BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem
TTP OnDemand GMAT Video Course
Featured Course

Target Test Prep GMAT OnDemand

Scott Woodbury-Stewart’s private virtual classroom — 400 hours of master-class video lessons for the GMAT Focus Edition.

  • 715+ score guarantee — highest in the industry (99th percentile)
  • 52 chapters · 1,500+ lessons · 4,000+ practice questions
  • 400 hours of video · 1,500+ instructor-led HD smartboard lessons
  • 300,000+ students accepted to Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Booth & Sloan & more
  • 24/7 live support + weekly Zoom office hours with GMAT instructors
  • TTP AI Assist — 24/7 AI-powered virtual tutor for instant help
  • 1,200+ flashcards + AI-powered study assistant & daily calendar
  • OnDemand, LiveTeach & GMAT Bootcamp formats available
  • Also: GRE, SAT Math & Executive Assessment courses
  • MBA Admissions Consulting now available
  • 🏆 2025 EdTech Breakthrough Award: Test Prep Solution Provider of the Year
  • 200,000+ students served
  • 5-day free trial — $0 to start, no auto-billing, cancel anytime
★★★★★ 5.0 (559 reviews)
130-pt guarantee
$0 to start then $127/mo
Start Free 5-Day Trial Read 559 Reviews →

cosmological advances

Expert replies
Post new topic Locked
Previous Topic Next Topic
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 172
Joined: Fri Oct 21, 2011 9:10 pmFollowed by: 2 members
Thanked: 7 times
by satishchandra » Fri Jan 06, 2012 9:18 pm
Recent cosmological advances have made it possible to observe stellar objects that would only a decade ago have been unable to be viewed.

(A) it possible to observe stellar objects that would only a decade ago have been unable to be viewed
(B) it possible to observe stellar objects that would have been invisible only a decade ago
(C) possible that one can observe stellar objects invisible only a decade ago
(D) possible the observing of stellar objects that were not capable of being viewed only a decade ago
(E) possible the observing of stellar objects that only a decade ago would not have been able to be viewed

OA: B

I thought B changes the meaning slightly by changing "unable to be viewed" to "invisible"

Are there any grammatical errors in A?
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Source: — Sentence Correction |
User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 15539
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 12:04 pmFollowed by: 1906 members
Location: New York, NY
Thanked: 13060 times
GMAT Score:790

by GMATGuruNY » Sat Jan 07, 2012 4:49 am
satishchandra wrote:Recent cosmological advances have made it possible to observe stellar objects that would only a decade ago have been unable to be viewed.

(A) it possible to observe stellar objects that would only a decade ago have been unable to be viewed
(B) it possible to observe stellar objects that would have been invisible only a decade ago
(C) possible that one can observe stellar objects invisible only a decade ago
(D) possible the observing of stellar objects that were not capable of being viewed only a decade ago
(E) possible the observing of stellar objects that only a decade ago would not have been able to be viewed

OA: B

I thought B changes the meaning slightly by changing "unable to be viewed" to "invisible"

Are there any grammatical errors in A?
In A, D and E, unable to be viewed (in A), not capable of being viewed (in D), and that...would not have been able to be viewed (in E) do not convey the intended meaning. The implication of these modifiers is that the STELLAR OBJECTS have an ability affected by the recent advances. The intended meaning of the sentence is that the recent advances have affected OUR ability TO OBSERVE the stellar objects: that the stellar objects were INVISIBLE because WE were unable to see them. Eliminate A, D and E.

In C, have made possible that one is awkward and unidiomatic. Also, possible and can seem redundant. Eliminate C.

The correct answer is B.

Another reason to pick B over A: CONCISION. All things being equal, SHORTER is BETTER. If you're down to two answer choices, and you can't spot an error in either answer choice, select the answer that's more concise.
Private tutor exclusively for the GMAT and GRE, with over 20 years of experience.
Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.

As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.

For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
Student Review #1
Student Review #2
Student Review #3
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 1239
Joined: Tue Apr 26, 2011 6:25 amFollowed by: 26 members
Thanked: 233 times
GMAT Score:680

by sam2304 » Sat Jan 07, 2012 8:54 am
Nice question buddy. I went for A as well thinking that B changes the meaning.
Getting defeated is just a temporary notion, giving it up is what makes it permanent.
https://gmatandbeyond.blogspot.in/
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 382
Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2011 5:47 pm
Thanked: 15 times

by ArunangsuSahu » Sun Jan 08, 2012 9:43 am
(B)..due to concision and correct framing of Sub-Verb
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Post new topic Locked
• Page 1 of 1