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Should vs If dilemma..!! Experts please.

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Should vs If dilemma..!! Experts please.

by dhonu121 » Sun Jun 10, 2012 3:44 am
Should present metal prices continue their sharp rise, the value of the copper in a penny will soon be greater than the face value of the coin.

(A) Should present metal prices continue their sharp rise,
(B) If present metal prices are continuing their sharp rise,
(C) If present metal prices continue to sharply rise,
(D) Continuation of sharply rising metal prices should mean that
(E) Metal prices' sharp rise continuing should mean that

OA:A

What's wrong with C ?
Is the construction in A supported by GMAT ?
I don't remember the source, but I do remember reading somewhere that the construction such as in A is not favored by GMAT.
Any help here pls.
Last edited by dhonu121 on Sun Jun 10, 2012 9:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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by patanjali.purpose » Sun Jun 10, 2012 11:55 am
dhonu121 wrote:Should present metal prices continue their sharp rise, the value of the copper in a penny will soon be greater than the face value of the coin.

(A) Should present metal prices continue their sharp rise,
(B) If present metal prices are continuing their sharp rise,
(C) If present metal prices continue to sharply rise,
(D) Continuation of sharply rising metal prices should mean that
(E) Metal prices' sharp rise continuing should mean that

OA:A

What's wrong with C ?
Is the construction in A supported by GMAT ?
I don't remember the source, but I do remember reading somewhere that the construction such as in A is not favored by GMAT.
Any help here pls.
A is grammatically correct.

IMO in C the placement of SHARPLY is inappropriate (TO RISE SHARPLY would have been better).

Moreover, the use of SHOULD suggest A SLIGHT POSSIBILITY of something happening.

IF PRICES CONTINUE TO RISE (means we expect PRICES TO RISE or there is a likelyhood of PRICE INCREASING)

SHOULD PRICES CONTINUE TO RISE (means we do not expect PRICES TO RISE or its UNLIKELY THAT "PRICE WILL RISE", but just in case PRICE RISE THEN I expect THE VALUE...COIN').
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by confuse mind » Sun Jun 10, 2012 6:56 pm
even I read the same that usage of 'should' is not recommended by GMAT in conditional sentences.
'if' is supposed to be used.

IMO - C
to sharply rise - looks correct- adverb modifying a verb.

(i am not sure if GMAT considers this sentence wrong on the basis of split infinitive)
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by ankita1709 » Sun Jun 10, 2012 8:08 pm
Should is generally used to give a authoritative tone. I don't think use of Should id justified in this sentence.
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by [email protected] » Mon Jun 11, 2012 1:27 am
Should present metal prices continue their sharp rise, the value of the copper in a penny will soon be greater than the face value of the coin.

(A) Should present metal prices continue their sharp rise,
(B) If present metal prices are continuing their sharp rise,
(C) If present metal prices continue to sharply rise,
(D) Continuation of sharply rising metal prices should mean that
(E) Metal prices' sharp rise continuing should mean that


I do not know why but I think I have an explanation for this. If you use your logic quotient, then you find that option A and Option B are similar in meaning. That means they sound as though
both are conditional sentences. I had written in one of my posts, the 4 types of conditional
sentences.

This is the first type: i.e the if clause is in the simple present tense and the then clause is in the simple future tense.

Also that means this kind of usage with 'should' = 'if' conditional sentence.

And I have no idea as to whether this type of a usage is used in gmat or no. But I have seen it for the first time in my so called GMAT career....

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by Kasia@EconomistGMAT » Mon Jun 11, 2012 2:23 am
Answer a combines two difficult grammatical problems:
1. the usage of "should" in conditional sentences
2. inversion and the omission of "if" in conditional sentences.

"Should" is used in conditionals in order to suggest that something is unlikely, or not particularly probable.
e.g. If you should run into Peter, tell him he owes me a letter.

Inversion and the omission of "if", on the other hand, are used in formal styles. This happens with "were", "had", and "should."
e.g. Should you change your mind, let me know ASAP.
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by dhonu121 » Mon Jun 11, 2012 2:30 am
Thanks Kasia.
But that was not quite helpful.
What's wrong with C and howz A better than C ?
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by Kasia@EconomistGMAT » Mon Jun 11, 2012 1:00 pm
Answer c has two drawbacks:
1. It doesn't use "should" and, thus, the meaning of the original sentence is changed
2. the adverb "sharply" is placed between "to" and "rise", which makes this answer stylistically inferior
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by rajcools » Mon Jun 11, 2012 1:47 pm
here is explanation by Ron,similar to kasia

https://www.manhattangmat.com/forums/fut ... t7537.html
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