Sentence Correction

Yes, it's ok to say that the devices wear the clothing. One definition of the verb wear is to cause a garment to deteriorate.

What is the source of this question and the OA?

GMATGuruNY wrote:Yes, it's ok to say that the devices wear the clothing. One definition of the verb wear is to cause a garment to deteriorate.

What is the source of this question and the OA?

no idea abt dat....

but who cares wen reasoning is so strong.... B is undisputedly Correct...!

i have taken my take-aways....

gud concept....!

GMATGuruNY wrote:

martin.jonson007 wrote:

GMATGuruNY wrote:

suchoudh wrote:An amendment to section 362 of the Veterans' Benefits Amendments of 1989 authorizes a clothing allowance for certain veterans using prosthetic or orthopedic devices which wear or tear clothing.

a) for certain veterans using prosthetic or orthopedic devices which wear or tear clothing

b) for certain veterans who use prosthetic or orthopedic devices which wear or tear clothing

c) to certain veterans who use prosthetic or orthopedic devices which wear out or tear clothing

d) for certain veterans using prosthetic or orthopedic devices which wear out or tear clothing

e) to certain veterans using prosthetic or orthopedic devices which wear or tear clothing


Please explain your answers. OA later.

What is the source of this question?

None of the answer choices would be correct on the GMAT. In each answer choice the pronoun which needs to replaced with the pronoun that.

Here's why:

The pronoun which is used to introduce a phrase or clause not necessary for the meaning of the sentence:

Seals, which are mammals, like to play in the water.

Notice that the clause which are mammals is preceded by a comma. That's because we can remove the which clause without changing the meaning of the sentence:

Seals like to play in the water.

In the SC above, the phrase wear or tear clothing is necessary for the meaning of the sentence. That's why no comma precedes it and the phrase should be introduced by the pronoun that:

...a clothing allowance for veterans using prosthetic or orthopedic devices that wear or tear clothing.

So on the GMAT none of the answer choices would be correct.

That / Which was minor issue , which we already knew...

just consider THAT on all places where WHICH is mentioned...

now which option will be correct...?

Thanks!

The correct idiom is that you authorize an allowance for someone. Eliminate C and E.

Avoid words that end in -ing. Eliminate A and D.

So we're left with B.

But since the question is inherently flawed, I'm hesitant to deem any answer choice correct.

Don't simply eliminate words that end in -ing. Look for a more compelling difference: do you prefer 'wear' to 'wear out' ? I strongly prefer the latter. Children wear out shoes quickly would sound strange without the preposition 'out' However, I agree that this is not a good question, and your commentary about the difference between that and which is very instructive.

sorry for that tone.. i jus wanted to be precise...

nyways, abt wear and tear i wud like to add one thing that

wear out may be preferable than simply wear

BUT

context here is that

here device don't wear out CLOTHING BUT Veteran wear out it.

Device JUST wear and tear it and this is what veteran are given allowance for....

so wear are tear are absolutely correct here...

This is the context , whch i understood...

i hope You will agree on it... ?

1 more thing , i knw wat do u meant bt ING rejection.. i read yr earlier post... that was great 2...

Since the question is inherently flawed -- and doesn't feel like an actual SC on the GMAT -- I recommend that we just take away what lessons we can and not worry about the correct answer.

By the way, I agree with Patrick that you shouldn't just eliminate any answer choice that includes an -ing word. But if you're stuck between two answers, and one contains a word that ends in -ing, you're safer picking the other answer choice.

I should have mentioned the split between wear out and wear. Like Patrick, I prefer wear out, but I think that an argument could be made for wear. So I'm left to deal with the -ing issue.

One reason I hesitate even to discuss an inherently flawed question: on the actual GMAT, I've never encountered a Sentence Correction in which it could be argued that more than one answer choice is correct. You can always find a compelling reason to eliminate each of the four wrong answers.

GMATGuruNY wrote:

suchoudh wrote:An amendment to section 362 of the Veterans' Benefits Amendments of 1989 authorizes a clothing allowance for certain veterans using prosthetic or orthopedic devices which wear or tear clothing.

a) for certain veterans using prosthetic or orthopedic devices which wear or tear clothing

b) for certain veterans who use prosthetic or orthopedic devices which wear or tear clothing

c) to certain veterans who use prosthetic or orthopedic devices which wear out or tear clothing

d) for certain veterans using prosthetic or orthopedic devices which wear out or tear clothing

e) to certain veterans using prosthetic or orthopedic devices which wear or tear clothing


Please explain your answers. OA later.

What is the source of this question?

None of the answer choices would be correct on the GMAT. In each answer choice the pronoun which needs to replaced with the pronoun that.

Here's why:

The pronoun which is used to introduce a phrase or clause not necessary for the meaning of the sentence:

Seals, which are mammals, like to play in the water.

Notice that the clause which are mammals is preceded by a comma. That's because we can remove the which clause without changing the meaning of the sentence:

Seals like to play in the water.

In the SC above, the phrase wear out or tear clothing is necessary for the meaning of the sentence. That's why no comma precedes the phrase. The phrase should be introduced by the pronoun that:

...a clothing allowance for veterans using prosthetic or orthopedic devices that wear out or tear clothing.

So on the GMAT none of the answer choices would be correct.

Hi GMATGuru

I think, that the use of which is correct here
the main point of the sentence is:

the act gives a clothing allowance for certain veterans using prosthetic or orthopedic devices
so the phrase that comes after which " wear or tear..." is kind of not necessary


I would like to know your views on this

What if there were 2 options having choices that differed only on use of which/that

I think i would have chosen which.....because I think, that we can remove "wear or tear..." clause without changing the meaning of the sentence

How can we judge between which/that on such close calls?

Hi GmatGuru

I have posted a question on the thread

https://www.beatthegmat.com/usage-of-tha ... tml#266397

the question is from OG 10 and has similar doubt

Could you please look into it

Thanks

ayushiiitm wrote:
Hi GMATGuru

I think, that the use of which is correct here
the main point of the sentence is:

the act gives a clothing allowance for certain veterans using prosthetic or orthopedic devices
so the phrase that comes after which " wear or tear..." is kind of not necessary


I would like to know your views on this

What if there were 2 options having choices that differed only on use of which/that

I think i would have chosen which.....because I think, that we can remove "wear or tear..." clause without changing the meaning of the sentence

How can we judge between which/that on such close calls?

The modifier wear or tear clothing is necessary for the meaning of the sentence. There is a difference in meaning between:

for certain veterans using prosthetic or orthopedic devices

and

for certain veterans using prosthetic or orthopedic devices that wear or tear clothing

The first example refers to veterans using any prosthetic devices; the second refers only to veterans using prosthetic devices that wear or tear clothing. We need the modifier wear or tear clothing in order to know what kinds of prosthetic devices are being discussed in the sentence.

Since wear or tear clothing is necessary for the meaning of the sentence, it should be preceded by the pronoun that and should not be preceded by a comma.

When you see a split between that and which in the answer choices:

The pronoun that should not be preceded by a comma. If an answer choice gives you a comma before the pronoun that, eliminate the answer choice.

The pronoun which should be preceded by a comma. If an answer choice doesn't give you a comma before the pronoun which, eliminate the answer choice.

(Please note that the pronoun which doesn't always require a comma. For example: "The table on which I placed the book is wobbling." Consider the comma issue only when you see a split between that and which in the answers choices.)

OA D. This answer choice corrects the original mistake by adding the required preposition out after the verb wear.


A. B. Original mistake.

C & E. Although it corrects the original Split Construction mistake, this answer choice is grammatically incorrect. Replacing the preposition for (at the beginning of the answer choice) with to creates a grammatical preposition mistake.

C. In addition, replacing the single word using with the two-word phrase who use creates redundancy.