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sayantanc2k
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According to scientists at the University of California, the pattern 11 Mar 2017, 13:26
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dina98
Why is not there "had" at the end of the phrase in D? That bothered me to such an extent I chose B.

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Past perfect is to be used only when it is required to highlight the sequence of events. If the sequence is clear, then simple past is preferred. Following is an excerpt from Manhattan SC guide:

Do not use the perfect tenses when the simple tenses will do. The GMAT prefers simplicity.
Wrong: Joe LEARNED about an epoch in which dinosaurs HAD WALKED the earth.
Right: Joe LEARNED about an epoch in which dinosaurs WALKED the earth.
In the first example, the Past Perfect had walked is unnecessary. Although the action had walked does take place earlier than the action learned, the earlier action does not have a direct bearing on the context of the later action. The sequence of time does not need to be clarified or emphasized. Thus, the Past Perfect is considered wrong in this context.
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According to scientists at the University of California, the pattern 14 Jul 2019, 23:41
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ananthpatri
descendant of
descendant from
which to use and why?

Hi there,

When we use the noun "descendant", we use preposition "of" after it. So, it's "descendant of".
When we use the verb "descended", then we use preposition "from" after it. So, we say "descended from".

Let us know if you have any other quesry regarding this problem. :)

Thanks.
Shraddha
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Hi Shraddha,

Can you please help eliminate between D & E on the basis of might/may?

Thanks
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According to scientists at the University of California, the pattern 31 Dec 2019, 06:56
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egmat
ananthpatri
descendant of
descendant from
which to use and why?

Hi there,

When we use the noun "descendant", we use preposition "of" after it. So, it's "descendant of".
When we use the verb "descended", then we use preposition "from" after it. So, we say "descended from".

Let us know if you have any other quesry regarding this problem. :)

Thanks.
Shraddha


Hi Shraddha,

Can you please help eliminate between D & E on the basis of might/may?

Thanks
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Dear experts,

mikemcgarry IanStewart VeritasKarishma daagh generis MikeScarn DmitryFarber

Can you please explain the difference in the use of "may" and "might"
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According to scientists at the University of California, the pattern 18 May 2022, 00:00
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the pattern of changes that "have" occurred in human

If "the pattern" is the subject, then why the main sentence has "have" in it?
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According to scientists at the University of California, the pattern 18 May 2022, 03:16
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Sakshi516B
the pattern of changes that "have" occurred in human

If "the pattern" is the subject, then why the main sentence has "have" in it?
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This is because "that" modifies "changes".

p.s. Our book EducationAisle Sentence Correction Nirvana discusses modifier issues of "that", their application and examples in significant detail. If you or someone is interested, PM me your email-id; I can mail the corresponding section.
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According to scientists at the University of California, the pattern 18 May 2022, 07:33
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Sakshi516B
the pattern of changes that "have" occurred in human

If "the pattern" is the subject, then why the main sentence has "have" in it?
This is because "that" modifies "changes".

p.s. Our book EducationAisle Sentence Correction Nirvana discusses modifier issues of "that", their application and examples in significant detail. If you or someone is interested, PM me your email-id; I can mail the corresponding section.
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Thank You for the reply.
Can you please elaborate your explanation
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According to scientists at the University of California, the pattern 18 May 2022, 10:19
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Sakshi516B

Can you please elaborate your explanation
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With D, the sentence is:

According to scientists at the University of California, the pattern of changes that have occurred in human DNA over the millennia indicates that everyone alive today may be a descendant of a single female ancestor who lived in Africa sometime between 140,000 and 280,000 years ago.

Let's look at the broad clauses in this sentence:

(i) the pattern of changes indicates <something>
- Independent clause. Notice that "the pattern" is the subject and "indicates" is the singular verb.

(ii) that have occurred in human DNA over the millennia
- Dependent clause. "that" would modify "changes" and hence, the plural verb "have" is correct.

Perhaps some other similar examples will help:

- I plan to meet the group of students who have aced GMAT.

- The rich man owns a fleet of cars that are all super-expensive.
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According to scientists at the University of California, the pattern 02 Jun 2022, 04:57
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Hey ExpertsGlobal, could you please explain in your style why in option B who had is incorrect?

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According to scientists at the University of California, the pattern 02 Jun 2022, 05:28
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Varane
Hey ExpertsGlobal, could you please explain in your style why in option B who had is incorrect?

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Hello Varane,

We hope this finds you well.

To answer your query, the use of "had" in Option B forms the past perfect tense verb "had lived"; this usage is not incorrect, but it is redundant due to the use of the phrase "140,000 and 280,000 years ago"; remember, when the order of events is made clear through the mention of times or dates or the use of words such as "after" and "before", the use of the past perfect tense is redundant, though not incorrect.


We hope this helps.
All the best!
Experts' Global Team
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According to scientists at the University of California, the pattern 04 May 2023, 14:30
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Hi,

Please help me understand this. GMATNinja

Between D and E, is the usage of ‘may be’ in D correct?

From my understanding :
1) X may be a descendent of Y - meaning: X has the permission of being a descendant of Y. Now this doesn’t make much sense.
2) X might be a descendent of Y - meaning: there is a possibility that X is a descendent of Y.

For reference (a post by GMATNinja) https://gmatclub.com/forum/the-rorschzc ... l#p2402406
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According to scientists at the University of California, the pattern 26 May 2023, 15:11
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ayush021
Hi,

Please help me understand this. GMATNinja

Between D and E, is the usage of ‘may be’ in D correct?

From my understanding :

X may be a descendent of Y - meaning: X has the permission of being a descendant of Y. Now this doesn’t make much sense.

X might be a descendent of Y - meaning: there is a possibility that X is a descendent of Y.

For reference (a post by GMATNinja) https://gmatclub.com/forum/the-rorschzc ... l#p2402406
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In that other example, we were talking about hypothetical situations. Those are things that might or might not happen, so there's a more "forward-looking" connotation -- behavior and thought processes that might not emerge if we were to conduct those hypothetical procedures or interviews at some point in the future.

That said, it's really not worth your time to try to come up with ironclad rules governing "may" vs "might." This is a very old question, and the GMAT is trying to test your verbal reasoning skills, not your grammar knowledge. You have to think really hard about meaning and context every time, and if you're trying to rely on an ever-growing list of grammar "rules," you're barking up the wrong tree.

In the context of this particular question, "may" or "might" are both probably fine, and the choice of preposition ("of" vs "from") is probably the bigger issue. But again, it's an old question, so don't lose any sleep over it!
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