Although the author himself declared them unpublishable, the first app

Question

Although the author himself declared them unpublishable, the first appearance in print of 40 poems by T. S. Elliot is a significant event,  since they provide fascinating evidence about the creative processes that were engaged in by this great Modernist .

A. since they provide fascinating evidence about the creative processes that were engaged in by this great Modernist

B. since it provides fascinating evidence about the creative proceses that were engaged in by this great Modernist.

C. because this great modernist provides fascinating evidence about the creative processes they engaged in.

D. because they provide fascinating evidence about the creative processes that were engaged in by this great Modernist.

E. since they provide fascinating evidence about the creative processes in which this great Modernist engaged.

gmat1393 · Accepted Answer

KAPLAN OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

Read the Original Sentence Carefully, Looking for Errors:

Generally, use of the passive voice is incorrect on the GMAT, and this sentence commits this error with the phrase "creative processes that were engaged in by ...." Look for an answer choice that actively tells what T.S. Eliot did, rather than what was done by him.

Scan and Group the Answer Choices:

(A), (B), and (D) keep the passive "that were engaged in," while (C) and (E) each use a more active construction.

Eliminate Wrong Answer Choices:

(A), (B), and (D) can be eliminated for using the passive voice.

(C) doesn't use the passive voice, but it awkwardly changes the meaning of the sentence. In the original sentence, Eliot's poems provided evidence about his creative processes. In (C), Eliot provides evidence about the poems' creative processes. This doesn't make any sense.

(E) provides a more active construction ("in which ... engaged") and doesn't introduce any new errors, so it is correct.

TAKEAWAY: If an answer choice provides an active voice alternative to a sentence in passive voice, without introducing any errors of grammar or style, it is correct.

uvs_mba · Answer

I picked E here though not sure if it is right.

as I was thinking that 'they' is referring to poems and the great modernist engaged in creative processes.....

gk3.14 · Answer

I think E as well..

poems - plural so they and E is active which is preferred

OA please?

GMATT73 · Answer

they refers to the poems and engaged is a bit more actively stated.

(E)

Juaz · Answer

Should be E as poems provide the "fascinating evidence"

prude_sb · Answer

A 'that were engaged in by this great Modernist' seems correct eventhough i'd prefer 'that this great Modernist engaged in'

not sure why D is wrong since seeems better than because...

sperinko · Answer

Fell for the classic trap and chose (B).

Thought IT would be appropriate for EVENT when what is being talked about here is the poems.

Moral of the story :
Understand the meaning of the sentence before trying usual SV-agreement and other rules.

dwivedys · Answer

Between D and E (because A, B and C either distort meaning or are grammatically incorrect) - E wins because of concise structure. The race is not between since and because. Since has an additional nuance in that it can represent Time as well (as in SINCE YESTERDAY). However, that's not the issue here..

dahcrap · Answer

I am still torn between A and E. This is a great question. Probably the style of E wins over A

circkit · Answer

Agree with u... i picked "D"..

Since= used as a point of reference for a time in the past. "because" is preferred over "since" for introducing a contradiction.. can somebody shed more light on this? :roll:

Cheers, Circkit

vineetgupta · Answer

Just to add to it.
'that were' is wordy in choices A,B and D...remove this part and sentence has the same meaning.
C changes the meaning as the processes were engaged in by the Modernst not the poems.

Balvinder · Answer

A- processes that- wrong

b- creative proceses that - wrong

C - change meaning

D- the creative processes that - wrong

E - correct

Chembeti · Answer

Its not clear what the process refers to: is it the collection of poems or putting them in print? Hence this can't be the basis for selecting the correct answer.

If we look carefully, A uses passive tone where as E uses active tone, better than A. Hence E wins over A.

Hope this is clear now.

Ddc · Answer

I guess everybody eliminated B & C.

Between A, D & E - E is correct choice because of the meaning / usage. Both A & D are in passive voice and distort meaning. One engages IN a Process. E clearly states this, hence the best choice.

arindam83 · Answer

I am confused between It and they.
"the first appearance in print of 40 poems " --If its the subject ...is it not singular?

BN1989 · Answer

I'd also go with E. The poems are modified in the first part, so it makes sense to use "them". Also the passive voice for enganged sounds a little awkward imo.

iamdp · Answer

A. since they provide fascinating evidence about the creative  processes that were engaged  in by this great Modernist

>creative processes were engaged is wrong. This is wrong as the modernist and not the processes themselves were engaged.

B. since it provides fascinating evidence about the creative proceses that were engaged in by this great Modernist.

> "it" used for plural poems.

C. because this great modernist provides fascinating evidence about the  creative processes they engaged in.

>Wrong meaning conveyed.

D. because they provide fascinating evidence about the creative processes that were engaged in by this great Modernist.

E. since they provide fascinating evidence about the creative processes in which this great Modernist engaged.

>Correct

ravigupta2912 · Answer

A. since they provide fascinating evidence about the creative processes that were engaged in by this great Modernist -- Passive voice. Incorrect.

B. since it provides fascinating evidence about the creative proceses that were engaged in by this great Modernist. Pronoun "it" does not agree with plural "40 poems"

C. because this great modernist provides fascinating evidence about the creative processes they engaged in. -- "Because of" must be followed by a noun, correct. But does it make sense? The modernist does not provide fascinating evidence. It is the poems that provide the evidence. INCORRECT

D. because they provide fascinating evidence about the creative processes that were engaged in by this great Modernist. - Passive voice. "processes engaged in by this great mindset". Incorrect

E. since they provide fascinating evidence about the creative processes in which this great Modernist engaged -- Correct. No errors. Active voice.

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Although the author himself declared them unpublishable, the first app

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Although the author himself declared them unpublishable, the first app

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