{"id":34725,"date":"2016-10-10T08:24:22","date_gmt":"2016-10-10T15:24:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/2016\/10\/gmat-sentence-correction-the-due-to-mistake\/"},"modified":"2016-10-10T08:24:22","modified_gmt":"2016-10-10T15:24:22","slug":"gmat-sentence-correction-the-due-to-mistake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/gmat-sentence-correction-the-due-to-mistake\/","title":{"rendered":"GMAT Sentence Correction: the \u201cDue To\u201d Mistake"},"content":{"rendered":"

This mistake is astonishingly common in spoken English, even among otherwise relatively well-spoken people.\u00a0 In the six Sentence Correction practice questions below, all the questions contain “due to<\/strong>“: where is it used correctly and where it is wrong?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

1) Elysium Field Construction planned to build a ten-story building the suburban downtown, but due to unstable bedrock in that region, the entire project may have to be canceled<\/u>.<\/p>\n

(A) due to unstable bedrock in that region, the entire project may have to be canceled<\/p>\n

(B) the cancellation of the entire project may be brought about, due to unstable bedrock in that region<\/p>\n

(C) cancelling the entire project, an unavoidable consequence, because of unstable bedrock in that region<\/p>\n

(D) with the unstable bedrock in that region, the entire project is possibly canceled<\/p>\n

(E) unstable bedrock in that region may necessitate the cancellation of this entire project.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

2) None of the typical physical properties, such as color, hardness, and melting point, of the element Astatine (At) are known because, due to its high radioactivity, it almost immediate decays into something else<\/u>.<\/p>\n

(A) known because, due to its high radioactivity, it almost immediately decays into something else<\/p>\n

(B) known due to the fact that it decays almost immediately into something else because of its high radioactivity<\/p>\n

(C) known if, because of its high radioactivity, it almost immediately decays into something else<\/p>\n

(D) known: because of its high radioactivity, it almost immediately decays into something else<\/p>\n

(E) known: due to its high radioactivity, it almost immediately decays into something else<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

3) The motion of the Sun in the sky, as well as the Moon and planets and stars, are because of<\/u> the rotation of the Earth: everything rises in the East and sets in the West.<\/p>\n

(A) are because of<\/p>\n

(B) is because of<\/p>\n

(C) are caused by<\/p>\n

(D) is due to<\/p>\n

(E) are due to<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

4) According to classical Marxism, the class struggle, caused by economic inequity, bringing about the universal workers’ revolution that would end history<\/u>.<\/p>\n

(A) struggle, caused by economic inequity, bringing about the universal workers’ revolution that would end history<\/p>\n

(B) struggle, due to economic inequity, would bring about the universal workers’ revolution, thereby ending history<\/p>\n

(C) struggle, which was brought about by economic inequity, causing the universal workers’ revolution that would end history<\/p>\n

(D) struggle was because of economic inequity, and it would bring about the universal workers’ revolution and the end of history<\/p>\n

(E) struggle was due to economic inequity, bringing about the universal workers’ revolution and ending history<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

5) In 1865, the then-revolutionary sound of Wagner’s opera Tristan und Isolde<\/em> was due to the relative atonality of the so-called “Tristan chord<\/u>.”<\/p>\n

(A) In 1865, the then-revolutionary sound of Wagner’s opera Tristan und Isolde<\/em> was due to the relative atonality of the so-called “Tristan chord.”<\/p>\n

(B) In 1865, Wagner created what was then a revolutionary sound in his opera Tristan und Isolde<\/em>, this sound caused by the relative atonality of the so-called “Tristan chord.”<\/p>\n

(C) In 1865, the relative atonality of the so-called “Tristan chord” was causing the the then-revolutionary sound of Wagner’s opera Tristan und Isolde<\/em>.<\/p>\n

(D) Because of the relative atonality of the so-called “Tristan chord,” Wagner’s 1865 opera, Tristan und Isolde<\/em>, had a then-revolutionary sound.<\/p>\n

(E) The relative atonality of the so-called “Tristan chord” has caused the then-revolutionary sound of Wagner’s 1865 opera Tristan und Isolde<\/em>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

6) In the Battle of Roncevaux Pass in 778, the rearguard of the Frankish army, under the command of Roland, was obliterated due to an ambush by the Basque army, an event made famous in La Chanson de Roland<\/em><\/u>.<\/p>\n

(A) In the Battle of Roncevaux Pass in 778, the rearguard of the Frankish army, under the command of Roland, was obliterated due to an ambush by the Basque army, an event made famous in La Chanson de Roland<\/em><\/p>\n

(B) In the Battle of Roncevaux Pass in 778, the Basque army ambushed the Frankish army, the rearguard of the Frankish army, under the command of Roland, was obliterated, and the event was made famous in La Chanson de Roland<\/em><\/p>\n

(C) La Chanson de Roland<\/em> made famous the obliteration, due to an ambush by the Basque army, of the rearguard of the Frankish army, under the command of Roland, at the Battle of Roncevaux Pass in 778<\/p>\n

(D) In La Chanson de Roland<\/em>, the Basque army ambushed the rearguard of the Frankish army, under the command of Roland, and obliterated them, and this event was famous at the Battle of Roncevaux Pass in 778<\/p>\n

(E) In the Battle of Roncevaux Pass in 778, the rearguard of the Frankish army, under the command of Roland, ambushed and obliterated by the Basque army, an event made famous in La Chanson de Roland<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Complete explanations will follow this article.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The word “due”<\/h2>\n

The word “due<\/strong>” is an adjective.\u00a0 Admittedly, it is used rarely in its unadorned form as a noun-modifier, although you may be familiar with the idea of someone performing some task “with due diligence” or a health care professional giving someone “due care and attention.”<\/p>\n

This adjective idiomatically takes the preposition “to” in a idiom of causality<\/a>.\u00a0 To say that “P is due to Q” is to say that Q played some role in causing P.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A mistake due to “due to”<\/h2>\n

The construction “due to<\/strong>” has a meaning quite similar to the meaning of “because of<\/strong>.”\u00a0 The mistake is to treat the former as if it were identical to the latter.\u00a0 It is not.<\/p>\n

The construction “due to” is an adjective that idiomatically takes a prepositional phrase: as an adjective, the word “due” is a noun-modifier and must modify a target noun, according to the rules of noun modifiers<\/a>.\u00a0 In particular, it follows the Modifier Touch Rule patterns, typically touching the target noun it\u00a0 modifies.<\/p>\n

By contrast, the construction “because of” is a compound preposition that would open a prepositional phrase.\u00a0 This preposition phrase would be a verb modifier.\u00a0 Remember that verb modifiers target the action of a clause and are much freer in their placement than are noun modifiers: in particular, there is no “touch rule” or anything like this for verb modifiers.\u00a0 Thus, “because of” correctly can be used just about anywhere in the clause and it can directly modify the action of the clause.<\/p>\n

The “due to”\u00a0 mistake is using “due to” as if it were a verb modifier, as if it were able to be placed freely and modify the action of a clause.\u00a0 As a noun modifier, it only can modify nouns.\u00a0 The construction “due to” can be placed correctly next to a target noun, (“The crisis, due to the prime minister’s death, was<\/em> \u2026”) or it can be used correctly after a form of the verb “to be”\u2014this latter construction is called a predicate adjective<\/strong>, a term you don’t need to know (“The noise is due to traffic<\/em>.”) It’s a mistake, though, and a very common mistake at that, to use “due to” to modify the action of a clause.<\/p>\n

Thus<\/p>\n

\"AAAA<\/p>\n

In the above exemplary sentences, only sentence #7 exemplifies the “due to” mistake, because the noun modifier “due to” is attempting to modify the verb.\u00a0 Sentence #8 rewrites #7 with the correct verb modifier modifying the verb.\u00a0 Sentence #9 is a correct construction, using “due to” as a predicate adjective: P is due to Q.\u00a0 Sentence #10 is funny: the verb modifier is trying to modify a noun and, thus, the entire sentence sounds awkward.\u00a0 In #11, the noun modifier “due to rain” modifies the subject, “cancellation.” \u00a0In #12, the meaning changes: the verb modifier “because of rain” is modifying the verb, “cost”: this make it sound as if the it’s not the cancellation itself that costs money but only the fact that it occurred in the rain.\u00a0 In other words, #12 is 100% grammatically correct, but it means something quite different from #11.<\/p>\n

The construction “due to” and “because of” are similar in meaning, but it is a mistake to use them as if they were interchangeable.\u00a0 Such mistakes are sprinkled throughout the practice questions above.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Summary<\/h2>\n

If the article above gave you any insights, you may want to look at the questions above again before jumping into the explanations below.\u00a0 Here’s another practice question:<\/p>\n

13) Senator Charles Sumner<\/a><\/p>\n

Also, check out our idiom flashcards<\/a>.\u00a0 I hope your understanding of this topic has increased\u2014because of this blog!!<\/p>\n

\"AAAA<\/p>\n

Practice Problem Explanations<\/h2>\n

1) Choice (A) commits the classic “due to” mistake: the action of being cancelled cannot be modified by a noun modifier.\u00a0 Choice (A) is incorrect.<\/p>\n

In (B), again the noun modifier “due to<\/em>” is trying to modify the verb “brought about<\/em>.” Choice (B) is also indirect and awkward, so it is incorrect.<\/p>\n

Choice (C) commits the famous missing verb mistake<\/a>: we have an independent clause, then the word “but,” and we are expecting another full independent clause, but after the word “but” there is not full verb.\u00a0 Choice (C) is incorrect.<\/p>\n

Choice (D) is ambiguous: who or what is “with the unstable bedrock<\/em>“? The role of this prepositional phrase is not clear.\u00a0 Also, “is possibly canceled<\/em>” is an awkward way to convey this idea.\u00a0 Choice (D) is incorrect.<\/p>\n

Choice (E) is not ideal, not the most elegant possible phrasing, but it is grammatically and logically correct.\u00a0 It presents an independent clause that correct states the causal relationship of the ideas.<\/p>\n

Choice (E)<\/strong> is the best answer of these five.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

2) A question about the elusive 85th<\/sup> element, Astatine<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Choice (A) commits the classic “due to” mistake: the action of decaying cannot be modified by a noun modifier.\u00a0 Choice (A) is incorrect.<\/p>\n

Choice (B) also commits the classic “due to” mistake: here, the noun modifier cannot modify the action situation of not being known.\u00a0 Choice (B) is incorrect.<\/p>\n

Choice (C) changes the meaning: it is as if the sentence is suggesting that the element has a choice about whether to decay immediately.\u00a0 This is not the original meaning.\u00a0 Choice (C) is incorrect.<\/p>\n

Choice (D) correctly uses the verb modifier “because of” to modify the verb “decays.”\u00a0 This is a promising choice.<\/p>\n

Choice (E) commits the third “due to” mistake in the problem: once again, the action of decaying cannot be modified by a noun modifier.\u00a0 Choice (E) is incorrect.<\/p>\n

The only possible answer is (D)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

3) Split #1<\/u>: SVA<\/a>.\u00a0 Everything following the words “as well as” is what is called an “additive phrase”: these do not count as part of the subject.\u00a0 The subject is the singular word “motion,” so the verb must be singular.\u00a0 Choices (A), (C), and (E) are incorrect.<\/p>\n

Split #2<\/u>: this is the predicate adjective structure: [noun]”is”[adjective].\u00a0 It is a mistake to put a verb modifier in the place of this adjective.\u00a0 Choices (A) & (B) make this mistake.\u00a0 Choices (D) & (E) correct have a noun modifier after the verb, so these are correct in this regard.\u00a0 Choice (C) uses a slightly different structure, a passive verb “are cause by,” which could be correct if it didn’t have an agreement problem.<\/p>\n

The only possible answer is (D)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

4) Choice (A) commits the famous missing verb mistake<\/a>: the bonafide subject “class struggle” never gets a bonafide verb, so this is not a complete sentence on its own.\u00a0 Choice (A) is incorrect.<\/p>\n

Choice (B) correctly uses “due to” to modify a noun, and this version is grammatically correct and logically clear.\u00a0 This is a promising choice.<\/p>\n

Choice (C) also commits the famous missing verb mistake<\/a>: we get a complete modifying clause, but the main clause has no verb.\u00a0 Choice (C) is incorrect.<\/p>\n

Choice (D) makes the mistake of using “because of” after a form of the verb “to be.”\u00a0 The verb modifier cannot be used as a predicate adjective.\u00a0 Choice (D) is incorrect.<\/p>\n

Choice (E) is grammatically correct but a bit awkward.\u00a0 The “due to” structure in the predicate adjective is 100% correct.\u00a0 The logical relationship between the “universal worker’s revolution” and the “end of history” is unclear: they are presented side-by-side, as two different things, rather than as logically linked.\u00a0 Choice (E) is incorrect.<\/p>\n

The only possible answer is (B)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer<\/u>: Magoosh, as a private company that earns a profit in a free-market economy, clearly\u00a0does not endorse Marxism.\u00a0 As a bunch of peaceful Berkeley folks, we certainly don’t want to see any violent revolutions toward or against anyone!\u00a0 Instead, to mitigate a few of the inequities of international capitalism, we offer stratospherically high quality test prep at very affordable prices: that’s our<\/em> revolution!! \u00a0\"?\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

5) A question about Wagner<\/a>‘s great opera, Tristan und Isolde<\/em><\/a>, and its famous opening chord<\/a>.\u00a0 BTW, this is one of Mike’s favorite operas!<\/p>\n

Choice (A) is completely correct.\u00a0 This correctly uses the predicate adjective structure for “due to”: P is due to Q.<\/p>\n

Choice (B) is grammatically correct but a bit indirect and awkward.\u00a0 It is a much wordier way to convey the same idea.\u00a0 If all the other answers were wrong, this might be acceptable, but this is not as elegant as (A).\u00a0 Choice (B) is incorrect.<\/p>\n

Choice (C) is grammatically correct but the choice of the progressive verb is quite unusual: was the chord causing the revolutionary sound only in 1865? The logical implications of the progressive verb are unclear, but this one seems to depart from the intended meaning.\u00a0 Choice (C) is incorrect.<\/p>\n

Choice (D) is completely correct.\u00a0 This correctly uses the verb modifier “because of” to modify the action of a verb.<\/p>\n

In choice (E), the use of the present perfect tense, “has caused<\/em>,” is awkward: it doesn’t logically fit with the rest of the sentence.\u00a0 It would make sense of the effect were something today, not something over a century ago.\u00a0 Choice (E) is incorrect.<\/p>\n

We are down to a choice between (A) and (D).\u00a0 Of these two, (A) is rhetorically more effective: it is elegant and direct: the structure “is due to” is a very clear structure.\u00a0 The main verb of (D) is simple “had”\u2014that’s the heart of the action? Boring!\u00a0 Overall, choice (D) is not bad, but choice (A)<\/strong> is better, and is the best answer here.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

6) A question about the Battle of Roncevaux Pass<\/a>, in which the Basque ambushed Charlemagne<\/a>‘s army.\u00a0 According to legend, Roland<\/a>, who died in the ambush, was Charlemagne’s nephew.\u00a0 The Song of Roland<\/em><\/a>, about the battle, is the oldest surviving major work in the French literary.<\/p>\n

Choice (A) commits the classic “due to” mistake: the action of being obliterated cannot be modified by a noun modifier.\u00a0 Choice (A) is incorrect.<\/p>\n

Choice (B) commits the mistake of false parallelism<\/a>: it mechanically puts all the information into parallel, with absolutely no regard for logic.\u00a0 Choice (B) is incorrect.<\/p>\n

Choice (C), while not the most elegant, is grammatically correct.\u00a0 The noun modifier “due to” correctly modifies a noun.<\/p>\n

Choice (D) is grammatically correct but illogical.\u00a0 It speaks about the action as if it only occurred in the poem, and then was famous at the battle(?).\u00a0 In the original sentence, the action was the battle!\u00a0 This logically scrambles the relationships of the ideas.\u00a0 Choice (D) is incorrect.<\/p>\n

Choice (E) commits the famous missing verb mistake<\/a>: the “rearguard of the Frankish army” is a bonafide subject, but this is never followed by a bonafide verb, just participles.\u00a0 This is not a complete sentence.\u00a0 Choice (E) is incorrect.<\/p>\n

Choice (C)<\/strong> is the only possible answer.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The post GMAT Sentence Correction: the “Due To” Mistake<\/a> appeared first on Magoosh GMAT Blog<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This mistake is astonishingly common in spoken English, even among otherwise relatively well-spoken people.\u00a0 In the six Sentence Correction practice questions below, all the questions contain “due to“: where is…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":133,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"1","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,783,243,940],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34725","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-gmat","category-magoosh-blog","category-blog","category-gmat-prep-gmat","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34725","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/133"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34725"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34725\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34725"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34725"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34725"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}