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Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on [#permalink]
 25 Sep 2011, 19:14
Question Stats:
64% (02:09) correct
35% (01:07) wrong based on 0 sessions
Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on leather seats for their aircraft, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, because they last two times as long.(A) Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on leather seats for their aircraft, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, because they last two times as long. (B) Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, on leather seats for their aircraft because they last twice as long. (C) Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on leather seats, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, on leather seats for their aircraft, being twice as long lasting. (D) Leather seats lasting twice as long as the others, some airline companies prefer spending two times the extra money on them. (E) Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on leather seats, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, for their aircraft because they last twice as long. Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on leather seats, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, for their aircraft because they last twice as long.
"they" could refer to:
"airline companies," "leather seats," "the others," or "aircraft"...ok ok, so take out "the others" because it is in the modifier, (and does that matter?)....still:
How is the "they" not an ambiguous pronoun???
People always address the more obvious cases of ambiguous pronoun use....can anyone answer my question/s?
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Re: Kap SC- Expensive leather seats for aircraft [#permalink]
26 Sep 2011, 00:52
I will go with E. reason behind it is simple. 1st correct placement of modifier ( leather seats with opening clause which was not there in choice B,C,D . got stuck btw A, E but choose E for twice as long word and pronoun their is correctly used with aircraft and they is in that case in referring back to leather seats. Thanks!! Soul stringworm wrote: Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on leather seats for their aircraft, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, because they last two times as long.(A) Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on leather seats for their aircraft, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, because they last two times as long. (B) Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, on leather seats for their aircraft because they last twice as long. (C) Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on leather seats, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, on leather seats for their aircraft, being twice as long lasting. (D) Leather seats lasting twice as long as the others, some airline companies prefer spending two times the extra money on them. (E) Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on leather seats, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, for their aircraft because they last twice as long. Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on leather seats, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, for their aircraft because they last twice as long.
"they" could refer to:
"airline companies," "leather seats," "the others," or "aircraft"...ok ok, so take out "the others" because it is in the modifier, (and does that matter?)....still:
How is the "they" not an ambiguous pronoun???
People always address the more obvious cases of ambiguous pronoun use....can anyone answer my question/s?
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Re: Kap SC- Expensive leather seats for aircraft [#permalink]
26 Sep 2011, 01:11
stringworm wrote: Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on leather seats for their aircraft, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, because they last two times as long.
(A) Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on leather seats for their aircraft, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, because they last two times as long.
(B) Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, on leather seats for their aircraft because they last twice as long.
(C) Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on leather seats, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, on leather seats for their aircraft, being twice as long lasting.
(D) Leather seats lasting twice as long as the others, some airline companies prefer spending two times the extra money on them.
(E) Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on leather seats, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, for their aircraft because they last twice as long. Two ways to find out what "they" refers to. 1) Trace back from "they" and find out what is the first plural noun you see. "Seats". Hence they refer to seats. 2) Ask what last twice as long? Companies? or Seats? OA E.
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Re: Kap SC- Expensive leather seats for aircraft [#permalink]
26 Sep 2011, 01:57
stringworm wrote: (E) Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on leather seats, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, for their aircraft because they last twice as long.
leather seats, "sometimes twice as expensive as the others"-- don't know what others refer to and how can the leather seats be compared with "the others". If we turn a blind eye to the entire adjective phrase, the sentence looks like: Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on leather seats for their aircraft because they last twice as long. their- can only refer back to companies because "it wouldn't make sense to say leather seats aircraft" they- refers back to leather seats AS "leather seats last" makes more sense than "companies last". Also "twice AS long" is suggesting a comparison; "sometimes twice as expensive as the others": this is the predecessor that tells us with what the longevity of leather seats is compared. So, each of the pronouns can logically refer only to the respective noun mentioned and is not ambiguous.
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Re: Kap SC- Expensive leather seats for aircraft [#permalink]
26 Sep 2011, 07:26
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Look at this rule taken from Google: Some nouns have identical plural and singular forms, although they are still considered to have a plural form.For example:- • aircraft - aircraft | fish - fish | headquarters - headquarters | sheep - sheep | species - species Why can’t the they refer to aircraft: because for an argument we can say that aircraft being things can also last twice as long. The point of this query is: Why couldn’t have the author of this text said as follows? Quote: Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on leather seats for their aircraft, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, because such seats last This would have removed any grain of ambiguity and doubt about pronoun reference; Pronouns in formal English should be beyond doubt like Caesar’s wife Another point of discontent as fluke pointed out is that again the pronoun others can very well stand for other companies rather than for seats. I think the text is paying too casual and cavalier respect to pronoun reference
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Re: Kap SC- Expensive leather seats for aircraft [#permalink]
26 Sep 2011, 07:48
daagh wrote: Look at this rule taken from Google: Some nouns have identical plural and singular forms, although they are still considered to have a plural form.For example:- • aircraft - aircraft | fish - fish | headquarters - headquarters | sheep - sheep | species - species Why can’t the they refer to aircraft: because for an argument we can say that aircraft being things can also last twice as long. The point of this query is: Why couldn’t have the author of this text said as follows? Quote: Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on leather seats for their aircraft, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, because such seats last This would have removed any grain of ambiguity and doubt about pronoun reference; Pronouns in formal English should be beyond doubt like Caesar’s wife Another point of discontent as fluke pointed out is that again the pronoun others can very well stand for other companies rather than for seats. I think the text is paying too casual and cavalier respect to pronoun reference "aircraft" is used as plural as well. I didn't know that. thanks. Surely ambiguous then.
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Re: Kap SC- Expensive leather seats for aircraft [#permalink]
26 Sep 2011, 12:18
This was posted on Manhattan forums in 2010. Even they have not responded to this question. So I assume this question may be controversial. http://www.manhattangmat.com/forums/som ... 10938.html
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Re: Kap SC- Expensive leather seats for aircraft [#permalink]
26 Sep 2011, 15:28
daagh wrote: Look at this rule taken from Google: Some nouns have identical plural and singular forms, although they are still considered to have a plural form.For example:- • aircraft - aircraft | fish - fish | headquarters - headquarters | sheep - sheep | species - species Why can’t the they refer to aircraft: because for an argument we can say that aircraft being things can also last twice as long. The point of this query is: Why couldn’t have the author of this text said as follows? Quote: Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on leather seats for their aircraft, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, because such seats last This would have removed any grain of ambiguity and doubt about pronoun reference; Pronouns in formal English should be beyond doubt like Caesar’s wife Another point of discontent as fluke pointed out is that again the pronoun others can very well stand for other companies rather than for seats. I think the text is paying too casual and cavalier respect to pronoun reference
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Re: Kap SC- Expensive leather seats for aircraft [#permalink]
26 Sep 2011, 17:56
I picked A, but I see why E is correct...thanks for the links and the explanations.
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Re: Kap SC- Expensive leather seats for aircraft [#permalink]
26 Sep 2011, 18:24
+1 for E.
As far as I know, GMAT sometimes goes easy on pronoun reference and allows ambiguous references, if the context is clear. However, I agree with fluke that even in that case, they could very well refer to companies.
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Re: Kap SC- Expensive leather seats for aircraft [#permalink]
26 Sep 2011, 20:39
Can anybody let me know why B is incorrect?
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Re: Kap SC- Expensive leather seats for aircraft [#permalink]
30 Sep 2011, 08:54
stringworm wrote: Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on leather seats for their aircraft, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, because they last two times as long.(A) Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on leather seats for their aircraft, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, because they last two times as long. (B) Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, on leather seats for their aircraft because they last twice as long. (C) Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on leather seats, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, on leather seats for their aircraft, being twice as long lasting. (D) Leather seats lasting twice as long as the others, some airline companies prefer spending two times the extra money on them. (E) Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on leather seats, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, for their aircraft because they last twice as long. Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on leather seats, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, for their aircraft because they last twice as long.
"they" could refer to:
"airline companies," "leather seats," "the others," or "aircraft"...ok ok, so take out "the others" because it is in the modifier, (and does that matter?)....still:
How is the "they" not an ambiguous pronoun???
People always address the more obvious cases of ambiguous pronoun use....can anyone answer my question/s? Modifier question Only (E) aligns all modifiers correctly, keeping the intended meaning.
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Re: Kap SC- Expensive leather seats for aircraft [#permalink]
03 Oct 2011, 18:36
arzad wrote: I picked A, but I see why E is correct...thanks for the links and the explanations. Hi all! can someone help me to see why A is wrong? " Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on leather seats for their aircraft, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, because they last two times as long." is it because of the "sometimes twice as expensive as the others" should be modifying leather seats but in fact it is touching aircraft and thus modifiing the wrong noun? thanks
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Re: Kap SC- Expensive leather seats for aircraft [#permalink]
07 Nov 2011, 10:12
chawlavinu wrote: Can anybody let me know why B is incorrect? B is incorrect because "sometimes twice as expensive as the others" refers to "extra money" by proximity; thus b is wrong.
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Re: Kap SC- Expensive leather seats for aircraft [#permalink]
07 Nov 2011, 11:43
stringworm wrote: Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on leather seats for their aircraft, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, because they last two times as long.(A) Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on leather seats for their aircraft, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, because they last two times as long. (B) Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, on leather seats for their aircraft because they last twice as long. (C) Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on leather seats, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, on leather seats for their aircraft, being twice as long lasting.(D) Leather seats lasting twice as long as the others, some airline companies prefer spending two times the extra money on them. (E) Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on leather seats, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, for their aircraft because they last twice as long. Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on leather seats, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, for their aircraft because they last twice as long.
"they" could refer to:
"airline companies," "leather seats," "the others," or "aircraft"...ok ok, so take out "the others" because it is in the modifier, (and does that matter?)....still:
How is the "they" not an ambiguous pronoun???
People always address the more obvious cases of ambiguous pronoun use....can anyone answer my question/s? (B) Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, on leather seats for their aircraft because they last twice as long. (E) Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on leather seats, sometimes twice as expensive as the others, for their aircraft because they last twice as long.
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Re: Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on [#permalink]
07 Nov 2011, 21:48
For me,
A and B are out as the pronoun 'They' is ambiguous.
C is awkward.
Between D and E, D uses 'ing' form which is generally not used in gmat. Hence E is left.
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Re: Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on [#permalink]
09 Nov 2011, 17:48
I love how, when it comes to the presence or lack of an ambiguous pronoun, people always justify that it's not an ambiguous pronoun because it wouldn't make sense otherwise, yet another example holds an ambiguous pronoun because it doesn't make sense as is. A grammar catch 22 if I may say so.
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Re: Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on [#permalink]
09 Dec 2011, 03:43
A, B, C, D have some problems such as "their", "them" (ambiguous), and "being"
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Re: Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on [#permalink]
05 Jun 2012, 02:30
still i am confused. In E, what "they" refer to?? could anyone explain it more precisely?
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Re: Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on [#permalink]
30 Jul 2012, 07:33
This seems more a modifier debate than pronoun debate. right modifier to limited seats hence - c and e Then verb tense.. being - awkward. Hence E. Well it was that simple! I didnt see it right way though. Took me 3 minutes to come pick a wrong answer!   
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Re: Some airline companies prefer to spend extra money on
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30 Jul 2012, 07:33
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