Nez wrote:
Our attending the conference is dependent on our pilot receiving clearance to take off.
A. Our attending the conference is dependent on our pilot receiving clearance to take off.
B. Our attending the conference depends on our pilot receiving clearance to take off.
C. We will attend the conference only if our pilot receives clearance of take off.
D. Our attending the conference is dependent on our pilot receiving clearance for take off.
E. Our attending the conference is dependent on our pilot’s receiving clearance to take off.
Get this question in 3 minutes without looking at the OA and you are a GMAT genius!
Hello Nez,
I'm Happy to help !
Actually, This question tests our reasoning skills along with our ability to correct grammatical errors.
Our attending the conference is dependent on our pilot
receiving clearance to take off.Here the bold phrase (beginning with verb-ing modifier) is modifying the noun "pilot".
Always keep this in mind: "Verb-ing modifier that precedes a noun without comma, always modifies that noun."
Now if you would apply the rule that I mentioned above, you'll notice that in the original sentence, the noun "pilot" is an object of the sentence. Also, if you'd think logically, it will come in your mind that their chances of attending the conference does not depend on the pilot, but the pilot's clearance for a take off(Read the original sentence as "Our attending the conference is dependent on our pilot" Logically incorrect. isn't it ?
). This will help us eliminate option A,B and D.
Option C completely distorts the intended meaning of the original sentence. For example,
In the original sentence, the intended meaning is that their chances of attending the conference depends on the pilot's clearance to take off.
Whereas according to option C, it seems that attending the conference is already in their control and they will only attend it if the pilot receives the clearance. That's not what the original sentence wanted to convey.
Hope that helps.
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