So many as or As many as?

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So many as or As many as?

by umaa » Sun Nov 30, 2008 6:16 pm
Never before had taxpayers confronted so many changes at once as they had in the Tax Return Reform Act of 1986.

A.
B. at once as many changes as
C. at once as many changes that there were with
D. As many changes at once as they confronted in
E. so many changes at once that confronted them in

Answer and Explanation:

A is wrong because had is a wrong verb. We have to use simple past tense instead of (they had in)
B. Totally wrong. A Clause must follow "as"
C. Totally wrong. A Clause must follow "as"
D. Correct.
E. so many as is the sorrect idiom. Wrong

So, D is the correct answer.


My question is, We should use "so many as" instead of "as many as" in negative context. The above one is the negative context ("Never before had taxpayers"). So, I believe"So many as" should come instead of "as many as" in the correct sentence. Let me know if I'm wrong[/u][/b]
Source: — Sentence Correction |

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by Tryingmybest » Sun Nov 30, 2008 6:58 pm
Please clarify if the following sentence is gramatically correct.
Never before had taxpayers confronted so many changes at once as they did in the Tax Return Reform Act of 1986.

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by umaa » Sun Nov 30, 2008 7:57 pm
Tryingmybest, Its correct IMHO.

Do you think we have to use "as many as" instead of "so many as"?

Thanks,
Umaa

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by vittalgmat » Sun Nov 30, 2008 8:18 pm
Tryingmybest wrote:Please clarify if the following sentence is gramatically correct.
Never before had taxpayers confronted so many changes at once as they did in the Tax Return Reform Act of 1986.
Not sure whether "so many X as Y" is a correct usage.

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by umaa » Sun Nov 30, 2008 8:23 pm
I studied we should use so many x as y for negative context. Need clarifications if its not correct.

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by iamcste » Mon Dec 01, 2008 1:04 am


Not so many X as Y is the correct usage
So X that Y is corect as well




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by vish150783 » Mon Dec 01, 2008 5:57 am
As many X as Y. X and Y need to be similar terms. Like may be two fruits or two vegetables. So many X can be used in an isolated fashion and as a absolute.

Thats my understanding.

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by vish150783 » Mon Dec 01, 2008 6:01 am
As many X as Y. X and Y need to be similar terms. Like may be two fruits or two vegetables. So many X can be used in an isolated fashion and as a absolute.

Thats my understanding.

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by vish150783 » Mon Dec 01, 2008 6:07 am
As many X as Y. X and Y need to be similar terms. Like may be two fruits or two vegetables. So many X can be used in an isolated fashion and as a absolute.

Thats my understanding.

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by nervesofsteel » Wed Dec 03, 2008 1:42 am
IMO A

Never before had taxpayers confronted so many changes at once as they had in the Tax Return Reform Act of 1986.

A : so many changes at once as they had < - correct
D. As many changes at once as they confronted in <- unnecessary use of Confronted..

Also past perfect tense is used to describe an event happened before the recent event...and past tense is used to describe recent event in A

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by VodkaBoy » Wed Dec 03, 2008 2:00 pm
The answer is D

The idiom is "as many as..." - wipe out A, C and E.
" as many changes as the Tax Return Reform" - ridiculous! Good bye B!

In the option D : we need the construction "Never before had taxpayers confronted ... as they confronted", past perfect and then past simple to show the sequence of events.
iamcste wrote:

Not so many X as Y is the correct usage
So X that Y is corect as well

AGREE 100%

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by luvkarena » Sun Jan 11, 2009 3:20 am
I don't understand the sentence structure of "Never before had taxpayers confronted ...". Will it be the same as "Never before taxpayers had confronted ..."? If no, what are the differences? Please enlighten me.
Thanks.

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Doubts in choice b explanation

by adnan1947 » Sat Sep 12, 2009 10:33 pm
I agree that with the answer choice given. But I am a doubt regarding choice b.

The first part is incorrect and completely agree to that. But the second part of choice b says that as should be followed by a clause:

but isn't the tax reforms act of 1986 a clause. Kindly share your views

regards,
adnan[/b]

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