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

Redeem

The Official GMAT sc qn

This topic has expert replies
Post new topic Locked
Previous Topic Next Topic
User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 266
Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2014 4:00 am
Thanked: 4 times
Followed by:1 members

The Official GMAT sc qn

by conquistador » Mon Apr 27, 2015 11:30 am
The number of undergraduate degrees in engineering awarded by colleges and universities in the United States increased by more than twice from 1978 to 1985.

a.increased by more than twice
b.increased more than two times
c.more than doubled
d.was more than doubled
e.had more than doubled

OA is C Can you explain why D is wrong
Top
Source: — Sentence Correction |
User avatar
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 90
Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2007 3:58 am
Thanked: 2 times

by kutlee » Wed Apr 29, 2015 6:35 pm
Number is the subject and doubled is the verb. 'Was' is unnecessary.
Top
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 304
Joined: Wed Jan 27, 2010 8:35 am
Location: International Space Station
Thanked: 11 times
Followed by:3 members

by Aman verma » Thu Apr 30, 2015 2:48 am
Mechmeera wrote:The number of undergraduate degrees in engineering awarded by colleges and universities in the United States increased by more than twice from 1978 to 1985.

a.increased by more than twice
b.increased more than two times
c.more than doubled
d.was more than doubled
e.had more than doubled

OA is C Can you explain why D is wrong
The word 'doubled' with the auxiliary 'was' is a verb of incomplete predication, which means that we need a complement to complete the meaning of the verb phrase. The verb phrase suggests that someone or something else doubled the number. So we need to provide the complement to remove the ambiguity. But, without the auxiliary 'was' there is less scope for ambiguity with the word 'doubled', as the sentence now suggests that: the number just doubled without any need for further explanation.
800. Arjun's-Bird-Eye
Top
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 304
Joined: Wed Jan 27, 2010 8:35 am
Location: International Space Station
Thanked: 11 times
Followed by:3 members

by Aman verma » Thu Apr 30, 2015 6:46 am
Also, the construction 'be + past participle' conveys a passive structure. So, the construction 'was doubled' is a passive construction. The GMAT, generally, avoids the passive construction and prefer the active one. However, you can't dismiss an option solely based on active/passive criteria; you must evaluate all other possible grammatical reasons to reject the option. Option C with the simple past is in active voice and also meets the grammatical criteria,I mentioned in the previous post, to be the better option.
800. Arjun's-Bird-Eye
Top
Post new topic Locked
• Page 1 of 1