Last visit was: 19 Nov 2025, 04:40 It is currently 19 Nov 2025, 04:40
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
655-705 Level|   Comparisons|   Parallelism|   Pronouns|                           
User avatar
KarishmaB
Joined: 16 Oct 2010
Last visit: 18 Nov 2025
Posts: 16,267
Own Kudos:
76,989
 [1]
Given Kudos: 482
Location: Pune, India
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 16,267
Kudos: 76,989
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
jabhatta2
Joined: 15 Dec 2016
Last visit: 21 Apr 2023
Posts: 1,294
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 188
Posts: 1,294
Kudos: 317
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
GmatKnightTutor
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 31 Jan 2020
Last visit: 01 Nov 2025
Posts: 5,228
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 18
Posts: 5,228
Kudos: 1,568
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
ExpertsGlobal5
User avatar
Experts' Global Representative
Joined: 10 Jul 2017
Last visit: 18 Nov 2025
Posts: 5,195
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 43
Location: India
GMAT Date: 11-01-2019
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 5,195
Kudos: 4,765
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
jabhatta2
Hi MartyTargetTestPrep - Why is the comparison regarding D wrong ? Can we not interpret D as the following:

option D) Total fat of wild animals is less than (Total fat of) livestock fed on grain.

The reason I ask is this form of ellipsis IS TAKING PLACE in the non-underline structure in this sentence per my understanding.

I have color coded with the same colors

Quote:

According to recent studies comparing the nutritional value of meat from wild animals and (nutritional value of) meat from domesticated animals....

Hence if the ellipsis can work in the non-underline structure, why can't the same ellipsis work regarding option D ?

Thank you


Hello jabhatta2,

We hope this finds you well.

Having gone through the question and your query, we believe we can resolve your doubt.

The ellipses can work in the non-underlined structure because it simply lists the two things being compared, as evidenced by the "A and B" structure; in the underlined portion, the comparison is actively being made, so ellipsis cannot work.

We hope this helps.
All the best!
Experts' Global Team
User avatar
MartyTargetTestPrep
User avatar
Target Test Prep Representative
Joined: 24 Nov 2014
Last visit: 11 Aug 2023
Posts: 3,476
Own Kudos:
5,579
 [1]
Given Kudos: 1,430
Status:Chief Curriculum and Content Architect
Affiliations: Target Test Prep
GMAT 1: 800 Q51 V51
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT 1: 800 Q51 V51
Posts: 3,476
Kudos: 5,579
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
jabhatta2
Hi MartyTargetTestPrep - Why is the comparison regarding D wrong ? Can we not interpret D as the following:

option D) Total fat of wild animals is less than (Total fat of) livestock fed on grain.

The reason I ask is this form of ellipsis IS TAKING PLACE in the non-underline structure in this sentence per my understanding.

I have color coded with the same colors

Quote:

According to recent studies comparing the nutritional value of meat from wild animals and (nutritional value of) meat from domesticated animals....


Hence if the ellipsis can work in the non-underline structure, why can't the same ellipsis work regarding option D ?

Thank you
Notice that what appears in the non-underlined structure is not ellipsis as we see it in comparisons. It's a carry over in a parallell list of items.

"Nutritional value of" appears in front of "meat from wild animals" and is understood to carry over appear before "meat from domesticated animals."

So, of like the carry over in this sentence.

John ate and left.

"John" is understood to appear before "left."

Regarding the comparison, if a comparison clearly conveys a nonsensical comparison, it's incorrect, even if you can understand what's missing.

For example.

My dog barks louder than my brother. - This clearly conveys that my dog barks louder than my brother. So, even if we know that the point is my dog barks louder than "that of my brother," the sentence is incorrect.
User avatar
jabhatta2
Joined: 15 Dec 2016
Last visit: 21 Apr 2023
Posts: 1,294
Own Kudos:
317
 [1]
Given Kudos: 188
Posts: 1,294
Kudos: 317
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hi Marty -

Whenever doing comparisons on the GMAT -- do you always look out the understand -- are two nouns being compared OR are two clauses being compared ? I think i struggle to understand based on the comparative structure - are 2 nouns being compared or are 2 clauses being compared

Laos has a land area as large as area of Great Britain

Would you agree in this case -- nouns are being compared
avatar
Nistha86
Joined: 14 Mar 2020
Last visit: 08 Feb 2022
Posts: 6
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 304
Posts: 6
Kudos: 4
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
What is wild animal modifiying here?since it's after comma@banuel

Posted from my mobile device
User avatar
MartyTargetTestPrep
User avatar
Target Test Prep Representative
Joined: 24 Nov 2014
Last visit: 11 Aug 2023
Posts: 3,476
Own Kudos:
5,579
 [1]
Given Kudos: 1,430
Status:Chief Curriculum and Content Architect
Affiliations: Target Test Prep
GMAT 1: 800 Q51 V51
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT 1: 800 Q51 V51
Posts: 3,476
Kudos: 5,579
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Nistha86
What is wild animal modifiying here?since it's after comma@banuel

Posted from my mobile device
In this sentence, "wild animals" does not modify anything.

"Wild animals" appears after a comma because it's the subject of the main clause of the sentence, which begins after the comma.

The core of that clause is "wild animals ... have."

The comma serves to separate what precedes the comma, which is a modifier, from the clause that follows the modifier.
User avatar
vshr
Joined: 17 Feb 2018
Last visit: 26 May 2023
Posts: 17
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 35
GMAT 1: 730 Q50 V39
GPA: 4
Products:
GMAT 1: 730 Q50 V39
Posts: 17
Kudos: 4
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
How do I exactly know what is being compared, fat of wild animals or wild animals themseleves? I always get confused with this! Someone please help :)
User avatar
ExpertsGlobal5
User avatar
Experts' Global Representative
Joined: 10 Jul 2017
Last visit: 18 Nov 2025
Posts: 5,195
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 43
Location: India
GMAT Date: 11-01-2019
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 5,195
Kudos: 4,765
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
vyomshrivastava
How do I exactly know what is being compared, fat of wild animals or wild animals themseleves? I always get confused with this! Someone please help :)

Hello vyomshrivastava,

We hope this finds you well.

To understand what elements are being compared, you must look at the elements on either side of the comparison marker, which in this case is "than".

We hope this helps.
All the best!
Experts' Global Team
User avatar
EducationAisle
Joined: 27 Mar 2010
Last visit: 18 Nov 2025
Posts: 3,891
Own Kudos:
3,579
 [1]
Given Kudos: 159
Location: India
Schools: ISB
GPA: 3.31
Expert
Expert reply
Schools: ISB
Posts: 3,891
Kudos: 3,579
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
vyomshrivastava
How do I exactly know what is being compared, fat of wild animals or wild animals themseleves? I always get confused with this! Someone please help :)
Hi Vyom, I do think the original sentence is quite clear in terms of intended meaning:

- Wild animals have less total fat
- Livestock fed on grain have more total fat
avatar
SushantSaini
Joined: 05 Apr 2021
Last visit: 23 Aug 2024
Posts: 13
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 204
Location: India
GMAT 1: 740 Q50 V39
GPA: 4
GMAT 1: 740 Q50 V39
Posts: 13
Kudos: 10
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
mikemcgarry
PiyushK
Refer official question: Confusion ??

Official Guide 10th SC #19:
In addition to having more protein than wheat does, the protein in rice is higher quality than that in wheat, with more of the amino acids essential to the human diet.

A. the protein in rice is higher quality than that in
B. rice has protein of higher quality than that in (correct)
C. the protein in rice is higher in quality than it is in
D. rice protein is higher in quality than it is in
E. rice has a protein higher in quality than (wrong)

Ron's explanation to above question :
"#19 is interesting. there's still LOGICAL parallelism - you have the protein contained in rice, and you have the protein contained in wheat - but the GRAMMATICAL parallelism isn't lock-step: you have "rice has protein" vs. "that in wheat". in other words, while both halves refer to the protein contained in a particular type of food, they do so in slightly different ways. The lesson here is that we shouldn't complain, but, rather, we should learn: if the logical parallelism is absolutely clear, then the gmat will tolerate slight anomalies from the ideal of exact grammatical parallelism."


According to recent studies comparing the nutritional value of meat from wild animals and meat from domesticated animals, wild animals have less total fat than do livestock fed on grain and more of a kind of fat they think is good for cardiac health.

A.wild animals have less total fat than do livestock fed on grain and more of a kind of fat they think is
B.wild animals have less total fat than livestock fed on grain and more of a kind of fat thought to be
C.wild animals have less total fat than that of livestock fed on grain and have more fat of a kind thought to be
D.total fat of wild animals is less than livestock fed on grain and they have more fat of a kind thought to be
E.total fat is less in wild animals than that of livestock fed on grain and more of their fat is of a kind they think is
PiyushK
Lots of confusion is going on following question in comparison to one old official question.
I am in favor of option C, but few experts are in favor of B, whereas one official answer is supporting my point. Could you please help me to understand why C is wrong

if I say : I have less money than that in box << would it be fine ??
I believe both B and C are correct styles of setting comparison because we are comparing total fats of both kinds of animals.
Dear PiyushK,
I am happy to respond to your p.m., my friend. :-) First of all, on the tricky topic of omitting words in parallel, see:
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2013/dropping-c ... -the-gmat/

In the OG question (OG10, SC #19), choice (B) is clearly the right answer ---- "rice has protein of a higher quality than the protein in wheat". The demonstrative pronoun (that, those) refer to a word or phrase explicitly mentioned earlier in the sentence. Since "protein" was mentioned, literally and explicitly, at an earlier point in the sentence, we can use "that" to substitute for it.

Now, the animal fat question. Hmmm. I don't know the source of this question, but I don't think it's a good question. When the word "than" follows a direct object, the comparison can be with either the subject or the object. In (C), if "that" stands for "total fat", then we are comparing object to object, which is correct. I know the MGMAT folks say that (B) is right and (C) is wrong, and they're very smart, but I say that a strong case can be mounted for either (B) or (C), and because of this, this is not a very well written question. This question is not up to the high standards of the GMAT.

In your sentence:
I have less money than that in box
the big problem is the missing article before "box"
I have less money than that in the box.
We could also phrase that as:
I have less money than is in that box.
This last version might be best, but the second version is logical & grammatical correct, if not completely idiomatically natural.

Does all this make sense?
Mike :-)



Hi Mike.
Can you please tell me why option 1 is incorrect in your money and the box example.
Regards
User avatar
smbbourne007
Joined: 19 Sep 2020
Last visit: 04 Feb 2025
Posts: 19
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 509
Location: India
Concentration: Strategy, Technology
GMAT 1: 650 Q48 V31 (Online)
GMAT 2: 700 Q50 V35
GPA: 3.8
WE:Engineering (Computer Software)
GMAT 2: 700 Q50 V35
Posts: 19
Kudos: 8
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
According to recent studies, wild animals have less total fat than livestock fed on grain.

How can Wild animals be "according to recent studies"?
In the below questions, we can see that -ed or -ing modifiers, such as "based on" or "using," don't make sense with the subject.

So, according to this logic, isn't the above usage of "according" wrong?

https://gmatclub.com/forum/based-on-acc ... 40242.html

https://gmatclub.com/forum/using-study- ... 20346.html

Thanks in advance!
User avatar
AjiteshArun
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 15 Jul 2015
Last visit: 18 Nov 2025
Posts: 5,949
Own Kudos:
5,080
 [2]
Given Kudos: 732
Location: India
GMAT Focus 1: 715 Q83 V90 DI83
GMAT 1: 780 Q50 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V169
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT Focus 1: 715 Q83 V90 DI83
GMAT 1: 780 Q50 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V169
Posts: 5,949
Kudos: 5,080
 [2]
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
smbbourne007
According to recent studies, wild animals have less total fat than livestock fed on grain.

How can Wild animals be "according to recent studies"?
In the below questions, we can see that -ed or -ing modifiers, such as "based on" or "using," don't make sense with the subject.

So, according to this logic, isn't the above usage of "according" wrong?

https://gmatclub.com/forum/based-on-acc ... 40242.html

https://gmatclub.com/forum/using-study- ... 20346.html

Thanks in advance!
HI smbbourne007,

According to is a different type of phrase (in this context, it means ~as stated by). The rules that apply to present participle modifiers don't apply to according to.
User avatar
GMATNinja
User avatar
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
Joined: 13 Aug 2009
Last visit: 18 Nov 2025
Posts: 7,445
Own Kudos:
69,783
 [2]
Given Kudos: 2,060
Status: GMAT/GRE/LSAT tutors
Location: United States (CO)
GMAT 1: 780 Q51 V46
GMAT 2: 800 Q51 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V170
GRE 2: Q170 V170
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT 2: 800 Q51 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V170
GRE 2: Q170 V170
Posts: 7,445
Kudos: 69,783
 [2]
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
smbbourne007
According to recent studies, wild animals have less total fat than livestock fed on grain.

How can Wild animals be "according to recent studies"?
In the below questions, we can see that -ed or -ing modifiers, such as "based on" or "using," don't make sense with the subject.

So, according to this logic, isn't the above usage of "according" wrong?

https://gmatclub.com/forum/based-on-acc ... 40242.html

https://gmatclub.com/forum/using-study- ... 20346.html

Thanks in advance!
If we conclude that this is an issue in any one of the answer choices, then we must conclude that it's an issue in all of the answer choices. In other words, because the same potential meaning issue appears in all five choices, we know that the test doesn't want us to worry about it. :)

"According to..." logically modifies the ensuing clause anyway, so that isn't much of a stretch.

I hope that helps a bit!
User avatar
aashusuman1
Joined: 27 Feb 2022
Last visit: 22 May 2024
Posts: 37
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 33
Posts: 37
Kudos: 3
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
In option B .

Why is "Wild animals have less total fat than livestock fed on grain" non ambiguos:
Is it not leading to two meanings ?

1. Wild animals have less total fat than livestock fed on grain have less total fat ( Order )
or
2. Wild animals have less total fat than livestock fed on grain have ( Comparison)
User avatar
souvik19
Joined: 27 Feb 2021
Last visit: 03 Apr 2023
Posts: 83
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 41
Location: India
Posts: 83
Kudos: 34
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
can someone please help in understand what's wrong in saying, WA has less total fat than the total of DA?
User avatar
GMATNinja
User avatar
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
Joined: 13 Aug 2009
Last visit: 18 Nov 2025
Posts: 7,445
Own Kudos:
69,783
 [1]
Given Kudos: 2,060
Status: GMAT/GRE/LSAT tutors
Location: United States (CO)
GMAT 1: 780 Q51 V46
GMAT 2: 800 Q51 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V170
GRE 2: Q170 V170
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT 2: 800 Q51 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V170
GRE 2: Q170 V170
Posts: 7,445
Kudos: 69,783
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
aashusuman1
In option B .

Why is "Wild animals have less total fat than livestock fed on grain" non ambiguos:
Is it not leading to two meanings ?

1. Wild animals have less total fat than livestock fed on grain have less total fat ( Order )
or
2. Wild animals have less total fat than livestock fed on grain have ( Comparison)
#2 is the only logical way to interpret the construction: we're comparing the amount of fat in wild animals to the amount of fat in grain-fed livestock, and concluding that the wild animals have less.

If I write, "Tim has fewer Legos than Tom," it wouldn't make any sense to interpret this to mean that "Tim has fewer Legos than Tom has fewer Legos," or that "Tim has fewer Legos than he has Tom," right? So it must mean that we're comparing how many Legos Tim has to how how many Tom has.

If there's only one coherent meaning, there's no ambiguity.

I hope that clears things up!
User avatar
IN2MBB2PE
Joined: 20 Aug 2020
Last visit: 17 Feb 2024
Posts: 130
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 82
Posts: 130
Kudos: 35
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
GMATNinja
aashusuman1
In option B .

Why is "Wild animals have less total fat than livestock fed on grain" non ambiguos:
Is it not leading to two meanings ?

1. Wild animals have less total fat than livestock fed on grain have less total fat ( Order )
or
2. Wild animals have less total fat than livestock fed on grain have ( Comparison)
#2 is the only logical way to interpret the construction: we're comparing the amount of fat in wild animals to the amount of fat in grain-fed livestock, and concluding that the wild animals have less.

If I write, "Tim has fewer Legos than Tom," it wouldn't make any sense to interpret this to mean that "Tim has fewer Legos than Tom has fewer Legos," or that "Tim has fewer Legos than he has Tom," right? So it must mean that we're comparing how many Legos Tim has to how how many Tom has.

If there's only one coherent meaning, there's no ambiguity.

I hope that clears things up!

Great discussions in this post ... maybe a good item to cover next SC Video would be "Ellipsis" .... I picked A as the right answer because I thought "they" is referring to "studies". As per the rulebook of Pronoun, "they" can refer to both "living" and "non-living" things, such as - we use "they" to refer to companies, why "they" cannot refer to studies? Is this an exception to the rule?

Also, for (C), Why can't we compare the "total fat" content b/w the animals, is not what (C) is doing? I still do not understand why it produces an illogical meaning ...

GMATNinja AndrewN Please help ... this question is killing me ...
User avatar
ExpertsGlobal5
User avatar
Experts' Global Representative
Joined: 10 Jul 2017
Last visit: 18 Nov 2025
Posts: 5,195
Own Kudos:
4,765
 [1]
Given Kudos: 43
Location: India
GMAT Date: 11-01-2019
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 5,195
Kudos: 4,765
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
IN2MBB2PE
GMATNinja
aashusuman1
In option B .

Why is "Wild animals have less total fat than livestock fed on grain" non ambiguos:
Is it not leading to two meanings ?

1. Wild animals have less total fat than livestock fed on grain have less total fat ( Order )
or
2. Wild animals have less total fat than livestock fed on grain have ( Comparison)
#2 is the only logical way to interpret the construction: we're comparing the amount of fat in wild animals to the amount of fat in grain-fed livestock, and concluding that the wild animals have less.

If I write, "Tim has fewer Legos than Tom," it wouldn't make any sense to interpret this to mean that "Tim has fewer Legos than Tom has fewer Legos," or that "Tim has fewer Legos than he has Tom," right? So it must mean that we're comparing how many Legos Tim has to how how many Tom has.

If there's only one coherent meaning, there's no ambiguity.

I hope that clears things up!

Great discussions in this post ... maybe a good item to cover next SC Video would be "Ellipsis" .... I picked A as the right answer because I thought "they" is referring to "studies". As per the rulebook of Pronoun, "they" can refer to both "living" and "non-living" things, such as - we use "they" to refer to companies, why "they" cannot refer to studies? Is this an exception to the rule?

Also, for (C), Why can't we compare the "total fat" content b/w the animals, is not what (C) is doing? I still do not understand why it produces an illogical meaning ...

GMATNinja AndrewN Please help ... this question is killing me ...

Hello IN2MBB2PE,

We hope this finds you well.

To answer your query, "they" can refer to both non-living and living things; its usage is incorrect here because "they" cannot logically refer to "studies", "wild animals", or "livestock": taking "wild animals" or "livestock" as the referent of "they" would illogically imply that animals hold an opinion on cardiac health, and the noun "studies" cannot logically be said to take the action of "thinking".

A noun such as "study", "book", "article", etc, can be said to "say" something, "convey" something, or take any other verb that refers to conveying information, but it cannot be said to "think", as in formulating thoughts; the action of "thinking" can only be ascribed to the author of the work.

We hope this helps.
All the best!
Experts' Global Team
   1   2   3   4   5   6   
Moderators:
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
7445 posts
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
234 posts
188 posts