Efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts, a major

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Here is a detailed explanation to this question-

Meaning is crucial to solving this problem:
Understanding the intended meaning is key to solving this question; the intended core meaning is that efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts have not reduced the gap between the richest and poorest districts to a significant degree.

Concepts tested here: Subject-Verb Agreement + Meaning + Verb Forms +Awkwardness/Redundancy

• The simple present tense is used to indicate actions taking place in the current time frame, indicate habitual actions, state universal truths, and convey information that is permanent in nature.

A: This answer choice incorrectly refers to the plural noun “Efforts" with the singular verb “has…reduced”. Further, Option A incorrectly uses the present participle (“verb+ing” – “existing” in this sentence) to refer to an action that takes place in the current time frame; remember, the simple present tense is used to indicate actions taking place in the current time frame, indicate habitual actions, state universal truths, and convey information that is permanent in nature.

B: This answer choice incorrectly refers to the plural noun “Efforts” with the singular verb “has…been”. Further, Option B alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase “has not been significant in reducing”; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that the efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts have not played a significant role in the reduction of the gap; the intended meaning is that the efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts have not reduced the gap to a significant degree.

C: This answer choice incorrectly refers to the plural noun “Efforts” with the singular verb “has…made”. Further, Option C uses the needlessly wordy phrase “made a significant reduction”, leading to awkwardness and redundancy.

D: Correct. This answer choice correctly refers to the plural noun “Efforts” with the plural verb “have…reduced”. Further, Option D uses the phrase “have not significantly reduced”, conveying the intended meaning – that the efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts have not reduced the gap to a significant degree. Additionally, Option D correctly uses the simple present tense verb “exists” to refer to an action that takes place in the current time frame. Besides, Option D is free of any awkwardness or redundancy.

E: This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase “have not been significant in a reduction”; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that the efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts have not played a significant role in the reduction of the gap; the intended meaning is that the efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts have not reduced the gap to a significant degree. Further, Option E incorrectly uses the present participle (“verb+ing” – “existing” in this sentence) to refer to an action that takes place in the current time frame; remember, the simple present tense is used to indicate actions taking place in the current time frame, indicate habitual actions, state universal truths, and convey information that is permanent in nature. Additionally, Option C uses the needlessly wordy phrase “been significant in a reduction”, leading to awkwardness and redundancy.

Hence, D is the best answer choice.

To understand the concept of "Simple Tenses" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~2 minutes):



All the best!
Experts' Global Team