Help on Subjunctive

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mundasingh123: Legendary Member; Posts: 2330; Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2010 5:14 am; Thanked: 56 times; Followed by:26 members

Help on Subjunctive

by mundasingh123 » Tue Jan 18, 2011 8:03 am

1. Disturbed by unfair treatment such as low pay and long hours, the idea of the work visa was
improvements of the immigration law by the ACLU.

(A) the idea of the work visa was improvements of the immigration law by the ACLU.

(B) the work visa was an idea for improvements of the immigration law suggested by the ACLU.

(C) the ACLU suggested the work visa as an improvement to the immigration law.

(D) the ACLU suggested that immigration laws be improved by the work visa.

(E) the work visa was suggested to be an improvement of immigration law by the ACLU.

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Source: Beat The GMAT — Sentence Correction | Tue Jan 18, 2011 8:03 am

stormier: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 139; Joined: Fri Nov 26, 2010 4:45 pm; Location: Boston; Thanked: 20 times; Followed by:1 members; GMAT Score:720

by stormier » Tue Jan 18, 2011 8:21 am

mundasingh123 wrote:1. Disturbed by unfair treatment such as low pay and long hours, the idea of the work visa was
improvements of the immigration law by the ACLU.

(A) the idea of the work visa was improvements of the immigration law by the ACLU.

(B) the work visa was an idea for improvements of the immigration law suggested by the ACLU.

(C) the ACLU suggested the work visa as an improvement to the immigration law.

(D) the ACLU suggested that immigration laws be improved by the work visa.

(E) the work visa was suggested to be an improvement of immigration law by the ACLU.

A, B and E are out - the opening phrase should modify the ACLU.

I'm really caught between C and D. While D uses the correct subjunctive form of verb suggested, the meaning of sentence is not clear - "immigration laws be improved by the work visa" ? I think it should be a person or an organisation improving the law and not a work visa.

However, if option D were, - the ACLU suggested that immigration laws be improved by inclusion of the work visa - I would have gone with D.

I would thus go with C.

Nice question - looking forward to more commentary

Last edited by stormier on Tue Jan 18, 2011 8:24 am, edited 1 time in total.

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mundasingh123: Legendary Member; Posts: 2330; Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2010 5:14 am; Thanked: 56 times; Followed by:26 members

by mundasingh123 » Tue Jan 18, 2011 8:23 am

stormier wrote:
mundasingh123 wrote:1. Disturbed by unfair treatment such as low pay and long hours, the idea of the work visa was
improvements of the immigration law by the ACLU.

(A) the idea of the work visa was improvements of the immigration law by the ACLU.

(B) the work visa was an idea for improvements of the immigration law suggested by the ACLU.

(C) the ACLU suggested the work visa as an improvement to the immigration law.

(D) the ACLU suggested that immigration laws be improved by the work visa.

(E) the work visa was suggested to be an improvement of immigration law by the ACLU.

A, B and E are out - the opening phrase should modify the ACLU.

I'm really caught between C and D. While D uses the correct subjunctive form of verb suggested, the meaning of sentence is not clear - "immigration laws be improved by the work visa" ? I think it should be a person or an organisation improving the law and not a work visa.

I would thus go with C.

What if D had been the ACLU suggested that immigration laws be improved With the work visa.

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gmat1011: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 160; Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2010 4:41 am; Thanked: 7 times

by gmat1011 » Tue Jan 18, 2011 8:29 am

Id go with c

Improved by the work visa in d doesn't sound right

What is the source please? Thanks.

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stormier: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 139; Joined: Fri Nov 26, 2010 4:45 pm; Location: Boston; Thanked: 20 times; Followed by:1 members; GMAT Score:720

by stormier » Tue Jan 18, 2011 8:33 am

mundasingh123 wrote:
stormier wrote:
mundasingh123 wrote:1. Disturbed by unfair treatment such as low pay and long hours, the idea of the work visa was
improvements of the immigration law by the ACLU.

(A) the idea of the work visa was improvements of the immigration law by the ACLU.

(B) the work visa was an idea for improvements of the immigration law suggested by the ACLU.

(C) the ACLU suggested the work visa as an improvement to the immigration law.

(D) the ACLU suggested that immigration laws be improved by the work visa.

(E) the work visa was suggested to be an improvement of immigration law by the ACLU.

A, B and E are out - the opening phrase should modify the ACLU.

I'm really caught between C and D. While D uses the correct subjunctive form of verb suggested, the meaning of sentence is not clear - "immigration laws be improved by the work visa" ? I think it should be a person or an organisation improving the law and not a work visa.

I would thus go with C.
What if D had been the ACLU suggested that immigration laws be improved With the work visa.

Hi Mundasingh - please see my original post as to what would have led me to go with option D.

The alternative option D that you suggest also clarifies the meaning of the sentence, however I think it is unlikely that the GMAT will pose a question with two choices with such subtle difference, fit only for the "grammarians" to correct.