use of "so as to". CR-OG Excerpts.

This topic has expert replies
User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 1077
Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 1:44 am
Thanked: 118 times
Followed by:33 members
GMAT Score:710

use of "so as to". CR-OG Excerpts.

by bblast » Sat Jun 18, 2011 11:35 pm
what is the correct use of "so as to" ?

here are 2 excerpts i came across in OG-12 CR section yesterday.


Q7 > Moreover, the costs associated with the conversion of existing fixtures so as to accept LED arrays would be minimal.

Q9>In order to reduce the number of items damaged while in transit to customers, packaging consultants recommended that the TrueSave mail-order company increase the amount of packing material so as to fill any empty spaces in its cartons.



i know so as to is a comparator and it cannot replace in order to.

Incorrect : He exercised so as to gain weight.
Correct : Her debts are so extreme as to threaten the life out of her children.


So has the OG missed the rule in the above 2 CR questions ? Or am I missing something.
Experts : Kindly clarify.
Cheers !!

Quant 47-Striving for 50
Verbal 34-Striving for 40

My gmat journey :
https://www.beatthegmat.com/710-bblast-s ... 90735.html
My take on the GMAT RC :
https://www.beatthegmat.com/ways-to-bbla ... 90808.html
How to prepare before your MBA:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upz46D7 ... TWBZF14TKW_
Source: — Sentence Correction |

GMAT Instructor
Posts: 70
Joined: Thu Dec 16, 2010 3:22 pm
Thanked: 37 times
Followed by:18 members

by Ilana@EconomistGMAT » Sun Jun 19, 2011 2:20 am
In general, you should not try to apply the grammatical/stylistic guidelines that are valid for SC questions to the CR section of the test. The texts written for RC or CR may not fully conform to the quirks of the SC rules. Although SC insists that it merely reflects standard English grammar, the truth is that it also follows some very particular interpretations of grammar and stylistic preferences that are by no means universal - but peculiar to the minds of those who devised Sentence Correction.

As for your questions, in Q7 the meaning of "so as to" is: "enabling them", or "with the result that they are able to accept...".

In Q 9, the phrase also means: "with the result that they fill any empty spaces, etc..

User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 1077
Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 1:44 am
Thanked: 118 times
Followed by:33 members
GMAT Score:710

by bblast » Sun Jun 19, 2011 3:09 am
Kind of agree with the first part of your post Ilana, but just that some prep companies claim that so as to is a wrong usage straight away, much like "being". ON the other hand- Gmat is coming with all kinds of tricks for making usage of "being,having etc" correct. So wanna be sure abt this one.


So you mean to the say the usage of "so as to" in the above CR's is actually GMAT SC rules wise correct ?
Cheers !!

Quant 47-Striving for 50
Verbal 34-Striving for 40

My gmat journey :
https://www.beatthegmat.com/710-bblast-s ... 90735.html
My take on the GMAT RC :
https://www.beatthegmat.com/ways-to-bbla ... 90808.html
How to prepare before your MBA:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upz46D7 ... TWBZF14TKW_

GMAT Instructor
Posts: 70
Joined: Thu Dec 16, 2010 3:22 pm
Thanked: 37 times
Followed by:18 members

by Ilana@EconomistGMAT » Sun Jun 19, 2011 4:11 am
There is nothing wrong with "so as to" in general. In some Sentence Correction questions, it might be considered stylistically inferior, or inappropriate, when compared with an answer choice that uses a clearer phrase which is more appropriate in a particular occurrence. But certainly, there is absolutely no reason to eliminate an answer choice that uses "so as to" - without considering its usage relative to the other choices.

• Page 1 of 1