do without

[khurram]

On the Great Plains, nineteenth-centurysettlers used mud and grass to build their homes, doing it without timber and nails.





A settlers used mud and grass to build their homes, doing it without
B settlers used mud and grass to build their homes, did it without
C settlers used mud and grass to build their homes, making them while not having
D settlers used mud and grass to build their homes, making do without
E settlers' homes were built of mud and grass, making do without

Ans is D

making do without correct english

[Stuart@KaplanGMAT]

On the Great Plains, nineteenth-centurysettlers used mud and grass to build their homes, doing it without timber and nails.





A settlers used mud and grass to build their homes, doing it without
B settlers used mud and grass to build their homes, did it without
C settlers used mud and grass to build their homes, making them while not having
D settlers used mud and grass to build their homes, making do without
E settlers' homes were built of mud and grass, making do without

Ans is D

making do without correct english

"Making do without" is correct english. One would use the phrase when speaking in the past continuous.

For example: We were making do without power during the blackout.

It's a bit more common to use "made do without".

For example: My family was quite poor, so we made do without luxuries.

Just FYI, the big problem with (a) and (b) is "it". If (a) said "doing SO without" it would have been great.

[khurram]

Thanks Stuart

You are becoming a life saver.

Khurram

[hemanth28]

Stuart,

Is the modifier "On the Great Plains" placed correctly?
Shouldnt it be placed on Settler's homes?(E) so i came to a conclsion that answer is E.
Can you please explain why E is wrong .

[lunarpower]

Can you please explain why E is wrong .

choice e is wrong because its modifier ('making do without...') is forced to refer to 'settlers' homes', the subject of the preceding clause.

the clear meaning of the sentence is that the settlers made do without those items, but the word settlers MUST appear in the sentence to give substance to the modifier.

if you have the OG verbal supplement (the purple book), look at the wrong answer choices to #38, many of which have the same problem.

[chidcguy]

Stuart and LP,

making do without nails and timber

Is it referring to settler's themselves

(or)

Is it referring to the settler's ability to make homes without nails and timber

Thanks

[Stuart@KaplanGMAT]

Stuart and LP,

making do without nails and timber

Is it referring to settler's themselves

(or)

Is it referring to the settler's ability to make homes without nails and timber

Thanks

"making do" modifies the entire clause (i.e. to the settlers building their homes).