Sentence Correction

An American study about childcare has found that parents are more likely to recommend a childcare center to others if the staff is perceived as approachable.

(1)

are more likely to recommend a childcare center to others if the staff is

(2)

are more likely to recommend a childcare center to others if the staff are

(3)

are likely to recommend a childcare center to others if the staff is


(4)

are more likely to recommend childcare centers to others if the staff are

(5)
are more likely to recommend a childcare center if staff are

I am not a grammar expert,but here is my take

more x than y construction is only needed if a comparison is intended. However, if more is just being used as an adverb, modifying an adjective, then it can stand by itself.

mundasingh123 wrote:An American study about childcare has found that parents are more likely to recommend a childcare center to others if the staff is perceived as approachable.

(1)

are more likely to recommend a childcare center to others if the staff is

(2)

are more likely to recommend a childcare center to others if the staff are

(3)

are likely to recommend a childcare center to others if the staff is


(4)

are more likely to recommend childcare centers to others if the staff are

(5)
are more likely to recommend a childcare center if staff are

A

+1 for A.

Crick

ranjit_ece wrote:I am not a grammar expert,but here is my take

more x than y construction is only needed if a comparison is intended. However, if more is just being used as an adverb, modifying an adjective, then it can stand by itself.

Take this from an Expert
https://www.beatthegmat.com/need-expert- ... tml#398834

mundasingh123 wrote:An American study about childcare has found that parents are more likely to recommend a childcare center to others if the staff is perceived as approachable.

(1)

are more likely to recommend a childcare center to others if the staff is

(2)

are more likely to recommend a childcare center to others if the staff are

(3)

are likely to recommend a childcare center to others if the staff is


(4)

are more likely to recommend childcare centers to others if the staff are

(5)
are more likely to recommend a childcare center if staff are

In B, D and E, staff (singular) does not agree with are (plural).

In C, the omission of more changes the meaning, implying parents are LIKELY -- not just MORE likely -- to recommend the childcare center. Eliminate C.

The correct answer is A.

In another thread I suggested that we should be skeptical of an answer choice that includes more without than. The reason is that the omission of than can leave the comparison unclear. To illustrate:

John has more money.

Does John have more money THAN MARY? More money THAN CHOCOLATE? More money today than HE HAD YESTERDAY? Each of these meanings is possible.

No such ambiguity exists in the SC above. The conditional clause makes the comparison clear: parents are MORE likely to recommend a childcare center to others IF THE STAFF IS PERCEIVED AS APPROACHABLE [than if the staff is NOT perceived as approachable]. The bracketed portion is omitted, but its presence is clearly implied.

Bottom line: when an SC makes a comparison -- with or without than -- make sure it's clear what is being compared.

GMATGuruNY wrote:

mundasingh123 wrote:An American study about childcare has found that parents are more likely to recommend a childcare center to others if the staff is perceived as approachable.

(1)

are more likely to recommend a childcare center to others if the staff is

(2)

are more likely to recommend a childcare center to others if the staff are

(3)

are likely to recommend a childcare center to others if the staff is


(4)

are more likely to recommend childcare centers to others if the staff are

(5)
are more likely to recommend a childcare center if staff are

In B, D and E, staff (singular) does not agree with are (plural).

In C, the omission of more changes the meaning, implying parents are LIKELY -- not just MORE likely -- to recommend the childcare center. Eliminate C.

The correct answer is A.

In another thread I suggested that we should be skeptical of an answer choice that includes more without than. The reason is that the omission of than can leave the comparison unclear. To illustrate:

John has more money.

Does John have more money THAN MARY? More money THAN CHOCOLATE? More money today than HE HAD YESTERDAY? Each of these meanings is possible.

No such ambiguity exists in the SC above. The conditional clause makes the comparison clear: parents are MORE likely to recommend a childcare center to others IF THE STAFF IS PERCEIVED AS APPROACHABLE [than if the staff is NOT perceived as approachable]. The bracketed portion is omitted, but its presence is clearly implied.

Bottom line: when an SC makes a comparison -- with or without than -- make sure it's clear what is being compared.

Hi Mitch,

It's a nice explanation but I have a doubt i.e during the exam time when already there is lots of pressure due to time constraints how can one get to know about the best strategy of solving these questions because the very first time when I read the sentence I thought that there is no than in the sentence and therefore more x than y is not being followed so I rejected option A and went for C

aspirant2011 wrote:

GMATGuruNY wrote:

mundasingh123 wrote:An American study about childcare has found that parents are more likely to recommend a childcare center to others if the staff is perceived as approachable.

(1)

are more likely to recommend a childcare center to others if the staff is

(2)

are more likely to recommend a childcare center to others if the staff are

(3)

are likely to recommend a childcare center to others if the staff is


(4)

are more likely to recommend childcare centers to others if the staff are

(5)
are more likely to recommend a childcare center if staff are

In B, D and E, staff (singular) does not agree with are (plural).

In C, the omission of more changes the meaning, implying parents are LIKELY -- not just MORE likely -- to recommend the childcare center. Eliminate C.

The correct answer is A.

In another thread I suggested that we should be skeptical of an answer choice that includes more without than. The reason is that the omission of than can leave the comparison unclear. To illustrate:

John has more money.

Does John have more money THAN MARY? More money THAN CHOCOLATE? More money today than HE HAD YESTERDAY? Each of these meanings is possible.

No such ambiguity exists in the SC above. The conditional clause makes the comparison clear: parents are MORE likely to recommend a childcare center to others IF THE STAFF IS PERCEIVED AS APPROACHABLE [than if the staff is NOT perceived as approachable]. The bracketed portion is omitted, but its presence is clearly implied.

Bottom line: when an SC makes a comparison -- with or without than -- make sure it's clear what is being compared.

Hi Mitch,

It's a nice explanation but I have a doubt i.e during the exam time when already there is lots of pressure due to time constraints how can one get to know about the best strategy of solving these questions because the very first time when I read the sentence I thought that there is no than in the sentence and therefore more x than y is not being followed so I rejected option A and went for C

Aside from what I said above, remember the following:

PRESERVE THE INTENDED MEANING OF THE ORIGINAL SENTENCE.

In the SC above, omitting more changes the intended meaning. The correct answer must preserve the comparison being made in the original sentence. Eliminate C.

The following SC reverses the situation:

Publishers of travel guides for families typically suffer weak Januaries, because vacation budgets are low and efforts to save are intense as families plan for the calendar year ahead.


(A) low and efforts to save are intense as families plan

(B) low and their efforts to save are intense as they plan

(C) low with more intense efforts to save in planning

(D) low, while efforts to save are more intense to plan

(E) low, while their efforts to save are more intense in planning

In this case, the answer choices that ADD more change the intended meaning, since the original sentence is NOT making a comparison. Eliminate C, D and E.

GMATGuruNY wrote:

aspirant2011 wrote:

GMATGuruNY wrote:

mundasingh123 wrote:An American study about childcare has found that parents are more likely to recommend a childcare center to others if the staff is perceived as approachable.

(1)

are more likely to recommend a childcare center to others if the staff is

(2)

are more likely to recommend a childcare center to others if the staff are

(3)

are likely to recommend a childcare center to others if the staff is


(4)

are more likely to recommend childcare centers to others if the staff are

(5)
are more likely to recommend a childcare center if staff are

In B, D and E, staff (singular) does not agree with are (plural).

In C, the omission of more changes the meaning, implying parents are LIKELY -- not just MORE likely -- to recommend the childcare center. Eliminate C.

The correct answer is A.

In another thread I suggested that we should be skeptical of an answer choice that includes more without than. The reason is that the omission of than can leave the comparison unclear. To illustrate:

John has more money.

Does John have more money THAN MARY? More money THAN CHOCOLATE? More money today than HE HAD YESTERDAY? Each of these meanings is possible.

No such ambiguity exists in the SC above. The conditional clause makes the comparison clear: parents are MORE likely to recommend a childcare center to others IF THE STAFF IS PERCEIVED AS APPROACHABLE [than if the staff is NOT perceived as approachable]. The bracketed portion is omitted, but its presence is clearly implied.

Bottom line: when an SC makes a comparison -- with or without than -- make sure it's clear what is being compared.

Hi Mitch,

It's a nice explanation but I have a doubt i.e during the exam time when already there is lots of pressure due to time constraints how can one get to know about the best strategy of solving these questions because the very first time when I read the sentence I thought that there is no than in the sentence and therefore more x than y is not being followed so I rejected option A and went for C

Aside from what I said above, remember the following:

PRESERVE THE INTENDED MEANING OF THE ORIGINAL SENTENCE.

In the SC above, omitting more changes the intended meaning. The correct answer must preserve the comparison being made in the original sentence. Eliminate C.

The following SC reverses the situation:

Publishers of travel guides for families typically suffer weak Januaries, because vacation budgets are low and efforts to save are intense as families plan for the calendar year ahead.


(A) low and efforts to save are intense as families plan

(B) low and their efforts to save are intense as they plan

(C) low with more intense efforts to save in planning

(D) low, while efforts to save are more intense to plan

(E) low, while their efforts to save are more intense in planning

In this case, the answer choices that ADD more change the intended meaning, since the original sentence is NOT making a comparison. Eliminate C, D and E.

thanks a lot Mitch for your explanation

Hi, I have read staff - plural in many places.
"Staff are"

https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/04/opini ... brary.html


Please help , how to distinguish.

jaguar123 wrote:Hi, I have read staff - plural in many places.
"Staff are"

https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/04/opini ... brary.html


Please help , how to distinguish.

From the link above:

...LIBRARIES with top-notch staff ARE needed now...

The subject of ARE (plural) is LIBRARIES (plural). With top-notch staff is a prepositional phrase modifying libraries.

The GMAT considers collective nouns -- such as staff -- singular.

A

Publishers of travel guides for families typically suffer weak Januaries, because vacation budgets are low and efforts to save are intense as families plan for the calendar year ahead.


(A) low and efforts to save are intense as families plan

(B) low and their efforts to save are intense as they plan

(C) low with more intense efforts to save in planning

(D) low, while efforts to save are more intense to plan

(E) low, while their efforts to save are more intense in planning

hello mitch
please refer to the above question. here i've chosen A. because in B, their has an ambiguous referent. please correct me if i am wrong.

best regards nafi