Wind Resistance... HELP!!!
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I received a PM asking me to clarify the difference between of and for.
There are no clearcut rules; prepositional modifiers serve many uses. That being said:
OF often serves to describe the NATURE of the noun being modified:
In a penalty OF one hundred dollars, the prepositional modifier describes the NATURE of the penalty.
FOR often serves to describe the CAUSE of the noun being modified:
In a penalty FOR speeding, the prepositional modifier describes the CAUSE of the penalty.
TO often serves to describe the PURPOSE of the noun being modified:
In a penalty TO deter crime, the prepositional modifier describes the PURPOSE of the penalty.
When prepositions change in the answers, the SC likely is testing an idiom.
The good news is that the current incarnation of the GMAT is placing much less emphasis on idioms.
Any answer choice that contains an idiom error is likely to contain at least one other error.
If you're not certain which preposition or idiom is needed in any particular instance, LOOK FOR A DIFFERENT ERROR.
There are no clearcut rules; prepositional modifiers serve many uses. That being said:
OF often serves to describe the NATURE of the noun being modified:
In a penalty OF one hundred dollars, the prepositional modifier describes the NATURE of the penalty.
FOR often serves to describe the CAUSE of the noun being modified:
In a penalty FOR speeding, the prepositional modifier describes the CAUSE of the penalty.
TO often serves to describe the PURPOSE of the noun being modified:
In a penalty TO deter crime, the prepositional modifier describes the PURPOSE of the penalty.
When prepositions change in the answers, the SC likely is testing an idiom.
The good news is that the current incarnation of the GMAT is placing much less emphasis on idioms.
Any answer choice that contains an idiom error is likely to contain at least one other error.
If you're not certain which preposition or idiom is needed in any particular instance, LOOK FOR A DIFFERENT ERROR.
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I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
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Thanks a lot Mitch. Makes the point a lot easier to understand.GMATGuruNY wrote:I received a PM asking me to clarify the difference between of and for.
There are no clearcut rules; prepositional modifiers serve many uses. That being said:
OF often serves to describe the NATURE of the noun being modified:
In a penalty OF one hundred dollars, the prepositional modifier describes the NATURE of the penalty.
FOR often serves to describe the CAUSE of the noun being modified:
In a penalty FOR speeding, the prepositional modifier describes the CAUSE of the penalty.
TO often serves to describe the PURPOSE of the noun being modified:
In a penalty TO deter crime, the prepositional modifier describes the PURPOSE of the penalty.
When prepositions change in the answers, the SC likely is testing an idiom.
The good news is that the current incarnation of the GMAT is placing much less emphasis on idioms.
Any answer choice that contains an idiom error is likely to contain at least one other error.
If you're not certain which preposition or idiom is needed in any particular instance, LOOK FOR A DIFFERENT ERROR.
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1st split: the comparison is between the fuel penalties incurred by "Wind resistance created by opening windows while driving" and by "using air conditioning"
Any choice that doesn't clarify this relationship is wrong => cross A, B & D
Between C & E, "as great as or greater than" sounds awkward and wordy.
Hence, choose E
Any choice that doesn't clarify this relationship is wrong => cross A, B & D
Between C & E, "as great as or greater than" sounds awkward and wordy.
Hence, choose E
Wind resistance created by opening windows while driving results in a fuel penalty as great or greater than is incurred by using air conditioning.
(A) as great or greater than is incurred by using air conditioning
(B) that is as great or greater than is incurred using air conditioning
(C) as great as or greater than that of using air conditioning
(D) at least as great as air conditioning's
(E) at least as great as that incurred by using air conditioning
Primarily, most of us would have shortlisted A or C or E
Here is the explanation why A and C are Wrong
You cannot eliminate A just because it is wordy, there is a very concrete sentence construction Flaw
A says Wind resistance created by opening windows while driving results in a fuel penalty as great or greater than is incurred by using air conditioning.
as great or greater than is incurred by using ....
What does is refer to, here?
Is is verb and must be parallel to another Verb in (x is y than) construction. And that another verb is results
So it means "is" refers to the subject of the verb "results" as well ---> Wind resistance
as great or greater than (wind resistance) is incurred by using air conditioning --> This we can clearly see as wrong meaning
Hence Eliminate
For C
(C) as great as or greater than that of using air conditioning
Replace that with the apt noun - That is fuel penalty.
So it becomes
(C) as great as or greater than fuel penalty of using air conditioning --> Isint parallel
Remebr x than Y has to be parallel contruction
Fuel penalty as great/greater THAN ( Requires parallel to whatever before than/as )
x than (y of) is not parallel
It should be
x than y
Hence Eliminate C
For E : Everything is in place
X than Y is parallel
Penalty => That (Refers back to penalty)
Cheers,
Akash
(A) as great or greater than is incurred by using air conditioning
(B) that is as great or greater than is incurred using air conditioning
(C) as great as or greater than that of using air conditioning
(D) at least as great as air conditioning's
(E) at least as great as that incurred by using air conditioning
Primarily, most of us would have shortlisted A or C or E
Here is the explanation why A and C are Wrong
You cannot eliminate A just because it is wordy, there is a very concrete sentence construction Flaw
A says Wind resistance created by opening windows while driving results in a fuel penalty as great or greater than is incurred by using air conditioning.
as great or greater than is incurred by using ....
What does is refer to, here?
Is is verb and must be parallel to another Verb in (x is y than) construction. And that another verb is results
So it means "is" refers to the subject of the verb "results" as well ---> Wind resistance
as great or greater than (wind resistance) is incurred by using air conditioning --> This we can clearly see as wrong meaning
Hence Eliminate
For C
(C) as great as or greater than that of using air conditioning
Replace that with the apt noun - That is fuel penalty.
So it becomes
(C) as great as or greater than fuel penalty of using air conditioning --> Isint parallel
Remebr x than Y has to be parallel contruction
Fuel penalty as great/greater THAN ( Requires parallel to whatever before than/as )
x than (y of) is not parallel
It should be
x than y
Hence Eliminate C
For E : Everything is in place
X than Y is parallel
Penalty => That (Refers back to penalty)
Cheers,
Akash
Wind resistance created by opening windows while driving results in a fuel penalty as great or greater than is incurred by using air conditioning.
(A) as great or greater than is incurred by using air conditioning
(B) that is as great or greater than is incurred using air conditioning
(C) as great as or greater than that of using air conditioning
(D) at least as great as air conditioning's
(E) at least as great as that incurred by using air conditioning
Primarily, most of us would have shortlisted A or C or E
Here is the explanation why A and C are Wrong
You cannot eliminate A just because it is wordy, there is a very concrete sentence construction Flaw
A says Wind resistance created by opening windows while driving results in a fuel penalty as great or greater than is incurred by using air conditioning.
as great or greater than is incurred by using ....
What does is refer to, here?
Is is verb and must be parallel to another Verb in (x is y than) construction. And that another verb is results
So it means "is" refers to the subject of the verb "results" as well ---> Wind resistance
as great or greater than (wind resistance) is incurred by using air conditioning --> This we can clearly see as wrong meaning
Hence Eliminate
For C
(C) as great as or greater than that of using air conditioning
Replace that with the apt noun - That is fuel penalty.
So it becomes
(C) as great as or greater than fuel penalty of using air conditioning --> Isint parallel
Remebr x than Y has to be parallel contruction
Fuel penalty as great/greater THAN ( Requires parallel to whatever before than/as )
x than (y of) is not parallel
It should be
x than y
Hence Eliminate C
For E : Everything is in place
X than Y is parallel
Penalty greater than That (Refers back to penalty)
Penalty as great as that (Refers back to penalty)
Cheers,
Akash
(A) as great or greater than is incurred by using air conditioning
(B) that is as great or greater than is incurred using air conditioning
(C) as great as or greater than that of using air conditioning
(D) at least as great as air conditioning's
(E) at least as great as that incurred by using air conditioning
Primarily, most of us would have shortlisted A or C or E
Here is the explanation why A and C are Wrong
You cannot eliminate A just because it is wordy, there is a very concrete sentence construction Flaw
A says Wind resistance created by opening windows while driving results in a fuel penalty as great or greater than is incurred by using air conditioning.
as great or greater than is incurred by using ....
What does is refer to, here?
Is is verb and must be parallel to another Verb in (x is y than) construction. And that another verb is results
So it means "is" refers to the subject of the verb "results" as well ---> Wind resistance
as great or greater than (wind resistance) is incurred by using air conditioning --> This we can clearly see as wrong meaning
Hence Eliminate
For C
(C) as great as or greater than that of using air conditioning
Replace that with the apt noun - That is fuel penalty.
So it becomes
(C) as great as or greater than fuel penalty of using air conditioning --> Isint parallel
Remebr x than Y has to be parallel contruction
Fuel penalty as great/greater THAN ( Requires parallel to whatever before than/as )
x than (y of) is not parallel
It should be
x than y
Hence Eliminate C
For E : Everything is in place
X than Y is parallel
Penalty greater than That (Refers back to penalty)
Penalty as great as that (Refers back to penalty)
Cheers,
Akash
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