Turtles, like other reptiles, can endure long fasts, in their ability

Hello Everyone!

Let's take a closer look at this question to get to the correct answer quickly! Before we dive in, here is the original question, with major differences highlighted in orange:

Turtles, like other reptiles, can endure long fasts, in their ability to survive on weekly or even monthly feedings; however, when food is readily available, they may eat frequently and grow very fat.

A) fasts, in their ability to survive
B) fasts, having their ability to survive
C) fasts, due to having the ability of surviving
D) fasts because they are able to survive
E) fasts because of having the ability of surviving

While it looks like the bulk of each option is different, there are a couple things we can focus on to narrow down our options:

1. ability to survive / ability of surviving
2. because / due to / in having

Since #1 on our list will eliminate 2-3 options quickly, let's start there!

Whenever we talk about someone's ability + action, we MUST use the idiomatic phrase "ability TO" or "able TO." In English, we do not say that someone has the "ability OF" anything. Let's figure out which options use this correctly, and eliminate the ones who don't:

A) fasts, in their ability to survive --> OK
B) fasts, having their ability to survive --> OK
C) fasts, due to having the ability of surviving --> WRONG
D) fasts because they are able to survive --> OK
E) fasts because of having the ability of surviving --> WRONG

There you go - we can eliminate options C & E because they don't use the correct format "ability TO." This was a quick way to knock a couple options off the list!

Now, let's tackle #2 on this list, which is how to best show the intended meaning. If you read carefully, we're looking at a cause/effect relationship:

Cause: Turtles can survive on weekly or monthly feedings.
Effect: Turtles can endure long periods of fasting.

Since the ability to survive on weekly or monthly feedings is a REASON for them enduring fasts, we need to make sure the wording shows this clearly and without being overly wordy. Here is how the remaining options stack up:

A) fasts, in their ability to survive

This is INCORRECT because it doesn't clearly state that living on weekly and monthly feedings is a REASON for why they can endure fasting periods. It almost sounds like the sentence is saying it's typical for them to endure fasting because they ALWAYS have to live with weekly or monthly feedings, which isn't true.

B) fasts, having their ability to survive

This is INCORRECT because it also doesn't clearly show that this sentence is presenting a REASON why turtles can withstand fasting periods. It also sounds awkward and overly wordy, which is a red flag on the GMAT that the option is likely wrong.

D) fasts because they are able to survive

This is CORRECT! The word "because" makes it very clear that the sentence is providing a REASON. It also uses the pronoun "they" to further clarify we are talking about turtles specifically.

There you go - option D is the correct choice! It's clear, concise, and uses the correct idiomatic format of "able/ability to."


Don't study for the GMAT. Train for it.

My two cents -

Option A reads something like this -

"in their ability to survive ..., turtles can endure long fasts". The preposition "in" seems to imply that "can endure long fasts" is part of their ability to survive. Does not make sense.

Option B -
"having their ability ..." - I think that "their" is unnecessary. It is obvious that turtles have their own ability.

Option C -
"due to" is a noun modifier. It illogically modifies "long fasts". long fasts are not due to the turtle's ability.
"ability of surviving" is not idiomatic.

Option D -
correct answer. "because" brings out the causal relationship quite clearly.

Option E -
ability of surviving is unidiomatic.

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

To express why turtles can endure long fasts— their ability to survive on only occasional feedings—it is clearer and more idiomatic to use because than to use in or having. Also, the noun ability here requires to introducing a noun phrase denoting the nature of the ability.

A In does not express the causal relationship clearly, whereas because does.

B Having does not express the causal relationship clearly.

C Ability of is incorrect; ability must be followed by to in order to express the intended meaning. Due to having the ability is awkward, nonstandard, and unnecessarily wordy.

D Correct. is option uses because to express the causal relation and uses to after ability.

E Ability of is incorrect; ability must be followed by to in order to express the intended meaning. Because of having the ability is awkward, nonstandard, and unnecessarily wordy.

The correct answer is D.

Dear Friends,

Here is a detailed explanation to this question-



Choice A: This answer choice suffers from an error of meaning. The purpose of this sentence is to convey the causal relationship between turtles' capacity to survive on infrequent feedings and their ability to survive long fasts; however, due to the use of the phrase "in their ability to survive", this answer choice fails to convey that relationship as this phrase implies that turtles can endure long fasts as part of their intrinsic ability to survive on infrequent feedings. Thus, this answer choice is correct.

Choice B: This answer choice also fails to convey the intended meaning of the sentence, due to the use of the phrase "having their ability". Moreover, the construction of this phrase is needlessly wordy and makes the sentence come across as rather awkward. Thus, this answer is rather incorrect.

Choice C: This answer choice utilizes the unidiomatic construction "ability of", rather than the correct construction "ability to". Thus, this answer choice is incorrect.

Choice D: This answer choice maintains proper idiom use throughout the sentence and correctly brings out the causal nature of the turtles' two abilities, through the use of the phrase "because they are". Thus, this answer choice is correct.

Choice E: This answer choice makes the same idiom-related error found in Option C. Thus, this answer choice is incorrect.

Hence, D is the best answer choice.

To understand the concept of "Because v/s In that on GMAT", you may want to watch the following video (~2 minutes):



All the best!
Experts' Global Team

All the best!
Experts' Global Team

Manhattan Explanation

First glance:

The opening difference in the answers has to do with whether fasts should or should not be followed by a comma. Pay attention to Sentence Structure and Modifiers when you read the original sentence.

Issues

(1) Meaning/Modifier

The modifier in their ability to survive does not logically connect to the first part of the sentence. Presumably, the turtles can endure long fasts because they don’t have to eat very often, but the in their ability phrasing does not convey cause and effect. Eliminate choice (A) and examine the others for this same issue.

Answer (B) uses a comma –ing modifier. In this structure, the part that is written later in the sentence is the result, not the cause. For example:

Baby turtles don’t yet have hard shells, making them especially vulnerable to predators.

They are especially vulnerable because they don’t have hard shells, not the other way around. Choice (B), on the other hand, is saying that the turtles’ ability to survive on infrequent feedings exists because they can endure long fasts—but that’s the wrong order of cause and effect. Eliminate (B) for faulty meaning.

(2) Idiom: ability of; because of having

Some choices use ability to and others use ability of. Are both acceptable?

The correct idiom is ability to do X, not ability of doing X. Eliminate choices (C) and (E).

Answer (E) also contains another idiom issue. It is possible to use the construction because of X, but the X has to be in the form of a noun or noun phrase. If the X portion is an action, though, it is preferable to change the form to be able to use a subject and verb, as answer (D) does: because they are able to survive. This choice is better than choice (E).

The Correct Answer

Correct answer (D) conveys a logical, cause-effect relationship via the word because. It also uses a clause (a subject-verb pair) to convey the relevant action: because they are able to survive.

To show the reason of Turtle's survival, we need 'because'. A, B and C are out

'able to' is the correct idiom. E is out

D is the answer

Answer must be (D) , reasons highlighted below -

Turtles, like other reptiles, can endure long fasts because they are able to survive on weekly or even monthly feedings; however, when food is readily available, they may eat frequently and grow very fat.

Turtles, like other reptiles, can endure long fasts because they are able to survive on weekly or even monthly feedings; however, when food is readily available, they may eat frequently and grow very fat.

Turtles, like other reptiles, can endure long fasts because they are able to survive on weekly or even monthly feedings; however, when food is readily available, they may eat frequently and grow very fat.

Turtles, like other reptiles, can endure long fasts because they are able to survive on weekly or even monthly feedings; however, when food is readily available, they may eat frequently and grow very fat.

Turtles, like other reptiles, can endure long fasts, in their ability to survive on weekly or even monthly feedings; however, when food is readily available, they may eat frequently and grow very fat.

A) fasts, in their ability to survive
B) fasts, having their ability to survive
C) fasts, due to having the ability of surviving
D) fasts because they are able to survive
E) fasts because of having the ability of surviving

sayantanc2k HanoiGMATtutor mcelroytutoring
The red part in options B,C and E just doesn't sound right to my ear. But, I am not able to pinpoint the error(s). Can you please help me do that.

Thank You!

B) “having” and “being” are awkward in general, and should normally be avoided because they are passive / wordy.
C) same as B but more wordy
E) same as C

Can we think of any other reasons apart from generalising "having" and "being" as awkward. I find it really hard to eliminate such options on ground of pure logic.

It's not just awkward; it's also wordy and passive.

"Because of there being no other explanation, this is the best reason that I have."

vs.

"This is the best reason I have, because there is no other explanation."

I think that the 2nd choice is obviously better here.

sayantanc2k
I have a doubt here.

Normally being and having considered passive, we avoid them. Apart from this , we have ability to do something is a right idiom. ; Hence we left out with A and D.

I am not able to find any mistake in A, apart from being awkward. Had the sentence written as

In their ability to survive on weekly or even monthly feedings , Turtles, like other reptiles, can endure long ​​fasts.

Would this be still awkward to you.

What is the other error , which I am missing in A.

Yes it would still be wrong. "In their ability" does not make any clear sense. Consider the following:
He can solve mathematical problems fast in his ability to analyse systematically........ this sentence does not make any clear sense.
He can solve mathematical problems fast because he is able to analyse systematically..... correct.

Thanks for the reply and correct answer,

And for the reader i'd like to add that

VAN stands for verb > adjective > noun.It says if we are stuck between two options.in that case we should prefer verb over adjective or noun

What is V-A-N rule daagh
can you please explain or give some link

V-A-N rule has more to do with style than grammar. It means when opportunity calls for, prefer to use a verb as the first choice, over an adjective and then lastly a noun. It also implies that we prefer an adjective to a noun. Although it is not widely used, we can have it as a confirmatory tool

Order of protocol:

1.

Tom can swim faster than Dick can -- can swim is a verb
Tom is able to swim or capable of swimming faster than Dick -- able to swim is an adjective
Tom has the ability to swim faster than Dick-- has the ability is a noun.

2.

Turtles, like other reptiles, can endure long fasts, in their ability to survive on weekly or even monthly feedings; however, when food is readily available, they may eat frequently and grow very fat.

A) Fasts, in their ability to survive --- 'ability' as a noun is inferior to 'able' in D, which is an adjective.

B) fasts, having their ability to survive -- 'their 'ability'' as a noun is inferior to ' are able' in D, which is an adjective.

C) fasts, due to having the ability of surviving--- same as in B.

D) fasts because they are able to survive --- 'are able' is better than having 'their ability' - correct choice

E) fasts because of having the ability of surviving --- 'ability of' is a noun and inferior to choice D which uses the adjective 'able'

Hello GMATNinja

could you please explain why B is wrong? GMATNinja