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modern statistical techniques

by neerajkumar1_1 » Tue Aug 31, 2010 11:41 pm
Whether modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, is an issue historians and economists are currently debating.
(A) Whether modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, is an issue
(B) If modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, are issues
(C) That modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, are issues
(D) Modern statistical techniques being usefully applied to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, is an issue
(E) The useful application of modern statistical techniques to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, is an issue
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by saurabhmahajan » Wed Sep 01, 2010 1:01 am
IMO :A
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by Maciek » Wed Sep 01, 2010 4:01 am
hi all!

IMO B
I see two different issues
what is OA?

If you don't agree with my reasoning, post here. Thanks!

Hope it helps!
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by blaster » Wed Sep 01, 2010 4:25 am
Maciek wrote:hi all!

IMO B
I see two different issues
what is OA?

If you don't agree with my reasoning, post here. Thanks!

Hope it helps!
Best,
Maciek

(B) If modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, are issues

i think it must be singular.

I vote for A
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by niksworth » Wed Sep 01, 2010 5:49 am
Maciek wrote:hi all!

IMO B
I see two different issues
what is OA?

If you don't agree with my reasoning, post here. Thanks!

Hope it helps!
Best,
Maciek
B has subject verb agreement error. The subject in the sentence is the issue and must have singular is as the verb.

Also, in B the use of if is incorrect. If is generally used to lay out a condition. Whether is used when alternatives are offered.

Moreover, when a question-word clause is a subject or complement, whether is preferred.
E.g. - Whether we can stay with my mother or not is another matter

I would vote for A.
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by reply2spg » Wed Sep 01, 2010 7:28 am
IMP - Rule #1 for sentence correction is underline the sentence, without this rule all other rules are useless

1. 'historians and economists are currently debating' is the key phrase to decide how the sentence should start with.
2. 'is' or 'are' - we need 'is' and not 'are'
3. 'if' or 'whether' - use 'whether' to decide on two things, use 'if' in only 'if X then Y' construction

Let's analyse
neerajkumar1_1 wrote:Whether modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, is an issue historians and economists are currently debating.

(A) Whether modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, is an issue - Correct
(B) If modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, are issues - this is not 'if, then' construction, so we do not need if. Also, we need 'is' and not 'are'. Eliminate
(C) That modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, are issues - What is 'that' referring to? not clear, eliminate
(D) Modern statistical techniques being usefully applied to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, is an issue - Subject 'techniques' plural verb 'is' singular. Also, use of 'being' is incorrect. Eliminate
(E) The useful application of modern statistical techniques to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, is an issue - changes the meaning.
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by neerajkumar1_1 » Wed Sep 01, 2010 8:26 am
Hi all...
thanks for the inputs...
But can anyone explain why we need 'is' and not 'are' in this sentence...
I am getting confused abt the subject in this sentence...
Please elaborate...
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by BastiG » Wed Sep 01, 2010 8:30 am
neerajkumar1_1 wrote:Whether modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, is an issue historians and economists are currently debating.
(A) Whether modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, is an issue
(B) If modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, are issues
(C) That modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, are issues
(D) Modern statistical techniques being usefully applied to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, is an issue
(E) The useful application of modern statistical techniques to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, is an issue
I think that the correct answer is A because Whether modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied to the past, and to a society quite different from our own is a noun phrase which functions as a subject, Issue is not a subject, but a direct object. B and C have a problem with sv-agreement. D and E change the meaning.

BTW:
The choice D "Modern statistical techniques being usefully applied to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, is an issue" has no problem with a sv-agreement because you can ellid "that". If you add that at the beginning of the sentence, there is no problem with a sv-agreement because you have a noun phrase functioning as a subject! But you have a different meaning.
Last edited by BastiG on Wed Sep 01, 2010 10:58 am, edited 2 times in total.
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by samarpan_bschool » Wed Sep 01, 2010 10:28 am
BastiG wrote:
neerajkumar1_1 wrote:Whether modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, is an issue historians and economists are currently debating.
(A) Whether modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, is an issue
(B) If modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, are issues
(C) That modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, are issues
(D) Modern statistical techniques being usefully applied to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, is an issue
(E) The useful application of modern statistical techniques to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, is an issue
I think that the correct answer is A because Whether modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied to the past is a noun phrase which functions as a subject, Issue is not a subject, but a direct object. B and C have a problem with sv-agreement. D and E change the meaning.

BTW:
The choice D "Modern statistical techniques being usefully applied to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, is an issue" has no problem with a sv-agreement because you can ellid "that". If you add that at the beginning of the sentence, there is no problem with a sv-agreement because you have a noun phrase functioning as a subject! But you have a different meaning.
I guess you have nailed it BastiG - S-V is indeed the issue in C. However i have a quick question her on 'A'.

In option A, 'Whether modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied to the past, and 'Whether modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied' to a society quite different from our own, - > highlighted portion is elided.

Dont you think we have two actions here to make the subject 'plural' ? If this is the case, then we need to use 'are'

Action1: Modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied to the past
Action2: Modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied to a society quite different from our own

Ps: I DID make a note of the fact that we have COMMA for Action2, making action2 a dispensable modifier.

What are you thoughts?

Thanks
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by BastiG » Thu Sep 02, 2010 9:08 pm
samarpan_bschool wrote:
BastiG wrote:
neerajkumar1_1 wrote:Whether modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, is an issue historians and economists are currently debating.
(A) Whether modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, is an issue
(B) If modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, are issues
(C) That modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, are issues
(D) Modern statistical techniques being usefully applied to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, is an issue
(E) The useful application of modern statistical techniques to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, is an issue
I think that the correct answer is A because Whether modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied to the past is a noun phrase which functions as a subject, Issue is not a subject, but a direct object. B and C have a problem with sv-agreement. D and E change the meaning.

BTW:
The choice D "Modern statistical techniques being usefully applied to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, is an issue" has no problem with a sv-agreement because you can ellid "that". If you add that at the beginning of the sentence, there is no problem with a sv-agreement because you have a noun phrase functioning as a subject! But you have a different meaning.
I guess you have nailed it BastiG - S-V is indeed the issue in C. However i have a quick question her on 'A'.

In option A, 'Whether modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied to the past, and 'Whether modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied' to a society quite different from our own, - > highlighted portion is elided.

Dont you think we have two actions here to make the subject 'plural' ? If this is the case, then we need to use 'are'

Action1: Modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied to the past
Action2: Modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied to a society quite different from our own

Ps: I DID make a note of the fact that we have COMMA for Action2, making action2 a dispensable modifier.

What are you thoughts?

Thanks
I agree with your thoughts. I am not able to give you any reason why are is wrong. I think you should contact an expert because this is an pretty interesting question!
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by GMATGuruNY » Sat Sep 04, 2010 2:51 pm
neerajkumar1_1 wrote:Whether modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, is an issue historians and economists are currently debating.
(A) Whether modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, is an issue
(B) If modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, are issues
(C) That modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, are issues
(D) Modern statistical techniques being usefully applied to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, is an issue
(E) The useful application of modern statistical techniques to the past, and to a society quite different from our own, is an issue
Quickest approach:

The issue is whether modern statistical techniques can be usefully applied to the past and to a society different from our own. Only A conveys the intended meaning of the sentence. Eliminate B, C, D and E.

The correct answer is A.

Other errors:

In B, the use of if is incorrect. If is used for conditional statements. To convey a choice between two options -- can the techniques be applied or not? -- we use the word whether.

In C, the plural are doesn't agree with the singular subject that modern techniques can be applied. C should read:

That modern techniques can be applied...is an issue...

In D, the subject is not the modern statistical techniques but their being usefully applied to the past. D should read:

Modern statistical techniques' being usefully applied to the past...is an issue...

This sort of construction, however, is very awkward and highly unlikely to be in the correct answer choice.
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by 7806 » Sat Sep 04, 2010 8:36 pm
Thanks Mitch..nice explanation.
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