During the 1980’s approximately $50 billion in private investment capi

Hey All,

Just wanted to weigh in on this one quickly. You've all arrived at the right answer, but there's been some misinformation spread about why some of the answer choices are wrong. Let's look at them one by one.

During the 1980’s approximately $50 billion in private investment capital is estimated to have left Mexico and added to the strain on the country’s debt-ridden economy.

The two major issues here are Modifiers and Parallelism. If you don't see that...it's time to buy the MGMAT SC guide! : )

(A) During the 1980’s approximately $50 billion in private investment capital is estimated to have left Mexico and added
PROBLEMS:

MODIFIER: Prepositional phrases will often be bounced around sentences. This will necessarily change the meaning. DO NOT think that it doesn't matter where these prepositional phrases go. The phrase here is "During the 1980s" which is modifying the verb "is estimated" in this answer choice. But the estimation didn't happen during the 1890s, the money left during the 1980s. ALSO, the word "have" is not incorrect. It is neither singular nor plural, but part of the infinitive form "to have".

PARALLEL: The capital did not "leave Mexico" and "add strain". The FACT that money disappeared added strain, not the money itself.

(B) During the 1980’s it is estimated that approximately $50 billion in private investment capital left Mexico and added

PROBLEMS:

MODIFIER: Same as A.

PARALLEL: Same as A.

(C) It is estimated that there was approximately $50 billion in private investment capital that left Mexico during the 1980’s and added

PROBLEMS:

MODIFIER: This issue is fixed because the "during the 1980's" comes AFTER the estimation now.

PARALLEL: Same as A.

(D) It is estimated that during the 1980’s approximately $50 billion in private investment capital left Mexico, adding

CORRECT ANSWER!

MODIFIER: This issue is fixed, because the "during the 1980s" comes AFTER the word estimated now.

PARALLEL: Instead of keeping capital as the subject of the verb "add", we've changed the verb "add" to the participle/modifier "adding", which modifies the FACT that the money left Mexico. This is what we were looking for all along.

(E) Approximately $50 billion in private investment capital is estimated as having left Mexico during the 1980’s, adding

MODIFIER: During the 198s is okay.

PARALLEL: "adding" is oka.

IDIOM: You have to say "estimate to", not "estimate as" or even "estimate at".


Hope that helps!

-tommy