Homes Destroyed

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Homes Destroyed

by vishugogo » Mon Aug 19, 2013 12:42 am
Some of the homes that were destroyed and structurally compromised in the fire last year had been built by the community's earliest settlers.

1)Some of the homes that were destroyed and structurally compromised in the fire last year had been

2)Some of the homes that were destroyed or structurally compromised in the fire last year had been

3)Some of the homes that the fire destroyed and structurally compromised in the fire last year have been

4)Last year the fire destroyed and structurally compromised some of the homes that have been

5)Last year some of the homes that were destroyed or structurally compromised in the fire had been

Kindly explain with reference to verb tense error.

OA 2

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by GMATGuruNY » Mon Aug 19, 2013 4:26 am
vishugogo wrote:Some of the homes that were destroyed and structurally compromised in the fire last year had been built by the community's earliest settlers.

1)Some of the homes that were destroyed and structurally compromised in the fire last year had been

2)Some of the homes that were destroyed or structurally compromised in the fire last year had been

3)Some of the homes that the fire destroyed and structurally compromised in the fire last year have been

4)Last year the fire destroyed and structurally compromised some of the homes that have been

5)Last year some of the homes that were destroyed or structurally compromised in the fire had been

Kindly explain with reference to verb tense error.

OA 2

Source: Veritas Prep
In A, B and D, destroyed AND compromised conveys a nonsensical meaning.
If the homes were destroyed, then they no longer exist.
If the homes were only compromised, then they DO still exist.
Since A, B and D convey a contradiction in terms, eliminate A, B and D.

In E, had been built (past perfect) cannot serve to refer to a particular moment in the past (last year).
Eliminate E.

The correct answer is B.
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by vinay1983 » Mon Aug 19, 2013 9:17 am
Answer is B,, since

Last year takes had been in this sentence, have been is wrong

Then homes were either destroyed or compromised.Hence choice B

C is too wordy and ambiguous(even for the ear)



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