Sentence Correction

Among developing nations, Latin American states are more likely than Asian nations to place power in the hands of communist-leaning chieftains creating hostile environments for Western firms and discouraging aid groups from undertaking development initiatives, and prefer unconditional loans.

a) creating hostile environments for Western firms and discouraging aid groups from undertaking development initiatives, and prefer

b) creating hostile environments for Western firms, discouraging aid groups from undertaking development initiatives, and preferring

c) that create hostile environments for Western firms and discourage aid groups from undertaking development initiatives, and prefer

d) that create hostile environments for Western firms and discourage aid groups from undertaking development initiatives, preferring

e) that create hostile environments for Western firms, discouraging aid groups from undertaking development initiatives and preferring

OA: D

Whats the difference between the OA and my answer C ?

The explanation is as follows:


Note two important aspects of the sentence as written. "Creating" and "discouraging" are set up in a parallel construction. The correct choice needs to keep it that way. Second, the final clause is separated by a comma followed by "and" so, since it is not part of a list, the clause should be a complete sentence. It is not, so (A) and (C) are incorrect.
Choice (B) maintains the parallelism and incorporates the final clause into a three-part list. This is grammatically correct, but it changes the intent of the sentence. Logically, the final clause modifies the previous one-the chieftains prefer unconditional loans to development initiatives. Thus, it doesn't make sense to put this final clause on equal footing in the list.
Choice (D) corrects the error in (B), and while it changes the verb form for the parallel items, the items remain parallel. (E) changes "creating" to "create" but doesn't change "discouraging," so it alters the structure (and logic) of the original sentence. Choice (D) is correct.


...Second, the final clause is separated by a comma followed by "and" so, since it is not part of a list, the clause should be a complete sentence...where do you think "preferring unconditional loans" is a complete sentece?!

Thx

where do you think "preferring unconditional loans" is a complete sentece?!

Hi Goldfinger2001,

You're absolutely right, this part of the explanation does not make any sense. There is no need for that portion to be a complete sentence, and it isn't a complete sentence in any of the answer options. So you're right to be confused.

There are two items you need to pay attention to. First, "create/ing" and "discourage/ing" need to be parallel. E is out.

But the most important issue is "and." WITH "and" the phrase is coordinated with the preceding phrases. WITHOUT "and" it is subordinated. In order words: WITH "and" the phrase becomes its own new piece of information (as in: by the way, they also prefer unconditional loans). WITHOUT "and" the phrase modifies the previous portion (the info about aid groups).

The sentence only makes sense when the final portion modifies "discouraging aid groups from undertaking development initiatives." Why do communist-leaning chieftains discourage these initiatives? Because they PREFER UNCONDITIONAL LOANS! Development initiatives are CONDITIONAL, dependent on some kind of performance of governments etc.

Hope this helps! If you need any more support, please feel free to contact me.

Good luck!

Thanks for the explanaition!

Makes perfectly sense

Why answer can't be E ? "discourage" and "prefer" can be parallel and no where meaning suggests that these two verbs can't be parallel .

Hi GMATMadeEasy,

Good point, and thanks to your remark I edited my post. "Create" and "discourage" are the two verbs that need to be parallel because they are part of two coordinated clauses with the same subject.

However, on 2nd viewing, the main issue is "and." Really what's going on is that by using "and," the part about preferring unconditional loans becomes coordinated with the other two parts of the sentence. Visually, we can represent it as follows:

communist-leaning chieftains
a. create hostile environments for Western firms
b. discourage aid groups from undertaking development initiatives
c. prefer unconditional loans

Actually, when you look at it like this, it already doesn't make sense. It's like saying:

Dictators
a. oppress their people
b. are undemocratic
c. like milkshakes
See, as a list it doesn't work. Lists should consist of things that have something in common, such as why communist-leaning chieftains are bad for the economy of their countries.

If you leave out "and" and use "preferring," you end up with a subordinated or dependent clause. The information can then be visualized as follows:

communist-leaning chieftains
a. create hostile environments for Western firms
b. discourage aid groups from undertaking development initiatives,
--------because the chieftains prefer unconditional loans

See, you want the last part to be a dependent clause, modifying the prior portion about development issues (see my previous response).

OK, hope this clears that up.

A = use of - creating -- not ok as no need to use participle.

B = no need to use creating and further building parallelism of these.

C = use of relative clause THAT = ok & parallelism across AND = ok

D = preferring = not in parallelism

E = structure er + not in parallelism

I will go with C.... am I missing something ?