Sentence Correction

The personal income tax did not become permanent in the United States until the First World War;before that time the federal government was dependent on tariffs to be their main source of revenue.

A)the federal government was dependent on tariffs to be their main source of revenue

B)the federal government had dependent on tariffs as its main source of revenue

C)tariffs were what the federal government was dependent on to be its main source of revenue

D)the main source of revenue for the federal government was dependent on tariffs

E)for the main source of revenue ,tariffs were dependent on by the federal government

OA is B - Please help me understand why is D wrong

What is the source of this question? B is definitely not correct - HAD should be WAS.

D is wrong because 'main source of revenue' is the noun that is described as dependent - It should be the federal government that is the main noun of this clause.

Hi

I had read a rule that if before then the order of events is clearly specified and simple past is correct. However in this sentence still past perfect is the right option.

eg.she locked the door before she left her home. (is correct)

she had locked the door before she had left her home. (had is not required here)

GMATGuruNY wrote:The posted problem -- SC19 in the OG for Verbal 2016 -- has typos.
It should read as follows:

The personal income tax did not become permanent in the United States until the First World War;before that time the federal government was dependent on tariffs to be their main source of revenue.

A) the federal government was dependent on tariffs to be their main source of revenue

B) the federal government had depended on tariffs as its main source of revenue

C) tariffs were what the federal government was dependent on to be its main source of revenue

D) the main source of revenue for the federal government was dependent on tariffs

E) for the main source of revenue, tariffs were depended on by the federal government

In A, their (plural) does not agree with government (singular).
Eliminate A.

Generally, a preposition must be followed by a NOUN serving as the OBJECT OF THE PREPOSITION.
In C and E, on (preposition) is not followed by a noun.
Eliminate C and E.

D: the main source...was dependent on tariffs
Not the intended meaning.
The intended meaning is that the GOVERNMENT depended on tariffs.
Eliminate D.

The correct answer is B.

one more error!: in E 'for the main source' should be 'for their main source'.

babyokras wrote: one more error!: in E 'for the main source' should be 'for their main source'.

Good catch.
In my response above, I've corrected the typo in E.

Hello Mitch,

Should'nt it be simple past tense in OA because of the time marker " before" ?

aflaam wrote:Hello Mitch,

Should'nt it be simple past tense in OA because of the time marker " before" ?

One purpose of the past perfect (had + VERBed) is to indicate that an event in the more recent past is LINKED to an action further in the past (the past perfect action).

Before John became a painter, he studied music.
Here, the usage of the simple past tense for both actions conveys the following sequence:
First John studied music.
Later he became a painter.
There is no indication that the event in the more recent past (became a painter) is linked to the action further in the past (studied music).

Before John became a painter, he HAD STUDIED music.
Here, the usage of had studied (past perfect) implies the following:
When John became a painter, he STOPPED studying music.
The purpose of the past perfect is to indicate that the event in the more recent past (became a painter) is LINKED to the action further in the past (had studied music).

OA to the SC above:
The personal income tax did not become permanent in the United States until the First World War; before that time the federal government had depended on tariffs as its main source of revenue.
Here, the usage of had depended (past perfect) implies that the event in the more recent past (the First World War) is LINKED to an action further in the past (had depended on tariffs).
Implication:
When the First World War occurred, the federal government STOPPED depending on tariffs.

GMATGuruNY wrote:The posted problem -- SC19 in the OG for Verbal 2016 -- has typos.
It should read as follows:

The personal income tax did not become permanent in the United States until the First World War;before that time the federal government was dependent on tariffs to be their main source of revenue.

A) the federal government was dependent on tariffs to be their main source of revenue

B) the federal government had depended on tariffs as its main source of revenue

C) tariffs were what the federal government was dependent on to be its main source of revenue

D) the main source of revenue for the federal government was dependent on tariffs

E) for their main source of revenue, tariffs were depended on by the federal government

In A, their (plural) does not agree with government (singular).
Eliminate A.

Generally, a preposition must be followed by a NOUN serving as the OBJECT OF THE PREPOSITION.
In C and E, on (preposition) is not followed by a noun.
Eliminate C and E.

D: the main source...was dependent on tariffs
Not the intended meaning.
The intended meaning is that the GOVERNMENT depended on tariffs.
Eliminate D.

The correct answer is B.

Dear GMATGuruNY

I don't understand why C didn't follow the rule "a preposition must be followed by a NOUN serving as the OBJECT OF THE PREPOSITION"

C. tariffs were what the federal government was dependent on to be its main source of revenue
can't it be revised as "the federal government was dependent on what(=tariffs)"? then the preposition has its object?
(but if so, the following sentence "to be its main source of revenue" seems a little awkward)

Please correct me. Thank you so much!

canbtg wrote:The personal income tax did not become permanent in the United States until the First World War;before that time the federal government was dependent on tariffs to be their main source of revenue.

A)the federal government was dependent on tariffs to be their main source of revenue

B)the federal government had dependent on tariffs as its main source of revenue

C)tariffs were what the federal government was dependent on to be its main source of revenue

D)the main source of revenue for the federal government was dependent on tariffs

E)for the main source of revenue ,tariffs were dependent on by the federal government

OA is B - Please help me understand why is D wrong

in A, government is to be main source. this is absurd.
in C. the meaning is "government was dependent on the TAX to be its main source". this is the same as meaning in choice C. absurd.