in private investment capital left Mexico, adding
(E) Approximately 50 billion in private investment capital is estimated as having left Mexico during the 1980's, adding
The OA is [spoiler]
(D)[/spoiler].
The first three answer choices make a logic mistake. The "
capital" certainly "
left", but the "
capital" itself didn't "
add to the strain on the country's debt-ridden economy." What added to the strain was not simply the noun, the "
capital", but the entire action of the clause, the fact that the capital left the country. That's why "
adding" must be a participle, modifying the entire clause, because it refer to the action of the entire clause.
The first three commit this logical mistake, and the fifth is wildly awkward and incorrect. The phrasing "
estimated as having left" is atrocious. The word "
estimate" never never never takes the preposition "
as."
Here's a free GMAT idiom ebook:
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2013/gmat-idiom-ebook/
Does all this make sense?
Mike
