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Because of wireless service costs plummeting in the last year, and as 06 Jul 2021, 13:48
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Why (B) is not correct? Just because it does not have a verb for "people"? But "using" is present as a verb for "people"?
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Because of wireless service costs plummeting in the last year, and as 06 Jul 2021, 16:26
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lakshya14
Why (B) is not correct? Just because it does not have a verb for "people"? But "using" is present as a verb for "people"?
AndrewN
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Hello, lakshya14. How about we take a closer look at the sentence with (B) inserted?

Quote:
As the cost of wireless service plummeted in the last year and as mobile phones became increasingly common, many people now using their mobile phones to make calls across a wide region at night and on weekends, when numerous wireless companies provide unlimited airtime for a relatively small monthly fee.
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Now, for a sentence to work, it needs to be an actual sentence, with a subject and verb present in the main clause. Start crossing off anything that you know is not part of the main clause.

As the cost of wireless service plummeted in the last year and as mobile phones became increasingly common, many

The two parallel as clauses are dependent, and, not to be overlooked, many is nothing more than a modifier for the subject, people. So, what are people doing in the sentence? You asked about using, so try it out, focusing on the essential components of the main clause only:

people now using their mobile phones to make calls across a wide region at night and on weekends

Is this a sentence yet? No. We expect to encounter the verb further on, since using is a participle, one that is used to describe the type of people just mentioned. If we use the simple present instead, use, or insert are, a helping verb, ahead of using, we would get an independent clause, but as is, the sentence is still in limbo, like saying, people who use their mobile phones to make calls... Does the next part of the non-underlined portion provide a proper verb?

people... when numerous wireless companies provide unlimited airtime for a relatively small monthly fee

Well, that does not quite work either. There is a verb to be found in provide, but it is an action within the subordinate clause (that starts with when). You cannot make a case that people provide unlimited airtime. No, it is the companies that do so. We have thus ruled out the only other verb we could consider to make a sentence. To be clear, there is a subject for a main clause, but without a verb to pair with it, we do not have a sentence.

I hope that helps. Thank you for thinking to ask.

- Andrew
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Because of wireless service costs plummeting in the last year, and as 12 Jul 2021, 13:30
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lakshya14
Why (B) is not correct? Just because it does not have a verb for "people"? But "using" is present as a verb for "people"?
AndrewN
Hello, lakshya14. How about we take a closer look at the sentence with (B) inserted?

Quote:
As the cost of wireless service plummeted in the last year and as mobile phones became increasingly common, many people now using their mobile phones to make calls across a wide region at night and on weekends, when numerous wireless companies provide unlimited airtime for a relatively small monthly fee.
Now, for a sentence to work, it needs to be an actual sentence, with a subject and verb present in the main clause. Start crossing off anything that you know is not part of the main clause.

As the cost of wireless service plummeted in the last year and as mobile phones became increasingly common, many

The two parallel as clauses are dependent, and, not to be overlooked, many is nothing more than a modifier for the subject, people. So, what are people doing in the sentence? You asked about using, so try it out, focusing on the essential components of the main clause only:

people now using their mobile phones to make calls across a wide region at night and on weekends

Is this a sentence yet? No. We expect to encounter the verb further on, since using is a participle, one that is used to describe the type of people just mentioned. If we use the simple present instead, use, or insert are, a helping verb, ahead of using, we would get an independent clause, but as is, the sentence is still in limbo, like saying, people who use their mobile phones to make calls... Does the next part of the non-underlined portion provide a proper verb?

people... when numerous wireless companies provide unlimited airtime for a relatively small monthly fee

Well, that does not quite work either. There is a verb to be found in provide, but it is an action within the subordinate clause (that starts with when). You cannot make a case that people provide unlimited airtime. No, it is the companies that do so. We have thus ruled out the only other verb we could consider to make a sentence. To be clear, there is a subject for a main clause, but without a verb to pair with it, we do not have a sentence.

I hope that helps. Thank you for thinking to ask.

- Andrew
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I understood the explanations. But still do we have "to make" as a verb for people?
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Because of wireless service costs plummeting in the last year, and as 12 Jul 2021, 15:28
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lakshya14

Quote:
As the cost of wireless service plummeted in the last year and as mobile phones became increasingly common, many people now using their mobile phones to make calls across a wide region at night and on weekends, when numerous wireless companies provide unlimited airtime for a relatively small monthly fee.

I understood the explanations. But still do we have "to make" as a verb for people?
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Good question, but one that we can answer quickly with no. You can tell that to make is not the verb for people because you cannot have a sentence that says, People to make calls. Of course, you can get rid of to and have a sentence, but you cannot negotiate what is on the screen. In fact, the to in this sentence is a shortened form of the explanatory in order to, and I think you will agree that the following is not a sentence: People in order to make calls.

I hope that helps address your concerns. Make sure you know how to identify the verb of a clause. You can go through sentence after sentence in everyday reading just to get a feel for it. Happy reading.

- Andrew
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Hi, could anyone help to explain why E is wrong?
Thank you very much
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Because of wireless service costs plummeting in the last year, and as 23 Sep 2021, 07:43
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Hi, could anyone help to explain why E is wrong?
Thank you very much
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Hi! I am sure someone has already answered this, in the thread.

The usage of "while" in E is suspect, from a meaning perspective, since while is generally used to show contrast. That's not the intended meaning here.
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Because of wireless service costs plummeting in the last year, and as 27 Sep 2021, 10:04
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Isn't the use of 'has plummetted in the last year' wrong in option E?
How can something be in present perfect and be mentioned in last year, which is a specific past?

VeritasKarishma
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Because of wireless service costs plummeting in the last year, and as 27 Sep 2021, 10:18
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Isn't the use of 'has plummetted in the last year' wrong in option E?
How can something be in present perfect and be mentioned in last year, which is a specific past?

VeritasKarishma
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No, "in the last year" suggests a period of time that continues into the present. "The last year" can be interpreted as "from one year ago until right now." This is a bit different from the phrase "last year" which, at present time (September 2021) would denote 2020. You cannot say "has plummeted last year," but you can say "has plummeted in the last year." It's a fine point of English usage, to be sure.
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Isn't the use of 'has plummetted in the last year' wrong in option E?
How can something be in present perfect and be mentioned in last year, which is a specific past?

VeritasKarishma
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Hi Prerana94,

To add to AnthonyRitz's reply: In the last year is different from specific indicators of time like in 2010. It is a way to refer to time up to now.

Generally speaking, the present perfect is a good choice when our intention is to focus on the entire period ("the last year"), and that's why we don't see the simple past tense used here.
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Because of wireless service costs plummeting in the last year, and as 30 Sep 2021, 22:06
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Because of wireless service costs plummeting in the last year, and as mobile phones are increasingly common, many people now using their mobile phones to make calls across a wide region at night and on weekends, when numerous wireless companies provide unlimited airtime for a relatively small monthly fee.

(A) Because of wireless service costs plummeting in the last year, and as mobile phones are increasingly common, many people

(B) As the cost of wireless service plummeted in the last year and as mobile phones became increasingly common, many people

(C) In the last year, with the cost of wireless service plummeting, and mobile phones have become increasingly common, there are many people

(D) With the cost of wireless service plummeting in the last year and mobile phones becoming increasingly common, many people are

(E) While the cost of wireless service has plummeted in the last year and mobile phones are increasingly common, many people are

This question is based on Modifiers and Parallelism.

The modifier at the beginning of the sentence provides reasons for the fact that people are using their mobile phones to make calls across a wide region and on weekends.

In Options A and B, there is a verb missing. The subject of the sentence is “many people”. There should be a verb after the subject to complete the idea but it is missing in both the options. Furthermore, as the modifier gives two reasons, the two reasons must be expressed in a structure that is similar. But Option A also lacks parallelism. Option B maintains parallelism but the sentence is still incomplete. So, Options A and B can be eliminated.

Option C contains a verb but lacks parallelism in the modifier – the prepositional phrase “with the cost of wireless service plummeting” is not parallel in structure to the clause “mobile phones have become increasingly common”. So, Option C can be eliminated.

Option D maintains the parallelism. The preposition ‘with’ has been mentioned only once but it applies to both the reasons – “the cost of wireless service plummeting” and “mobile phones becoming increasingly common”. So, Option D is correct.

The parallelism is maintained in this option also. However, this option contains the conjunction ‘while’, which implies a contrast not required in the sentence. So, Option E can also be eliminated.

Therefore, D is the most appropriate option.

Jayanthi Kumar.

CrackverbalGMAT
[quote="CrackverbalGMAT"]

Hi Jayanthi Kumar,

In option A & B, you have mentioned that verb is missing in both the answer options. This particular error is called as Fragment in technical term ? (please correct me, if I am not using the correct word here). thanks in advance.
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Hello experts,
So, between D and E,

Can we say "with" can be used to give reasons, as "because" can?

If its not the case- and if with modifies the verb "are" than meaning becomes illogical.
people are using mobile phones with the cost of wireless service plummenting, sounds as if people are using mobile phones along with the cost...

In general, how to look at "with" when it appears ?

second I eliminated E because of second entity- mobile phones are increasingly common- sounds incomplete to me (becoming is missing). correct?
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Because of wireless service costs plummeting in the last year, and as 28 May 2022, 04:00
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Hello experts,
So, between D and E,

Can we say "with" can be used to give reasons, as "because" can?

If its not the case- and if with modifies the verb "are" than meaning becomes illogical.
people are using mobile phones with the cost of wireless service plummenting, sounds as if people are using mobile phones along with the cost...

In general, how to look at "with" when it appears ?

second I eliminated E because of second entity- mobile phones are increasingly common- sounds incomplete to me (becoming is missing). correct?
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That seems fair. Take another example:

    "With Doncic struggling, the Mavs were basically helpless against the magisterial power of Curry, Green, and Thompson."

It's perfectly reasonable to interpret the "with" as conveying something along the same lines as "because," but you could also think of the modifier "With Luka struggling" as giving context for the main clause. Either way, it makes sense. Same deal in (D).

Generally, I wouldn't try to internalize all the ways "with" can be used. It's a pretty flexible modifier. The real question is whether there's some logical interpretation. If there is, don't treat it as an error. Simple as that.

And your logic for eliminating (E) is valid. The "while" seems to suggest that the two actions happened at the same time, but "has plummeted" is an action that began in the past, and "are increasingly common" is a present tense action, which is why pairing the two sounds so goofy and incomplete.

I hope that helps a bit!
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I am struggling to understand the usage of 'with". Can someone please explain to me when to use "with" and when is it wrong?
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I am struggling to understand the usage of 'with". Can someone please explain to me when to use "with" and when is it wrong?
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Hello rashwiniyer,

We hope this finds you well.

"with" has a number of different uses on GMAT.

Broadly speaking:

1. "with" can modify a verb to provide more information about an action in various ways.

For example, "Fill the bowl with water."; here, the "with" phrase conveys what the bowl is to be filled with.

"I went on vacation with my friend." - here, the "with" phrase conveys that the speaker went on vacation alongside the "friend".

"I lit a fire with a lighter." - here, the "with" phrase conveys that the speaker used a lighter to light the fire.

2. "with" can link two nouns to denote possession.

For example - "He is a man with great ambitions." - here, the "with" phrase conveys that the "man" possess great ambitions.

3. The usage of "with" seen in this question is a less common one; here the "with" phrase is connected to a clause through a comma in order to convey a cause-effect relationship.

For example - "With no other option, Joe accepted the job offer."; here, the "with" phrase conveys that Joe accepted the job offer because he had no other option.

"With time running out, the team made a risky play."; here, the "with" phrase conveys that the team made a risky play because time was running out.

We hope this helps.
All the best!
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Because of wireless service costs plummeting in the last year, and as 28 Aug 2023, 08:13
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