Parallel Construction Sentence Correction Problem :)

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bkk_marc: Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts; Posts: 11; Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2010 10:33 am; Location: Thailand

by bkk_marc » Sat Apr 16, 2011 1:03 am

To provide a child with skills necessary for survival in modern society is like guaranteeing their success in life

A) To provide a child with skills necessary for survival in modern society is like guaranteeing their success

B) Providing a child with the skills necessary for survival in modern society is like guaranteeing their success

C) Providing children with skills necessary for survival in modern society is like to guaranteeing their success

D) Providing children with the skills necessary for survival in modern society is like guaranteeing their success

E) To provide children with the skills necessary for survival in modern society is like guaranteeing their success

I don't have the answer to this question, can someone help explain the thinking process a bit please?

In the answer choices I see the 2/3 split, which are A E & B C D...switching the subject from singular to plural,

But i am stuck on the verb of "to provide and guaranteeing.. I don't see the connection.

Thanks for any replies,

Cheers,

Marcus

My answer is E, but i dont know if it is correct.

Dum vivimus, vivamus....

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Source: Beat The GMAT — Sentence Correction | Sat Apr 16, 2011 1:03 am

clock60: Legendary Member; Posts: 759; Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2010 10:15 amFollowed by: 3 members; Thanked: 85 times

by clock60 » Sat Apr 16, 2011 1:34 am

the answer here to me is D here
because of ||-ism
providing ... is like guaranteeing
B is second best answer but plural their does not match with single child
all other choices are wrong because they violate ||-ism

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jaymw: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 144; Joined: Sun Aug 29, 2010 9:17 amFollowed by: 4 members; Thanked: 40 times; GMAT Score:760

by jaymw » Sat Apr 16, 2011 1:39 am

Following a traditional 2/3 split technique does not really work on this question. You can't say whether it is better to start a sentence with "to provide" or with "providing", both can be correct depending on the rest of the sentence.

Therefore, you should approach this problem by first finding out which answer choices show parallelism and which ones do not.

In a) to provide...guanranteeing is not parallel. A is out.
In b) providing...guaranteeing, this works. Keep B.
In c) providing...to guaranteeing, there is no such grammatical construct in the english language that allows you to use "to" together with an "-ing-verb". Thus, C is out.
In d) providing...guaranteeing is parallel. Keep D.
In e) to provide...guaranteeing is not parallel. E is out.

So we are down to B and D. Now look what's different between those two answer choices. Providing "a child" vs. "children". Since all the answer choice say "their success", the antecedent must be in the plural form "children".

Hence, D ist the correct answer.

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aspirant2011: Legendary Member; Posts: 1574; Joined: Fri Jan 28, 2011 2:52 amFollowed by: 13 members; Thanked: 88 times

by aspirant2011 » Sat Apr 16, 2011 9:09 am

To provide a child with skills necessary for survival in modern society is like guaranteeing their success in life

A) To provide a child with skills necessary for survival in modern society is like guaranteeing their success -----> "child" is singular while "their" is plural

B) Providing a child with the skills necessary for survival in modern society is like guaranteeing their success ------> same reason as A

C) Providing children with skills necessary for survival in modern society is like to guaranteeing their success

D) Providing children with the skills necessary for survival in modern society is like guaranteeing their success

E) To provide children with the skills necessary for survival in modern society is like guaranteeing their success -----> it would have been parallel if "to provide.... to gurantee" would have been used

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

by mundasingh123 » Sat Apr 16, 2011 11:02 am

It seems as if i am the only guy who is bothered about the source . Is knowing the source not important to the rest of you guys or are you happy with inflated GMAT Prep scores / MGMAT Tests when you take the tests under so called Exam Conditions.
Hi Could You reveal the source ?

I Seek Explanations Not Answers

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force5: Legendary Member; Posts: 582; Joined: Tue Mar 08, 2011 12:48 amFollowed by: 6 members; Thanked: 61 times; GMAT Score:740

by force5 » Sat Apr 16, 2011 11:28 am

yes D is parallel.
@ mundasingh123. i agree to you. Its not about inflated Gmat prep scores. I think its important to know the source to know the validity of the question. I have posted earlier to request every poster to mention the source of each question they post on this forum.

Remember we are still working together to help each other.

cheers.

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bkk_marc: Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts; Posts: 11; Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2010 10:33 am; Location: Thailand

by bkk_marc » Sat Apr 16, 2011 10:45 pm

Thanks for all the help.

The source of this question comes from a worksheet that I was given to do as homework from my GMAT class here in Thailand. The school is called Sage Education.

Cheers

Dum vivimus, vivamus....

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Testluv: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 1302; Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2009 2:13 pmFollowed by: 164 members; Location: Toronto; Thanked: 539 times; GMAT Score:800

by Testluv » Sat Apr 16, 2011 11:05 pm

force5 wrote:yes D is parallel.
@ mundasingh123. i agree to you. Its not about inflated Gmat prep scores. I think its important to know the source to know the validity of the question. I have posted earlier to request every poster to mention the source of each question they post on this forum.

Remember we are still working together to help each other.

cheers.

What a valid point. I don't like this question either. On GMAT SC, "like" means "similar to." So the speaker of this sentence is apparently saying that providing children with skills resembles (is "similar to") guaranteeing their success. Does that make any sense at all??

Kaplan Teacher in Toronto

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vaflaly: Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts; Posts: 27; Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2010 8:40 am

by vaflaly » Sun Apr 17, 2011 4:43 am

The stop sign here is "is like"

A is like B -> A=B therefore A must be parallel to B

To provide.... is like to guarantee...
Providing......is like guaranteeing...

for this, only B et D fit.

pronoun agreement "their" decides the final answer

Thus, answer is D

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AIM GMAT: Legendary Member; Posts: 857; Joined: Wed Aug 25, 2010 1:36 amFollowed by: 15 members; Thanked: 56 times

by AIM GMAT » Sun Apr 17, 2011 8:56 am

IMO D too .

Parallelism + subject verb agreement.

Thanks & Regards,
AIM GMAT

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