how to use "unlikely", pls,help

This topic has expert replies
Legendary Member
Posts: 1404
Joined: Tue May 20, 2008 6:55 pm
Thanked: 18 times
Followed by:2 members

how to use "unlikely", pls,help

by tanviet » Fri Jan 09, 2009 11:10 pm
Although the coordination of monetary policy can help facilitate the orderly financing of existing imbalances, it is unlikely that its effect on their size is significant in the absence of an appropriate fiscal adjustment.
(A) it is unlikely that its effect on their size is significant
(B) it is unlikely that the size of their effect would be significant
(C) affecting their sizes are not likely to be significant
(D) the significance of their effect on its size is unlikely
(E) its effect on their size is not likely to be significant

which is correct,
Source: — Sentence Correction |

Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 30
Joined: Thu Jan 17, 2008 5:38 pm
Followed by:1 members
GMAT Score:680

Re: how to use "unlikely", pls,help

by dongkim2 » Fri Jan 09, 2009 11:28 pm
[quote="duongthang"]Although the coordination of monetary policy can help facilitate the orderly financing of existing imbalances, it is unlikely that its effect on their size is significant in the absence of an appropriate fiscal adjustment.
(A) it is unlikely that its effect on their size is significant
(B) it is unlikely that the size of their effect would be significant
(C) affecting their sizes are not likely to be significant
(D) the significance of their effect on its size is unlikely
(E) its effect on their size is not likely to be significant

which is correct,[/quote]

I think it is B because the the matter important herein is size, not effect so using the size of their effect would be significant appears more appropriate.

Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 424
Joined: Sun Dec 07, 2008 5:15 pm
Location: Sydney
Thanked: 12 times

Re: how to use "unlikely", pls,help

by piyush_nitt » Sat Jan 10, 2009 12:02 am
duongthang wrote:Although the coordination of monetary policy can help facilitate the orderly financing of existing imbalances, it is unlikely that its effect on their size is significant in the absence of an appropriate fiscal adjustment.
(A) it is unlikely that its effect on their size is significant
(B) it is unlikely that the size of their effect would be significant
(C) affecting their sizes are not likely to be significant
(D) the significance of their effect on its size is unlikely
(E) its effect on their size is not likely to be significant

which is correct,
IMO A

Unlikely preferred over not likely

C and E out.

I think 'its' refer to policy and 'their' refer to Imbalances.

therefore , policy's effect on imbalances size is significant...

B and D changes the meaning of sentence

Legendary Member
Posts: 1404
Joined: Tue May 20, 2008 6:55 pm
Thanked: 18 times
Followed by:2 members

how to use "unlikely"

by tanviet » Sat May 23, 2009 5:55 am
A is right?

Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 186
Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2009 4:57 am
Thanked: 7 times
GMAT Score:720

by gmat_dest » Sat May 23, 2009 9:02 am
(E) looks the best and the most concise to me.

Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 87
Joined: Sun Apr 19, 2009 11:07 pm

Re: how to use "unlikely", pls,help

by success1111 » Sat May 23, 2009 9:55 am
duongthang wrote:Although the coordination of monetary policy can help facilitate the orderly financing of existing imbalances, it is unlikely that its effect on their size is significant in the absence of an appropriate fiscal adjustment.
(A) it is unlikely that its effect on their size is significant
(B) it is unlikely that the size of their effect would be significant
(C) affecting their sizes are not likely to be significant
(D) the significance of their effect on its size is unlikely
(E) its effect on their size is not likely to be significant

which is correct,
E is the best.

When you see CAN in a main clause of a sentence,always read very well to understand the intent of the sentence. "CAN" here indicates future posibility,that is what makes E better than A or B. B indicates "would" the past tence of will.
By the way, E is succinct and laconic.

Legendary Member
Posts: 1404
Joined: Tue May 20, 2008 6:55 pm
Thanked: 18 times
Followed by:2 members

by tanviet » Sat May 23, 2009 7:47 pm
A is right because

you can not say that "something is likely/possible". the idiom is that " it is possible/likely that"

Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 31
Joined: Wed May 20, 2009 7:06 pm
Location: Shanghai, China, the People's Republic of

Re: how to use "unlikely", pls,help

by marshmallow » Sat May 23, 2009 11:11 pm
success1111 wrote:
duongthang wrote:Although the coordination of monetary policy can help facilitate the orderly financing of existing imbalances, it is unlikely that its effect on their size is significant in the absence of an appropriate fiscal adjustment.
(A) it is unlikely that its effect on their size is significant
(B) it is unlikely that the size of their effect would be significant
(C) affecting their sizes are not likely to be significant
(D) the significance of their effect on its size is unlikely
(E) its effect on their size is not likely to be significant

which is correct,
E is the best.

When you see CAN in a main clause of a sentence,always read very well to understand the intent of the sentence. "CAN" here indicates future posibility,that is what makes E better than A or B. B indicates "would" the past tence of will.
By the way, E is succinct and laconic.
I think E is flawed because the word "its" doesn't refer to any word clearly.
Compared to B, A is more correct because you can say "effect is significant", not "size is significant"

• Page 1 of 1