12 Days of Christmas GMAT Competition - Day 3: If the difference in th

Solution:

We need to have the same tenses for both clauses.
The first clause has a “have+verb” past perfect, so the 2nd clause must also have a “have+verb” past perfect (even though the “would” indicates a later time).

A: Past perfect if-clause + “would” —> requires a conditional past perfect tense "would have"
B: The first clause has a subjunctive “were”. We can identify this because “If it was” is the simple past tense version. So the 2nd clause should be in the present conditional tense “the circuit would flow”.
B fixed the first clause, but broke the 2nd clause. This is why we have to be careful about focusing solely on splits.
B could have been fixed either by changing the 1st clause to past perfect “If [it] had been negative”, or changing the 2nd clause from past perfect to past: would have flown -> would flow
C: Same as A
D: Like B, the first clause has a subjunctive “were”. The 2nd clause requires a conditional "would" with the past tense: will flow -> would flow
E: E has past perfect in both clauses, and therefore has the correct verb tenses. E is correct.

Answer: E

the constuction is "if ...were.........would"
"if had been ....would have"..


clearly E only depicts the correct construction.


E it is.

The answer should be E as it a pure play of hypothetical case of past perfect. Further if the tense used were simple past then "were" is to be combined with "would" only.

Hypothetical case for past perfect implies the combination of "had been" + would have been

(A)had been negative, the circuit would flow in the opposite direction.
Incorrect combination

(B) were negative, the circuit would have flown in the opposite direction.
Incorrect combination

(C) had been negative, the circuit would be flowing in the opposite direction.
Incorrect combination

(D) were negative, the circuit will flow in the opposite direction.
Incorrect combination

(E) had been negative, the circuit would have flown in the opposite direction.
Correct combination and hence correct choice.
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If the difference in the currents had been negative,
the circuit would flow in the opposite direction.

In the sentence, subjunctive form is to used since it is used to express hypothetical situations.


Subjunctive form combination of had been and would flow is incorrect
Incorrect


If the difference in the currents were negative, the circuit would have flown in the opposite direction.
The combinations of were and would have flown is incorrect
Incorrect


Subjunctive form combination of had been and would be flowing is incorrect
Incorrect


With subjunctive form were , usage of will flow is incorrect.
Incorrect


Subjunctive form requires use of right combination of had been and would have flown
Correct

IMO E

This is mood subjuntive question hence - > it follows I were you I would do x
B and D have were in it and it follows would in other clause so B

If the difference in the currents had been negative, the circuit would flow in the opposite direction.


(A) had been negative, the circuit would flow in the opposite direction.

(B) were negative, the circuit would have flown in the opposite direction.

(C) had been negative, the circuit would be flowing in the opposite direction.

(D) were negative, the circuit will flow in the opposite direction.

(E) had been negative, the circuit would have flown in the opposite direction.

Two events happening in the past: We need a definite timeline for the one also both sentences should be in past.

(A) had been negative, the circuit would flow in the opposite direction.
Correct.

(B) were negative, the circuit would have flown in the opposite direction.
Use of wrong verb for singular subject 'difference'

(C) had been negative, the circuit would be flowing in the opposite direction.
Simple past suits better than past continuous(would be flowing)

(D) were negative, the circuit will flow in the opposite direction.
Same as B

(E) had been negative, the circuit would have flown in the opposite direction.
Use of present tense would have is wrong
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Since i can't edit and it was bothering me a lot, so i am posting the same.
With if and past perfect we are supposed to use would have. So that makes E correct.

(A) had been negative, the circuit would flow in the opposite direction.
Wrong
(B) were negative, the circuit would have flown in the opposite direction.
Wrong verb form
(C) had been negative, the circuit would be flowing in the opposite direction.
Wrong
(D) were negative, the circuit will flow in the opposite direction.
Wrong verb form(were)
(E) had been negative, the circuit would have flown in the opposite direction.
Correct
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Question Stem:
If the difference in the currents had been negative, the circuit would flow in the opposite direction.

Solution:

For if condition clause and then outcome clause there are suitable verb tense connections.
Here's a small chart to help.

IF CLAUSE TENSE............., THEN CLAUSE TENSE
1. Simple Present Simple Present or Simple Future.
2. Simple Past Simple Past or Would be verb.
3. Past Perfect would have verb.

(A) had been negative, the circuit would flow in the opposite direction.: Following our chart, "the circuit would flow" should be " the circuit would have flown"

(B) were negative, the circuit would have flown in the opposite direction.: Now the subject is "the difference" which does not match with plural verb were but it can be the case where it's used to present a hypothetical situation. But then it would just use "the circuit would flow in opposite direction" not "would have flown" as in to show it actually happened.

(C) had been negative, the circuit would be flowing in the opposite direction.: Using the chart, Not "would be" but "would have been".

(D) were negative, the circuit will flow in the opposite direction.: Again for hypothetical it should be "would flow" not "will". Also for the simple past If clause, the then clause should not be simple future.

(E) had been negative, the circuit would have flown in the opposite direction.: It follows the chart. Correct answer.

Dreamscore Official Explanation

AC: Past perfect if-clause requires a conditional perfect tense "would have"

B: Past instead of past perfect: would have flown -> would flow

D: Conditional "would" with the past tense: will flow -> would flow

E: Correct
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The question is a bit tricky and this was an excellent attempt.

The reason B doesn't work is that the 2nd clause is past perfect and in B, and would therefore mean that "the current would have flown in the opposite direction before the 1st clause".
However we need them to occur at the same time, as in E.

E actually has a subjunctive in the 1st clause: past perfect subjunctive.

Great attempt!
Perfect tenses and subjunctive trip a lot of people up.

I noticed you had said that both sentences clauses need to be in the past. You are correct that we need the same time in both clauses.
However, the 2nd clause in E is not in the present.
When we use "have+past participle", even though that tense is called "present perfect", since E combines a past perfect conditional 1st clause with a "would" + perfect, that makes things hypothetical/conditional rather than a concrete event in the present or past.

Also I struckthrough sentences because clauses may or may not be complete sentences.

Responding to a pm:

karan2643
Here is a discussion on the various structures of if-then statements:
https://anaprep.com/sentence-correction ... ditionals/

Regarding conditional sentences, I have read something about mixed conditionals.
With these, the following combinations are possible:
simple past; perfect conditional (would have + verb) [option B]
and
past perfect; present conditional (would + past participle verb) [option A]

Can someone please clarify for a non-native speaker why options A and B are still wrong in this context?


Sources:
https://www.gmatclub.com/forum/veritas-prep-resource-links-no-longer-available-399979.html#/2015/1 ... nals-gmat/
https://www.ef.com/wwen/english-resourc ... nditional/

The post gives the various structures the conditionals can use.

Second and third conditionals are used for hypothetical situations. So here, you can use
"If ... were negative, then ... would flow..."
or
"If ... had been negative, then ... would have flown ..."

We cannot mix and match. Hence, only (E) is correct.

Why can we not mix them?

Mixed conditionals exist.
Sources:
https://www.gmatclub.com/forum/veritas-prep-resource-links-no-longer-available-399979.html#/2015/1 ... nals-gmat/
https://www.ef.com/wwen/english-resourc ... nditional/

With these, the following combinations are possible:
simple past + perfect conditional [option B]
and
past perfect + present conditional [option A]

Please clarify for a non-native speaker why options A and B are still wrong in this context, i.e. why we cannot use mixed conditionals here.

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