bagdbmba wrote:
VeritasPrepKarishma wrote:
bagdbmba wrote:
The rapid population growth within the boundaries of the Springfield Public School district was a source of an overcrowded school system where the student enrollments of 70 percent of them are above the state board of education's suggested limits.
A.where the student enrollments of 70 percent of them are
B.where they have 70 percent of student enrollments
C.where 70 percent of student enrollments are
D.which has 70 percent of student enrollments
E.in which 70 percent of them have student enrollments
Out of the given options, (C) is the best.
The underlined portion conveys the following: 70% of student enrollments are above the limit.
The use of pronouns 'they' and 'them' is incorrect. They have no appropriate antecedent. Use of 'student enrollments of 70%' is incorrect and unclear. You need to say '70% of student enrollments'
In (D), 'which has' is incorrect. You could say 'in which 70 percent of student enrollments are'.
Thanks Karishma for your reply.
My confusion is with D. Would you please clarify why 'which has' is incorrect here?
I chose D over C as I thought 'where' is applicable for place and system is not a place here...!
We need to get into grammar to understand these issues. There are small details which can be used to point out the error but in the actual exam, you cannot rely on them. You will not have the time and will predominantly need to use your ear. Try to practice enough so that you don't need to get into the nitty gritty of grammar in the test.
1. Comma before which
Usually, 'which' introduces a non-restrictive clause (that is not essential to the meaning of the sentence). Non-restrictive clauses are surrounded by commas. Usually, while introducing a restrictive clause (one that is essential to the meaning of the sentence), we use 'that' and do not use a comma. Sometimes 'which' is also used to introduce restrictive clauses and it will not take a comma in that situation. GMAT does not test commas. So if you see which without a comma, do not ignore the option. To summarize, 'which' will usually come with a comma in GMAT questions but it could appear without one if it is introducing a restrictive clause. Anyway, ignore the commas as far as GMAT is concerned.
2. Where/which
They are not interchangeable. Often, 'where' and 'in which' are interchangeable. In this sentence, I would have preferred "in which" but of the given options, I will take 'where'.
'Where' is a relative adverb which can replace 'preposition + which' (in which or at which)
e.g. This is the city in which I live.
This is the city where I live.
When you use "which has..." which here acts as a relative pronoun. The sentence structure doesn't support this.
Look at two sentences:
Canada, where people are very kind, is very cold.
Canada, which has a small population, is very cold.
The structure of the two sentences is different.
Canada is very cold. People are very kind
in Canada. - Canada is used as an adverb here. It is replaced by 'where'
Canada is very cold.
Canada has a small population. - Canada is the subject here. It is replaced by 'which'
In our original sentence, the structure is: "70 percent of student enrollments are above the limit in the system".
Here the system is acting as an adverb and hence needs "in which"/"where".
"The system" is not the subject and hence cannot be replaced by "which has".