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Here is a detailed explanation to this question-
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Source : GMATPrep Default Exam Pack
Not only did the systematic clearing of forests in the United States create farmland (especially in the Northeast) and gave consumers relatively inexpensive houses and furniture, but it also caused erosion and very quickly deforested whole regions.
(A) Not only did the systematic clearing of forests in the United States create farmland (especially in the Northeast) and gave consumers relatively inexpensive houses and furniture, but it also
(B) Not only did the systematic clearing of forests in the United States create farmland (especially in the Northeast), which gave consumers relatively inexpensive houses and furniture, but also
(C) The systematic clearing of forests in the United States, creating farmland (especially in the Northeast) and giving consumers relatively inexpensive houses and furniture, but also
(D) The systematic clearing of forests in the United States created farmland (especially in the Northeast) and gave consumers relatively inexpensive houses and furniture, but it also
(E) The systematic clearing of forests in the United States not only created farmland (especially in the Northeast), giving consumers relatively inexpensive houses and furniture, but it
Meaning is crucial to solving this problem:Understanding the intended meaning is key to solving this question; the intended meaning of this sentence is that the systematic clearing of forests in the United States created farmland and gave consumers relatively inexpensive houses and furniture but also caused erosion and very quickly deforested whole regions.
Concepts tested here: Meaning + Verb Forms + Tenses + Parallelism• “did + simple present tense verb” is the correct construction, as “did” succinctly conveys that the action took place in the past.
• "who/whose/whom/which/where", when preceded by a comma, refer to the noun just before the comma.
• “not only A but also B” is the correct, idiomatic usage; A must be parallel to B.
• The introduction of the present participle ("verb+ing"- “giving” in this case) after comma generally leads to a cause-effect relationship.
• Any elements linked by a conjunction ("but" in this sentence) must be parallel.
A: Trap. This answer choice incorrectly uses the construction "did + simple past tense verb ("gave" in this case)" to refer to an action that concluded in the past; please remember, “did + simple present tense verb” is the correct construction, as “did” succinctly conveys that the action took place in the past. Further, Option A alters the meaning of the sentence through the use of the "not only A but also B" construction; the use of this idiomatic construction fails to convey the needed sense of contrast, incorrectly implying that the systematic clearing of forests in the United States created farmland and gave consumers relatively inexpensive houses and furniture
and it also caused erosion and very quickly deforested whole regions; the intended meaning is that the systematic clearing of forests in the United States created farmland and gave consumers relatively inexpensive houses and furniture
but by contrast also caused erosion and very quickly deforested whole regions.
B: This answer choice incorrectly refers to "farmland" with "which gave consumers relatively inexpensive houses and furniture", illogically implying that the
farmland gave consumers relatively inexpensive houses and furniture; the intended meaning is that the
systematic clearing of forests gave consumers relatively inexpensive houses and furniture; please remember, "who/whose/whom/which/where", when preceded by a comma, refer to the noun just before the comma. Moreover, Option B further alters the meaning of the sentence through the use of the "not only A but also B" construction; the use of this idiomatic construction fails to convey the needed sense of contrast, incorrectly implying that the systematic clearing of forests in the United States created farmland
and it also caused erosion and very quickly deforested whole regions; the intended meaning is that the systematic clearing of forests in the United States created farmland
but by contrast also caused erosion and very quickly deforested whole regions. Additionally, Option B fails to maintain parallelism between A ("did the systematic clearing of forests in the United States create farmland") and B ("caused erosion and very quickly deforested whole regions") in the idiomatic construction "not only A but also B"; please remember, “not only A but also B” is the correct, idiomatic usage; A must be parallel to B.
C: This answer choice fails to form a complete sentence; as "creating" and "giving" are both present participles ("verb+ing") acting as noun modifiers, and "causes" and "deforested" are part of a modifying phrase, there is no active verb to act upon the subject noun "The systematic clearing".
D: Correct. This answer choice acts upon the subject noun "the systematic clearing of forests" with the active verbs "created" and "gave" to form a complete thought, leading to a complete sentence. Further, Option D uses the phrase "and gave consumers relatively inexpensive houses and furniture", conveying the intended meaning - that
the systematic clearing of forests in the United States created farmland and
as a separate action gave consumers relatively inexpensive houses and furniture. Moreover, Option D avoids the meaning error seen in Options A, B, and E, as it does not employ the "not only A but also B" construction, conveying the intended meaning - that the systematic clearing of forests in the United States created farmland and gave consumers relatively inexpensive houses and furniture
but by contrast also caused erosion and very quickly deforested whole regions. Additionally, Option D avoids the tense error seen in Option A, as it does not utilize the helping verb "did". Besides, Option D correctly maintains parallelism between "The systematic clearing of forests...and furniture" and "it also caused erosion and very quickly deforested whole regions".
E: This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "giving consumers relatively inexpensive houses and furniture"; the use of the "comma + present participle ("verb+ing" - "giving" in this sentence)" construction illogically implies that
by creating farmland, the systematic clearing of forests in the United States gave consumers relatively inexpensive houses and furniture; the intended meaning is that the systematic clearing of forests in the United States created farmland and
as a separate action gave consumers relatively inexpensive houses and furniture; please remember, the introduction of the present participle ("verb+ing"- “giving” in this case) after comma generally leads to a cause-effect relationship. Moreover, Option E further alters the meaning of the sentence through the use of the "not only A but B" construction; the use of this construction fails to convey the needed sense of contrast, incorrectly implying that the systematic clearing of forests in the United States created farmland
and it also caused erosion and very quickly deforested whole regions; the intended meaning is that the systematic clearing of forests in the United States created farmland
but by contrast also caused erosion and very quickly deforested whole regions. Further, Option E fails to maintain parallelism between "created farmland" and "it caused erosion and very quickly deforested whole regions"; please remember, any elements linked by a conjunction ("but" in this sentence) must be parallel.
Hence, D is the best answer choice.To understand the concept of "Comma + Present Participles for Cause-Effect Relationships" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~3 minutes):
To understand the concept of "Which/Who/Whose/Where" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~1 minute):
All the best!
Experts' Global Team