Sentence Correction

Since 1990 the global economy has grown ... to 1950.

A) Since 1990 the global economy has grown more than it did during the 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture to 1950.
B) Since 1990 the growth of the global economy has been more than that during 10,000 years, from when agriculture began.
C) The growth of the global economy since 1990 exceeds that which had been for 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture.
D) The growth of the global economy since 1990 exceeds what it has been for 10,000 years, from when agriculture began
E) The growth of the global economy since 1990 exceeds what it did for the 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture.

Experts please explain why OA A is correct and other choices are wrong. I am totally confused with this SC

Hi .. are you sure that all the answer choices listed below are taken as it is ?? Coz i see the choices which dont mention 1950s.

Despite of that. The answer can be spotted out on basis of some basic flaws.

lets go one by one.

A) Since 1990 the global economy has grown more than it did during the 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture to 1950.---

Since <90> globl eco [HAS GROWN] more than <comparison> it did during 10,000 yrs [bla bla bla] to 1950.

here a clear cut comparison with diff time periods has been given. So we have no reason other than it looks a bit awkward while reading to cut it out ..so lets park it.

B) Since 1990 the growth of the global economy has been more than that during 10,000 years, from when agriculture began

Major flaw here is comparison of growth [ since 90 growth HAS BEEN ...it means still its growing...] to [ during 10000 yrs] ...it doesnt say that does 1990 comes under that 10000 yrs period of which it is talking abt?

Chuck this choice on basis of ambiguity


C)The growth of the global economy since 1990 exceeds that which had been for 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture.

Same flaw as in B we cant say that 1990 is counted in 10000 yrs of comparison or is excluded. Moreover HAS BEEN should not be used here as it describes the grwth during one time and another. The primal usage should be HAS rather than HAS BEEN.

D) The growth of the global economy since 1990 exceeds what it has been for 10,000 years, from when agriculture began
Here also the same flaw.

the growth ...since 1990 exceeds ..what it has been for 10000yrs ,,, ok this has another comparison error... growth since 1990 exceeds (what it has been for 10000 yrs)? this is not right. growth since 90///should be parallel to a time frame which is 1950 ....now we dont have a clarity in this regarding the time frame.

So chuck this one too.

E) The growth of the global economy since 1990 exceeds what it did for the 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture.

The ambiguity in time period again causes this choice to fall...

So u were left with the choice A which was awkward in hearing but seems is the fairest of all ..

Hope this helps

Since 1990 the global economy has grown more than it did during the 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture to 1950.

A) Since 1990 the global economy has grown more than it did during the 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture to 1950.
B) Since 1990 the growth of the global economy has been more than that during 10,000 years, from when agriculture began.
C) The growth of the global economy since 1990 exceeds that which had been for 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture.
D) The growth of the global economy since 1990 exceeds what it has been for 10,000 years, from when agriculture began
E) The growth of the global economy since 1990 exceeds what it did for the 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture.

Avoid answer choices that change a verb to a noun. The verb in A (has grown) is changed to a noun (growth) in B, C, D, and E. So we should be very skeptical of B, C, D and E.

In B, the pronoun that has no clear antecedent. Also, the adverb when seems to be functioning -- incorrectly -- as the object of the preposition from. Eliminate B.

In C, the verb had been should not be in the past perfect tense. Eliminate C.

In D, exceeds and has been should not both be in the present tense, because the two actions are not happening contemporaneously (at the same time). Also, the adverb when seems to be functioning -- incorrectly -- as the object of the preposition from. Eliminate D.

In E, it is unclear what other verb is being replaced by the verb did. Did what exactly? Eliminate E.

The correct answer is A.

thanks vatsalroxy , Gmatguru

I undersand the question but I am still confused about that you said

• In D, exceeds and has been should not both be in the present tense, because the two actions are not happening contemporaneously (at the same time).

But in C exceeds and had been in different tense so why that is wrong?


Also, the adverb when seems to be functioning -- incorrectly -- as the object of the preposition from. Eliminate D

I have red in post by RON that


there's nothing ungrammatical about 'from when',

Please clarify.

GMATGuruNY wrote:

Since 1990 the global economy has grown more than it did during the 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture to 1950.

A) Since 1990 the global economy has grown more than it did during the 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture to 1950.
B) Since 1990 the growth of the global economy has been more than that during 10,000 years, from when agriculture began.
C) The growth of the global economy since 1990 exceeds that which had been for 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture.
D) The growth of the global economy since 1990 exceeds what it has been for 10,000 years, from when agriculture began
E) The growth of the global economy since 1990 exceeds what it did for the 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture.

Avoid answer choices that change a verb to a noun. The verb in A (has grown) is changed to a noun (growth) in B, C, D, and E. So we should be very skeptical of B, C, D and E.

In B, the pronoun that has no clear antecedent. Also, the adverb when seems to be functioning -- incorrectly -- as the object of the preposition from. Eliminate B.

In C, the verb had been should not be in the past perfect tense. Eliminate C.

In D, exceeds and has been should not both be in the present tense, because the two actions are not happening contemporaneously (at the same time). Also, the adverb when seems to be functioning -- incorrectly -- as the object of the preposition from. Eliminate D.

In E, it is unclear what other verb is being replaced by the verb did. Did what exactly? Eliminate E.

The correct answer is A.

prac wrote:thanks vatsalroxy , Gmatguru

I undersand the question but I am still confused about that you said

• In D, exceeds and has been should not both be in the present tense, because the two actions are not happening contemporaneously (at the same time).

But in C exceeds and had been in different tense so why that is wrong?


Also, the adverb when seems to be functioning -- incorrectly -- as the object of the preposition from. Eliminate D

I have red in post by RON that

there's nothing ungrammatical about 'from when',

Please clarify.

In C:
The word since requires the present perfect tense: the growth...since 1990 has exceeded....

The past perfect verb had been should be in the regular past tense: the growth...since 1990 has exceeded...[what the growth] was....

I would be skeptical of an answer choice that uses the construction from when. The object of a preposition should be a noun. I doubt that the GMAT writers would deem the phrase when agriculture began a suitable noun. Much better is the construction from the beginning of agriculture. That being said, there are better reasons to eliminate B and D.

Thanks a lot GMATGURU !!!!

Now I understand why C is wrong

GMATGuruNY wrote:

prac wrote:thanks vatsalroxy , Gmatguru

I undersand the question but I am still confused about that you said

• In D, exceeds and has been should not both be in the present tense, because the two actions are not happening contemporaneously (at the same time).

But in C exceeds and had been in different tense so why that is wrong?


Also, the adverb when seems to be functioning -- incorrectly -- as the object of the preposition from. Eliminate D

I have red in post by RON that

there's nothing ungrammatical about 'from when',

Please clarify.

In C:
The word since requires the present perfect tense: the growth...since 1990 has exceeded....

The past perfect verb had been should be in the regular past tense: the growth...since 1990 has exceeded...[what the growth] was....

I would be skeptical of an answer choice that uses the construction from when. The object of a preposition should be a noun. I doubt that the GMAT writers would deem the phrase when agriculture began to be a suitable noun. The use of a clear noun as the object of the preposition from would be better, as in from the beginning of agriculture. That being said, there are better reasons to eliminate B and D.

The very basic and fundamental rule of ellipsis (avoiding repetition of word(s) in the latter part of the sentence) is that the words being avoided must have already appeared in the sentence.

B. Since verb is not getting repeated in the second part of the sentence, the same verb (has been) will be assumed. So, B would read:

Since 1990 the growth of the global economy has been more than growth has been during 10,000 years, from when agriculture began.

But has been in the latter part of the sentence doesnt make sense, since simple past (....growth was during 10,000 years..) should be used

C. ...which had been (growing).... But growing is not mentioned anywhere in the sentence. Hence this is not correct.

D. ...it has been (growing).... Again, growing is not mentioned anywhere in the sentence. Hence this is not correct.

E. Multiple problems. it would refer to growth of the global economy. So, the latter part of the sentence does not make sense: ...what growth of the global economy did for the 10,000 years.
Another issue: exceed is the only verb and so, did would refer to exceeded, while the intent is that did should refer to exceeded.

Finally, A is:

Since 1990 the global economy has grown more than it (global economy) did (grew) during the 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture to 1950.

I am confused in one thing in Option A i.e it says that "10,000 years to 1950". Doesn't tht mean that 1950 was the 10,000 th year? What I have noticed and infact read that we cant make our own prediction that this particular year would be Xth year.

Can anyone clear my doubt please..........

GMAT-Prep SC: Final solution at one place:

Important: The purpose of this post (and all the other posts by me) is to give a complete solution to all GMAT-Prep Verbal questions at one place. Sometimes students have to wade through dozens of posts to get to the final answer. My posts will give one complete and crisp solution required to arrive at the correct answer by eliminating the wrong ones. Some of the content in these posts may have been taken from various other sources (discussion forums).

Since 1990 the global economy has grown more than it did during the 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture to 1950.
(A) Since 1990 the global economy has grown more than it did during the 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture
(B) Since 1990 the growth of the global economy has been more than that during 10,000 years, from when agriculture began
(C) The growth of the global economy since 1990 exceeds that which had been for 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture
(D) The growth of the global economy since 1990 exceeds what it has been for 10,000 years, from when agriculture began
(E) The growth of the global economy since 1990 exceeds what it did for the 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture

This question can be very easily answered by VAN ... Verb > Adjective > Noun ... verb forms are preferred to the adjective forms; the adjective forms are preferred to the noun forms.

Choice A has 'has grown (verb form)'. All the other choices have 'growth (noun form). So A has to be correct provided there are no other errors in A.

A. 'Since 1990' definitely mandates present perfect tense, so 'has grown' is correct. 'Has grown more than it (the global economy) did (grew)' ... this shows proper parallelism and comparison.

We have to be specific as to 'which 10000 years?' The use of the word 'the' is correct here. It shows a specific period with a starting point (the beginning of agriculture ... this is a noun ... exact point in time when agriculture started) and an end point (1950).

So choice A has no grammatical errors. CORRECT.

B: the word 'the' is missing ... WRONG
C: 'that which' ... wrong; 'had been (past perfect tense)' ... wrong as there is only one past action.
D: 'has been' is definitely wrong as we are referring only up to 1950, not till now.
E: The growth of the global economy since 1990 exceeds what it (the growth) did ... wrong meaning. The 'growth' didn't do anything.
Also, the word 'exceeds' is definitely wrong in such a construction (C, D, and E eliminated).

Another similar question from GMAT-Prep:

Between 1990 and 2000 the global economy grew more than it did during the 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture to 1950.
A. Between 1990 and 2000 the global economy grew more than it did during the 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture
B. Between 1990 and 2000 the global economy grew more than that during 10,000 years, from when agriculture began
C. The growth of the global economy between 1990 and 2000 exceeds that which has been for 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture
D. The growth of the global economy between 1990 and 2000 exceeds what it has been for 10,000 years, from when agriculture began
E. The growth of the global economy between 1990 and 2000 exceeded what it did for 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture

Correct answer: A (refer to the explanation above).