possessive pronoun usage

Expert replies

wilson4mba: Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts; Posts: 19; Joined: Sun Jun 27, 2010 6:27 pm

by wilson4mba » Fri May 13, 2011 4:05 am

Hi
I found these question in one of the online tests. I am confused with the answers that are given. Kindly help me whether they are correct or not. (Experts help)

I would like to thank whoever it was that wrote that piece of music: it has given me so much pleasure.

A. I would like to thank whoever it was that wrote that piece of music:
B. I would like to thank whomever it was that has written that piece of music:
C. I would like to thank whomever it might be that wrote that piece of music:
D. Whoever it was that wrote that piece of music, I would like to thank because
E. I would like to thank whoever it was that wrote that piece of music,

Your taking a loan to buy a car annoyed Father.

A. Your taking a loan to buy a car annoyed Father.
B. Your taking a loan to buy a car aggravated Father.
C. You taking a loan to buy a car irritated Father.
D. You taking a loan to buy a car annoyed Father.
E. Father was annoyed by you taking a loan to buy a car.

both the answers are A

Like this post

Source: Beat The GMAT — Sentence Correction | Fri May 13, 2011 4:05 am

mundasingh123: Legendary Member; Posts: 2330; Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2010 5:14 amFollowed by: 26 members; Thanked: 56 times

by mundasingh123 » Fri May 13, 2011 8:32 am

wilson4mba wrote:Hi
I found these question in one of the online tests. I am confused with the answers that are given. Kindly help me whether they are correct or not. (Experts help)

I would like to thank whoever it was that wrote that piece of music: it has given me so much pleasure.

A. I would like to thank whoever it was that wrote that piece of music:
B. I would like to thank whomever it was that has written that piece of music:
C. I would like to thank whomever it might be that wrote that piece of music:
D. Whoever it was that wrote that piece of music, I would like to thank because
E. I would like to thank whoever it was that wrote that piece of music,

Your taking a loan to buy a car annoyed Father.

A. Your taking a loan to buy a car annoyed Father.
B. Your taking a loan to buy a car aggravated Father.
C. You taking a loan to buy a car irritated Father.
D. You taking a loan to buy a car annoyed Father.
E. Father was annoyed by you taking a loan to buy a car.

both the answers are A

which online tests ? Manhattan

I Seek Explanations Not Answers

Like this post

sameerballani: Legendary Member; Posts: 544; Joined: Mon Dec 27, 2010 8:10 amFollowed by: 2 members; Thanked: 45 times

by sameerballani » Fri May 13, 2011 8:35 am

I would like to thank whoever it was that wrote that piece of music: it has given me so much pleasure.

A. I would like to thank whoever it was that wrote that piece of music:
B. I would like to thank whomever it was that has written that piece of music:
C. I would like to thank whomever it might be that wrote that piece of music:
D. Whoever it was that wrote that piece of music, I would like to thank because
E. I would like to thank whoever it was that wrote that piece of music,

I feel the answer is option C. I will try to explain
The given part in the sentence it has given me so much pleasure. talks about music. Basically it refers to music not the concerned person, so we need to make sure in the end it is music:. This eliminates option D and E. Also in option E after comma(,) there should be a conjunction. Also D seems to be like opening modifier but seems very awkward. Finally B and D are out.

If we consider the sentence: I would like to thank whoever/whomever... I feel I here is the subject. Between whoever and whomever i feel whomever plays the role of the object in the sentence. So eliminating option A.
Out of B and C, I will go with C. the scenario is something like: Someone wrote something in past and that action of writing is completed now. So we go with past tense, but its effect of giving pleasure is there and should be in present perfect form ie. has given.

Its tough!! I am also confused with option D now. Whoever-subject, wrote-verb in past, that piece of music-object and this as a whole modifying the complete sentence after comma. It seems to act as object of 2nd part. Its probably C or D.

Like this post

aspirant2011: Legendary Member; Posts: 1574; Joined: Fri Jan 28, 2011 2:52 amFollowed by: 13 members; Thanked: 88 times

by aspirant2011 » Fri May 13, 2011 9:40 am

wilson4mba wrote:Hi
I found these question in one of the online tests. I am confused with the answers that are given. Kindly help me whether they are correct or not. (Experts help)

I would like to thank whoever it was that wrote that piece of music: it has given me so much pleasure.

A. I would like to thank whoever it was that wrote that piece of music:
B. I would like to thank whomever it was that has written that piece of music:
C. I would like to thank whomever it might be that wrote that piece of music:
D. Whoever it was that wrote that piece of music, I would like to thank because
E. I would like to thank whoever it was that wrote that piece of music,

Your taking a loan to buy a car annoyed Father.

A. Your taking a loan to buy a car annoyed Father.
B. Your taking a loan to buy a car aggravated Father.
C. You taking a loan to buy a car irritated Father.
D. You taking a loan to buy a car annoyed Father.
E. Father was annoyed by you taking a loan to buy a car.

both the answers are A

I was able to get down to option A for second sentence but in the first sentence I am really confused between option A and B

Like this post

abidshariff: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 37; Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2011 2:50 am; Thanked: 2 times

by abidshariff » Fri May 13, 2011 9:46 am

IMO A. between whoever and whomever, I would like to go with former because "whoever/whomever wrote the book" book is an object and whoever/whomever plays a subject here..so whoever is preferred to whomever.
isnt it?

Can any of u guys clarify?

Like this post

mundasingh123: Legendary Member; Posts: 2330; Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2010 5:14 amFollowed by: 26 members; Thanked: 56 times

by mundasingh123 » Fri May 13, 2011 9:48 am

abidshariff wrote:IMO A. between whoever and whomever, I would like to go with former because "whoever/whomever wrote the book" book is an object and whoever/whomever plays a subject here..so whoever is preferred to whomever.
isnt it?

Can any of u guys clarify?

whoever is subject . whomever is object

I Seek Explanations Not Answers

Like this post

abidshariff: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 37; Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2011 2:50 am; Thanked: 2 times

by abidshariff » Fri May 13, 2011 9:49 am

So wat do we use here? whoever or whomever?

Like this post

mundasingh123: Legendary Member; Posts: 2330; Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2010 5:14 amFollowed by: 26 members; Thanked: 56 times

by mundasingh123 » Fri May 13, 2011 9:53 am

abidshariff wrote:So wat do we use here? whoever or whomever?

whomever object of thank

I Seek Explanations Not Answers

Like this post

GMAT/MBA Expert

Whitney Garner: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 273; Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2010 5:37 amFollowed by: 74 members; Location: Durham, NC; Thanked: 154 times; GMAT Score:770

by Whitney Garner » Fri May 13, 2011 10:07 am

wilson4mba wrote:Hi
I found these question in one of the online tests. I am confused with the answers that are given. Kindly help me whether they are correct or not. (Experts help)

I would like to thank whoever it was that wrote that piece of music: it has given me so much pleasure.

A. I would like to thank whoever it was that wrote that piece of music:
B. I would like to thank whomever it was that has written that piece of music:
C. I would like to thank whomever it might be that wrote that piece of music:
D. Whoever it was that wrote that piece of music, I would like to thank because
E. I would like to thank whoever it was that wrote that piece of music,

Your taking a loan to buy a car annoyed Father.

A. Your taking a loan to buy a car annoyed Father.
B. Your taking a loan to buy a car aggravated Father.
C. You taking a loan to buy a car irritated Father.
D. You taking a loan to buy a car annoyed Father.
E. Father was annoyed by you taking a loan to buy a car.

both the answers are A

Received PM asking me to respond:

Can the OP post the GMAT test-prep source for these two SC questions? Unfortunately, neither cover issues typically tested on the GMAT nor conform to the typical GMAT structure.

For those following this thread - please note that a quick internet search indicates that these problems are from SAT Prep sources (the admissions exam for American undergraduate programs). For that reason I would be careful putting too much emphasis on the grammar tested here (as it is quite different from that tested on the GMAT). I would also AVOID reading / studying problems that do not have the source cited. There are several very important reasons for this:

1) If you don't know the source, then you don't know whether you are compromising your future practice tests. What if the question is from the practice test you're about to take and now you see a question that you've already seen before? When that happens, it can blow the validity of your whole test! (Not if it happens just once, of course, but what if it happens multiple times?)

2) If you're taking a practice test and do see a question you've seen before, you'll probably answer it more quickly. This will give you a false sense of timing security because you now have a little more time... but that situation will NEVER be replicated on the real test.

3) The source might be bad. Do you want to study from a bad source? I don't!

Whit

Whitney Garner
GMAT/GRE/EA Instructor & Anxiety/Accommodations Coach
www.whitneygarner.com

Contributor to Beat The GMAT!

Math is a lot like love - a simple idea that can easily get complicated

Like this post

wilson4mba: Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts; Posts: 19; Joined: Sun Jun 27, 2010 6:27 pm

by wilson4mba » Fri May 13, 2011 8:27 pm

Hi

I was just searching for some GMAT material online and got this link
https://www.majortests.com/gmat/sentence ... estid=B002

This is the source of the question.

Like this post

GMAT/MBA Expert

Whitney Garner: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 273; Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2010 5:37 amFollowed by: 74 members; Location: Durham, NC; Thanked: 154 times; GMAT Score:770

by Whitney Garner » Sat May 14, 2011 5:00 am

wilson4mba wrote:Hi

I was just searching for some GMAT material online and got this link
https://www.majortests.com/gmat/sentence ... estid=B002

This is the source of the question.

Quick note: This site uses the same material for BOTH its SAT and GMAT practice tests:

https://www.majortests.com/sat/display.php?testid=B002

I would definitely be suspect of material NOT unique to each test.

Whit

Whitney Garner
GMAT/GRE/EA Instructor & Anxiety/Accommodations Coach
www.whitneygarner.com

Contributor to Beat The GMAT!

Math is a lot like love - a simple idea that can easily get complicated

Like this post

atulmangal: Legendary Member; Posts: 1112; Joined: Sat Feb 26, 2011 11:16 amFollowed by: 49 members; Thanked: 77 times

by atulmangal » Sat May 14, 2011 6:45 am

abidshariff wrote:IMO A. between whoever and whomever, I would like to go with former because "whoever/whomever wrote the book" book is an object and whoever/whomever plays a subject here..so whoever is preferred to whomever.
isnt it?

Can any of u guys clarify?

This is perfect, i also picked Op A, the NOMINATIVE "WHOEVER" i find correct.

Like this post

Post new topic Locked

• Page 1 of 1

GMAT Course Reviews

559 reviews

1168 reviews

431 reviews

359 reviews

147 reviews

5/5

5 Star (560 Reviews)

"Target Test Prep is the closest to the official version of the GMAT exam, about 99% accuracy in terms of the quality and quantity of information. The course has excellently created singular sets of focused lessons and tests for every possible topic that one could come across in the official GMAT exam."

"The TTP course maximizes the efficiency of the time you spend studying. It will take time and effort but I could almost guarantee that if you complete the course exactly as it is laid out you will get an amazing score. They also have a very responsive team willing to help with any questions you might have."

"TTP has two things that I think no other test prep company offers: A teaching approach that reinforces understanding and an attitude that will give you the mental preparedness needed to succeed on the test. TTP gives you a deep understanding of the concept you need to know while teaching you how to think."

Write a Review