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27 Jul 2023, 10:33
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Although British and French abolitionists of the late 1700s predicted that manumission and the blockading of slave ships would gradually undermine it, slavery continued to be the dominant cultural and economic force in southern America until the end of the American Civil War in 1865.
(A) would gradually undermine it
Correct. Since the passage conveys that a prediction of future was made in the past. So use of 'would' is justified. Also, 'Although ' starts a dependent clause , so here it takes as its subject , the subject of the main clause that follows ,i.e slavary.
(B) to be a gradual undermining of it
Incorrect. use of 'to be' for a hypothetical situation is not correct. 'Would' should be used to refer to future in the past.
(C) would be a gradual undermining of slavery
Incorrect. According to passage 'manumission and the blockading of slave ships' will cause some action (undermine slavery), but they are not the action themselves. Thus, this choice does not convey proper meaning.
(D) to gradually undermine slavery
Incorrect. Use of 'to' for a hypothetical situation is not correct. 'Would' should be used to refer to future in the past.
(E) gradually undermining it
Incorrect. 'gradually undermining it' modifies 'manumission and the blockading of slave ships' and thus the first clause does not contain any verb which makes this choice incorrect.
(A) would gradually undermine it
Correct. Since the passage conveys that a prediction of future was made in the past. So use of 'would' is justified. Also, 'Although ' starts a dependent clause , so here it takes as its subject , the subject of the main clause that follows ,i.e slavary.
(B) to be a gradual undermining of it
Incorrect. use of 'to be' for a hypothetical situation is not correct. 'Would' should be used to refer to future in the past.
(C) would be a gradual undermining of slavery
Incorrect. According to passage 'manumission and the blockading of slave ships' will cause some action (undermine slavery), but they are not the action themselves. Thus, this choice does not convey proper meaning.
(D) to gradually undermine slavery
Incorrect. Use of 'to' for a hypothetical situation is not correct. 'Would' should be used to refer to future in the past.
(E) gradually undermining it
Incorrect. 'gradually undermining it' modifies 'manumission and the blockading of slave ships' and thus the first clause does not contain any verb which makes this choice incorrect.
Oppenheimer1945
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Schools: INSEAD '26 (D) ISB '27 (D) IIMB '26 (A) IIMA '26 (A) HEC '26 (D) LBS '26 IESE '27 (D) Fuqua '27 (WL) Tepper '27 (WL)
GMAT Focus 1: 645 Q90 V76 DI80
Posts: 784
27 Jul 2023, 10:35
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• The "would + simple present tense verb" construction is used to refer to hypothetical future actions.
• The simple present continuous tense is used to refer to actions that are currently ongoing and continuous in nature.
A: Correct. This answer choice correctly uses the "would + simple present tense verb ("undermine" in this sentence)" construction to refer to a hypothetical future event. Further, Option A is free of any awkwardness or redundancy.
B: This answer choice incorrectly uses the infinitive verb form (“to + base form of verb” - “to + be” in this sentence)” to refer to a hypothetical future action; please remember, the "would + simple present tense verb" construction is used to refer to a hypothetical action in the future. Further, Option B uses the needlessly wordy phrase “be a gradual undermining of it”, leading to awkwardness.
C: This answer uses the needlessly wordy phrase “be a gradual undermining of ”, rendering it awkward and needlessly redundant.
D: This answer choice incorrectly uses the infinitive verb form (“to + base form of verb” - “to + be” in this sentence)” to refer to a hypothetical future action; please remember, the "would + simple present tense verb" construction is used to refer to a hypothetical action in the future. Further, Option D uses the needlessly wordy phrase “be a gradual undermining of it”, leading to awkwardness.
E: This answer choice incorrectly uses the simple present continuous tense verb “undermining” to refer to a hypothetical future action; please remember, the "would + simple present tense verb" construction is used to refer to a hypothetical action in the future, and the simple present continuous tense is only used to refer to actions that are currently ongoing and continuous in nature.
Hence, A is the best answer choice.
• The simple present continuous tense is used to refer to actions that are currently ongoing and continuous in nature.
A: Correct. This answer choice correctly uses the "would + simple present tense verb ("undermine" in this sentence)" construction to refer to a hypothetical future event. Further, Option A is free of any awkwardness or redundancy.
B: This answer choice incorrectly uses the infinitive verb form (“to + base form of verb” - “to + be” in this sentence)” to refer to a hypothetical future action; please remember, the "would + simple present tense verb" construction is used to refer to a hypothetical action in the future. Further, Option B uses the needlessly wordy phrase “be a gradual undermining of it”, leading to awkwardness.
C: This answer uses the needlessly wordy phrase “be a gradual undermining of ”, rendering it awkward and needlessly redundant.
D: This answer choice incorrectly uses the infinitive verb form (“to + base form of verb” - “to + be” in this sentence)” to refer to a hypothetical future action; please remember, the "would + simple present tense verb" construction is used to refer to a hypothetical action in the future. Further, Option D uses the needlessly wordy phrase “be a gradual undermining of it”, leading to awkwardness.
E: This answer choice incorrectly uses the simple present continuous tense verb “undermining” to refer to a hypothetical future action; please remember, the "would + simple present tense verb" construction is used to refer to a hypothetical action in the future, and the simple present continuous tense is only used to refer to actions that are currently ongoing and continuous in nature.
Hence, A is the best answer choice.
27 Jul 2023, 10:35
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Quote:
verb+that works as a reset button and must be followed by a full clause. Therefore, options B, D, and E are out.
(A) would gradually undermine it [correct]
(C) would be a gradual undermining of slavery. It's a wordy and awkward way; choice A is better than this one. INCORRECT
