Because of the multiplier effect inherent in any unlimited-transaction

In such phrases the correct idiom is X times as [adjective] as.

Because of the multiplier effect inherent in any unlimited-transaction economy, the spending of one dollar typically generates several times the gross income in such an economy than in a single- or limited-transaction economy.

A. typically generates several times the gross income in such an economy than

Look at the word ......THAN ........It means we need to compare .......compare what ??

the spending of one dollar ...........is compared to ...........in a single or limited transaction economy ..........(WRONG )


B. typically generates several times the gross income in such an economy than it would


it .........ambiguous pronoun ..........may refers to economy or the spending


C. typically generates several times as much gross income in such an economy as though

wrong comparison


D. in such an economy typically generates several times as much gross income as the spending of one dollar would

correct


E. in such an economy typically generates several times the gross income than

wrong comparison


CORRECT ANSWER D

Official Explanation:
Read the Original Sentence Carefully, Looking for Errors:

The construction "generates several times the gross income… than…" is incorrect. It should either be written "several times more gross income… than…" or "several times as much gross income… as…"

Scan and Group the Answer Choices:

Choices (A), (B), and (E) all use "several times… than…" Choices (C) and (D) use "several times as much… as…"

Eliminate Wrong Answer Choices:

Choices (A), (B), and (E) all misuse "several times," pairing it with "than."

Choice (C) and Answer Choice (D) both use the correct "as much… as…" structure. However, choice (C) introduces a stray "though" which is unnecessary and incorrect.

(D) is significantly longer than any of the other choices, but this does not automatically make it overly wordy. In fact, the extra words serve to make the sentence more clear and easy to read. (D) is correct.

TAKEAWAY: An answer choice shouldn't be eliminated for being too wordy if the extra words help to clarify the meaning of the sentence.

Hello!

It seems as though there are two questions in the posts above about the would in this sentence: why is this tense/mood used, and how can it be an elided form of would generate if the exact word generate is never used?

I'll answer the second question first: generates is as much a form of generate as would generate is. When elided verb forms refer to verbs used earlier in the sentence, they tend to refer to the same infinitive, not necessarily to the exact usage of that verb earlier. Generates is the third-person singular present indicative (ouch) conjugation of to generate, and the present tense, third person, and indicative mood are all appropriate for that particular usage of to generate in its context. Similarly, would generate is the appropriate form in its context. Consider this simpler example: She said that she loved accounting and would for the rest of her days.

This leads us back to the first question: why is would generate appropriate in this context? Grammatically, would has two major duties in English: it functions as a sort of future tense from the point of view of the past, and it functions as a marker of the conditional mood. In the short example I gave at the end of the first paragraph, it's used in the former sense. It is a past-tense sentence, but one could easily imagine that at the time the subject of the sentence was speaking, she actually said, "I love accounting and will for the rest of my days." When I relate what she said in the past tense, though, love changes to loved and will changes to would to reflect that everything I'm describing happened in the past.

Answer D in this particular question is an instance of the other use of would: the conditional mood. Usually, the conditional mood shows up in the "then" part of if/then constructions when the "if" part contains a hypothetical or contrary-to-fact condition. Despite the absence of an if/then construction in this sentence, that hypothetical mood is the mood that would is intended to convey here. By using would, the author of the sentence is essentially implying that if the same dollar that in the world of the sentence has already been spent in an unlimited-transaction economy were instead spent in a single- or limited-transaction economy, it would generate less gross income.

The conditional is complicated.

Hello jlo1234,

We hope this finds you well.

To answer your doubt, the two sets of answer choices do not convey different meanings; they just express the comparison in different ways.

We hope this helps.
All the best!
Experts' Global Team

Is the correct idiom "several times as much as"? Is that why "several times the gross income than" is incorrect in this case? Initially, I picked B as the answer, but I think it is idiomatically incorrect. Would love to read other members' reasoning for this question.

Thanks!

Experts please help with this. How is D correct? And what's wrong with B?

souvik101990
Narenn
Gnpth
carcass

Hi daagh,

I have a doubt .
Although (D) is essentially the correct answer by POE , I want to know the usage of would here
what "Would" is doing in this sentence ?
It is used because author intends to explain a prediction/assumption ?

Hi daagh,

I have a doubt .
Although (D) is essentially the correct answer by POE , I want to know the usage of would here
what "Would" is doing in this sentence ?
It is used because author intends to explain a prediction/assumption ?

‘Would’ is an elided form of ‘would generate’

Would you please explain why the two are not the same spending? It seems to me that both are same spending of one dollar.

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The construction "generates several times the gross income… than…" is incorrect. It should either be written "several times more gross income… than…" or "several times as much gross income… as…"

Choices (A), (B), and (E) all use "several times… than…" Choices (C) and (D) use "several times as much… as…"

Choices (A), (B), and (E) all misuse "several times," pairing it with "than."

Choice (C) and Answer Choice (D) both use the correct "as much… as…" structure. However, choice (C) introduces a stray "though" which is unnecessary and incorrect.

(D) is significantly longer than any of the other choices, but this does not automatically make it overly wordy. In fact, the extra words serve to make the sentence more clear and easy to read. (D) is correct.

The construction "generates several times the gross income… than…" is incorrect. It should either be written "several times more gross income… than…" or "several times as much gross income… as…"

Thus, eliminating answers based on the construction above, C and D remain.

C is incorrect because "as though" changes the meaning of the sentence from a comparison between an unlimited-transaction economy and single or limited-transaction economy. Thus, D is the answer.

A. typically generates several times the gross income in such an economy than
in such an economy in the end isn't the right usage therefore out

B. typically generates several times the gross income in such an economy than it would
it doesn't have the right reference therefore out

C. typically generates several times as much gross income in such an economy as though
as though isn't the right usage therefore out

D. in such an economy typically generates several times as much gross income as the spending of one dollar would
Even though wordy akward the meaning is perfect along with the comparison therefore let us hang on to it

E. in such an economy typically generates several times the gross income than
THe comparison is off therefore out

THerefore IMO D

Because of the multiplier effect inherent in any unlimited-transaction economy, the spending of one dollar typically generates several times the gross income in such an economy than in a single- or limited-transaction economy.

(D) in such an economy typically generates several times as much gross income as the spending of one dollar would.

I understand by POE ,(D) is the answer. However , I want some help about the use of ellipsis in would . 2nd part will be - the spending of one dollar would 'generate' . But there is no generate in the whole sentence . The sentence uses generates in the 1st part. Is this usage correct ?

GMATNinja egmat ryanstarr

Hi Experts,

I have a question about whether there are different meanings presented in different answer choices.

Choice A-C says that the spending of one dollar in general would generate more gross income in economy X than in economy Y. Choice D-E says that the spending of one dollar in economy X would generate more gross income than the spending of one dollar would in economy Y. Is there a meaning difference between these 2?

Thanks!

Comparisons are very confusing for me.

I read somewhere that "Than" cant be used to start a clause. we use "as" for such usages. Can an expert review the below sentences and help me understand the correct/incorrect ones. Thank you

Consider these standalone sentences.

Correct
1. The spending of 1 dollar generates more gross income in Economy A than in Economy B . Right
2. The spending of 1 dollar generates more gross income in Economy A than The spending of 1 dollar generates in Economy B. Right

Not sure
3. The spending of 1 dollar generates as much gross income in Economy A as it does in Economy B. Not sure. But the second part isn't a clause.
2. The spending of 1 dollar generates as much gross income in Economy A as in Economy B. Not sure. "As" needs a clause. Is "the spending of 1 dollar" under ellipsis

Incorrect
1. The spending of 1 dollar generates more gross income in Economy A than Economy B. Wrong comparison between gross income in Eco A with Econ B.
2. The spending of 1 dollar generates as much gross income in Economy A as Economy B. Wrong. "As" needs a clause

Thank you.