Several financial officers of the company spoke on condition that they not be named in
the press reports.
A. that they not be named
B. that their names will not be used
C. that their names are not used
D. of not having their names
E. of not naming them
Financial Officers
This topic has expert replies
- GMATGuruNY
- GMAT Instructor
- Posts: 15539
- Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 12:04 pm
- Location: New York, NY
- Thanked: 13060 times
- Followed by:1906 members
- GMAT Score:790
One purpose of the subjunctive mood is to express an action that is HYPOTHETICAL: an action that might not actually happen.Abhijit K wrote:Several financial officers of the company spoke on condition that they not be named in
the press reports.
A. that they not be named
B. that their names will not be used
C. that their names are not used
D. of not having their names
E. of not naming them
When we demand an action, we cannot be certain that our demand will be met.
Because the demanded action might not actually happen, we use the COMMAND SUBJUNCTIVE.
The structure of the command subjunctive is as follows:
SUBJECT + BOSSY WORD + that + NOUN + BARE INFINITIVE.
Examples of bossy words: demand, dictate, mandate, etc.
The bare infinitive is the infinitive form of a verb with the to omitted.
Example:
The attorneys demanded that the new contract be implemented.
In the sentence above:
Subject =the attorneys.
Bossy word = demanded.
that + NOUN = that the new contract.
Bare infinitive = be implemented (to be implemented with the to omitted).
In the SC above, on condition serves to express a DEMAND and thus functions as a BOSSY WORD.
As a result, the command subjunctive is required:
Several financial officers of the company spoke on condition that they not be named in the press reports.
Here:
Subject =several financial officers.
Bossy word = on condition.
that + NOUN = that they.
Bare infinitive = be named (to be named with the to omitted).
Of the five answer choices, only A correctly employs the command subjunctive.
The correct answer is A.
Private tutor exclusively for the GMAT and GRE, with over 20 years of experience.
Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.
As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.
For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
Student Review #1
Student Review #2
Student Review #3
Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.
As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.
For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
Student Review #1
Student Review #2
Student Review #3