A recent survey showed that while many banks have service charges on i

Question

A recent survey showed that while many banks have service charges on interest-bearing and non-interest-bearing accounts  with balances that are falling below  a set minimum, some banks provide virtually free checking regardless of the account balance.

(A) with balances that are falling below 
(B) whose balances fall below 
(C) whose balances fall below that of 
(D) that have balances falling below that of 
(E) that have balances that fall below those of

PagalGuru · Accepted Answer

In GMAT, who and whom refer to people only, but whose,surprisingly, can refer to both people and things.

LakerFan24 · Answer

A recent survey showed that while many banks have service charges on interest-bearing and non-interest-bearing accounts with balances that are falling below a set minimum, some banks provide virtually free checking regardless of the account balance.

(A) with balances that are falling below
(B) whose balances fall below
(C) whose balances fall below that of
(D) that have balances falling below that of
(E) that have balances that fall below those of

This was pretty quick.

- charges on accounts "(fall/falling below) THAT OF" a set minimum is just wrong...the charges FALL below a set minimum. There is a minimum, and the charges fall below this.
-- Easy to eliminate C, D, E

- "Recent survey SHOWED", meaning this survey was taken in the past. We need to maintain this verb tense. Hence, "fall" = correct tense.
-- Easy to eliminate A, D

- Note: "whose" can refer to people AS WELL AS inanimate objects

Kudos please if you find helpful

ExpertsGlobal5 · Answer

Dear Friends,

Here is a detailed explanation to this question-

Meaning is crucial to solving this problem: 
Understanding the intended meaning of this sentence is key to solving the question; the intended meaning of the crucial part of this sentence is that many banks have service charges on interest-bearing and non-interest-bearing accounts whose balances fall below a set minimum.

Concepts tested here: Meaning + Tenses + Pronouns + Tenses + Awkwardness/Redundancy

• Information that is permanent in nature is best conveyed through the simple present tense. 
• The simple present continuous tense is only used to refer to actions that are currently ongoing and continuous in nature.

A:  This answer choice incorrectly uses the simple present continuous tense verb “are falling” to refer to information that is permanent in nature; please remember, information that is permanent in nature is best conveyed through the simple present tense, and the simple present continuous tense is only used to refer to actions that are currently ongoing and continuous in nature. Further, Option A uses the needlessly wordy phrase “that are falling below”, leading to awkwardness and redundancy.

B:   Correct.  This answer choice uses the phrase “whose balances fall below”, conveying the intended meaning – that many banks have service charges on interest-bearing and non-interest-bearing accounts whose balances fall below   the set minimum itself  . Further, Option B correctly uses the simple present tense verb “fall” to refer to information that is permanent in nature. Additionally, Option B avoids the pronoun error seen in Options C and D, as it employs only one pronoun – “whose” – that has a logical referent in “accounts”. Besides, Option B is free of any awkwardness or redundancy.

C:  This answer choice suffers from a pronoun error, as the pronoun “that” lacks a logical referent.

D:  This answer choice incorrectly uses the present participle (“verb+ing” – “falling” in this sentence) to refer to information that is permanent in nature; please remember, information that is permanent in nature is best conveyed through the simple present tense. Further, Option D choice suffers from a pronoun error, as the pronoun “that” lacks a logical referent. Additionally, Option D uses the needlessly wordy phrase “that have balances”, leading to awkwardness and redundancy.

E:  This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase “fall below those of “; the construction of this phrase illogically implies that many banks have service charges on interest-bearing and non-interest-bearing accounts whose balances fall below   the balances of   a set minimum; the intended meaning is that many banks have service charges on interest-bearing and non-interest-bearing accounts whose balances fall below   the set minimum itself  . Further, Option E uses the needlessly wordy phrase “that have balances that fall”, leading to awkwardness and redundancy.

Hence, B is the best answer choice.

To understand the concept of "Simple Tenses" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~1 minute):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZj-SubJwsM

To understand the concept of "Simple Continuous Tenses" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~1 minute):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2puWKuLccCM

All the best!
Experts' Global Team

honchos · Answer

The reason for posting this is to discuss the usage of whose. Whose modifies or represents inanimate objects or can also refer to people?

honchos · Answer

The reason for posting this is to discuss the usage of whose. Whose modifies or represents inanimate objects or can also refer to people?

Udai · Answer

the way i look at it That of or Those of is incorrect as "set minimum" must be compared with "balances" A,C,D are out 
also the bank accounts here are the object so whose should be correct .. though i read it somewhere that who/whose must refer to people …. "that" is i am not sure if it is incorrect …. will eliminate the choices based on the Comparisions rather than usage of that/who

Hugoba · Answer

What's the problem with letter A? Can someone help?

thanhnd3103 · Answer

A uses "that" for balances, which require "those" 
B is a better choice with better expression and concision

AryamaDuttaSaikia · Answer

Two problems with A:

- Per the meaning of the sentence we need simple tense. Unnecessary addition of a clause ("that are falling below") is avoidable in sentence structure. "B" expresses the idea in simple present tense.

- "with balances" after "accounts" in A describes the type of accounts (property of noun modifier) . We in turn (per the meaning) require characteristic of the accounts (accounts whose balances fall below a certain threshold). Thus, the option creates a kind of ambiguity.

Hugoba · Answer

Thanks Ms. Aryama that was exactly my struggle. +1 kudos

thangvietname · Answer

the serious problem with A is that we need to show a condition. this condition is not used by present continuous. present continuous is used for a condition if the condition is temperary. the action of "fall below" is not temperary, so we do not use present continuous here. This is traditional text book case for difference between present simple and present continuous. this difference is explained in most grammar books.

sayantanc2k · Answer

The OA is correct and explanations provided in the thread appear sufficient. If there are any specific questions, please post them here and then click again on the "Request Expert Reply" button – closing this request.

ehsan090 · Answer

Survey data contains data points of occurred event not that will occur so progressive tense cannot be used

Sidbendale1 · Answer

Can someone please explain why usage of that of is incorrect here. Thanks in advance

devikeerthansr · Answer

(A) with balances that are falling below modifies only second part
(B) whose balances fall below Correct. balances refer to both the types of accounts
(C) whose balances fall below that of 'that of' is wrong
(D) that have balances falling below that of 'that of' is wrong
(E) that have balances that fall below those of 'those of ' is wrong

AkshdeepS · Answer

(A)  with balances  that are falling below

(B) whose balances fall below

(C) whose balances fall below  that of

(D) that have balances falling below  that of

(E) that have balances  that  fall below those of

(B) crisp and clear

Gmat800Champ · Answer

Whose can refer to both people and things.

MSIMBA · Answer

C,D,E : THAT OF /THOSE OF USE IS MAKES SENTENCE MEANINGLESS
A , B : BOTH ARE CORRECT BUT A IS LENGTHIER
B IS CONCISE

SUNILAA · Answer

that is used as singular to refer objects far from us
Those is used as plural for many things far from us

balances here are plural so use of that is wrong

A recent survey showed that while many banks have service charges on i

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