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Building large new hospitals in the bistate area would constitute a wa 28 Mar 2019, 02:40
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can someone please elaborate on the right answer further?
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Are you asking about the usage of if only? In this case, it means that the reason the sentence introduces is a "just about okay" reason (there could be better reasons not mentioned in the sentence). Take a look at this dictionary entry for more examples.
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Building large new hospitals in the bistate area would constitute a wa 28 Mar 2019, 04:53
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Building large new hospitals in the bistate area would constitute a wasteful use of resources, on the basis of avoidance of duplicated facilities alone.

(A) on the basis of avoidance of duplicated facilities alone
(B) on the grounds of avoiding duplicated facilities alone
(C) solely in that duplicated facilities should be avoided
(D) while the duplication of facilities should be avoided
(E) if only because the duplication of facilities should be avoided

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I dont understand the OA at all
share explanations
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GMATNinja EducationAisle Could you please explain why choice E is better than C? I feel it's wrong to just subjunctive in the "If clause". I don't see any issues with C.
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Building large new hospitals in the bistate area would constitute a wa 28 Mar 2019, 07:02
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dabaobao
I don't see any issues with C.
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Hi dabaobao

in that is used to depict in the sense that / in as much as. Here, the intent is to depict a causal connection and hence, in that is not the most appropriate usage.

It is also worthwhile to note that OG-13 observes that "in that" has largely gone out of use, and it is considered stilted and overly formal.

There are a couple of official sentences where the correct option uses in that. However, these seem to be quite old questions.

At the very least, we suggest that you should consider the option using in that only if there is something significantly wrong with all other options.
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Building large new hospitals in the bistate area would constitute a wa 09 May 2019, 03:35
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Building large new hospitals in the bistate area would constitute a wasteful use of resources, on the basis of avoidance of duplicated facilities alone.

(A) on the basis of avoidance of duplicated facilities alone
(B) on the grounds of avoiding duplicated facilities alone
(C) solely in that duplicated facilities should be avoided
(D) while the duplication of facilities should be avoided
(E) if only because the duplication of facilities should be avoided

Experts please throw some light on the answer of this question.in subjunctive mood,in the if part modal verb should is used then how can would be used in then part?

please help.

Thanks
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Building large new hospitals in the bistate area would constitute a wa 09 May 2019, 19:42
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sonusaini1
Experts please throw some light on the answer of this question.in subjunctive mood,in the if part modal verb should is used then how can would be used in then part?

please help.

Thanks
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I'm not sure if this answers your question, but if only because just means that we're about to introduce a reasonably (but not particularly) good reason for something.
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Building large new hospitals in the bistate area would constitute a wa 11 Jun 2019, 10:51
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isn't 'if' and 'because' redundant in E? Moreover E is looking very awkward. Can someone explain how to deal with such question when the right option looks the most awkward one :( :(
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Building large new hospitals in the bistate area would constitute a wa 11 Jun 2019, 21:13
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rashwiniyer
isn't 'if' and 'because' redundant in E? Moreover E is looking very awkward. Can someone explain how to deal with such question when the right option looks the most awkward one :( :(
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If only because will seem a little weird if you haven't seen it before. The best thing to do here is to understand how it is used (here and here).
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Building large new hospitals in the bistate area would constitute a wa 11 Jul 2020, 02:01
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Hi Verbal Expert, I find this question extremely vague and even after spending 10 minutes trying to understand the answer options, I could make out the only difference between OA and the other options is the idiomatic phrase 'if only'. Could you please help me with more areas of how I can eliminate the other answer options. Also, do such questions come in the GMAT?
I would really appreciate your help! Thanks in advance! :)
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Building large new hospitals in the bistate area would constitute a wa 21 Dec 2021, 09:08
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Quote:
Building large new hospitals in the bistate area would constitute a wasteful use of resources, on the basis of avoidance of duplicated facilities alone.

(A) on the basis of avoidance of duplicated facilities alone
(B) on the grounds of avoiding duplicated facilities alone
(C) solely in that duplicated facilities should be avoided
(D) while the duplication of facilities should be avoided
(E) if only because the duplication of facilities should be avoided
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Hi VeritasKarishma AjiteshArun

In choice C, "in that" is used. I have learnt in some official question that "in that" means "because", and, hence, I chose choice C.
Building large new hospitals in the bistate area would constitute a wasteful use of resources, solely in that duplicated facilities should be avoided

I still could not decipher why choice E is right and why choice C is wrong. Secondly, how choice E is an displaying "If X, then Y" condition.

Kindly share your thoughts over this question.
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Building large new hospitals in the bistate area would constitute a wa 21 Dec 2021, 21:34
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thereisaFire
Quote:
Building large new hospitals in the bistate area would constitute a wasteful use of resources, on the basis of avoidance of duplicated facilities alone.

(A) on the basis of avoidance of duplicated facilities alone
(B) on the grounds of avoiding duplicated facilities alone
(C) solely in that duplicated facilities should be avoided
(D) while the duplication of facilities should be avoided
(E) if only because the duplication of facilities should be avoided

Hi VeritasKarishma AjiteshArun

In choice C, "in that" is used. I have learnt in some official question that "in that" means "because", and, hence, I chose choice C.
Building large new hospitals in the bistate area would constitute a wasteful use of resources, solely in that duplicated facilities should be avoided

I still could not decipher why choice E is right and why choice C is wrong. Secondly, how choice E is an displaying "If X, then Y" condition.

Kindly share your thoughts over this question.
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Let's forget about idiomatic usage for now and focus on the intent of the sentence.

Building large new hospitals will be a wasteful use of resources.
Why?
Because of a principle.
What is the principle?
"Duplication of facilities should be avoided"

That is, we should not duplicate facilities. The process of "duplication" should be avoided. No point providing the same facility at multiple points in an area. Instead, invest in providing different facilities in that area. Ok.

What do option (A), (B) and (C) say? They say that the principle is that "duplicated facilities should be avoided".
So a facility that is a duplicate of another (say a hospital exactly like another hospital) should be avoided. Does this mean that patients should avoid this hospital? Perhaps.

Hence, (A), (B) and (C) do not make a lot of sense.
(D) is also incorrect in its use of "while". (E) is correct.
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Building large new hospitals in the bistate area would constitute a wa 21 Dec 2021, 23:07
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thereisaFire
Hi VeritasKarishma AjiteshArun

In choice C, "in that" is used. I have learnt in some official question that "in that" means "because", and, hence, I chose choice C.
Building large new hospitals in the bistate area would constitute a wasteful use of resources, solely in that duplicated facilities should be avoided

I still could not decipher why choice E is right and why choice C is wrong. Secondly, how choice E is an displaying "If X, then Y" condition.

Kindly share your thoughts over this question.
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Hi thereisaFire,

I agree with KarishmaB's explanation. I would try not to take a call on the basis of the if only because/solely in that split.
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Building large new hospitals in the bistate area would constitute a wa 22 Dec 2021, 05:32
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thereisaFire
Quote:
Building large new hospitals in the bistate area would constitute a wasteful use of resources, on the basis of avoidance of duplicated facilities alone.

(A) on the basis of avoidance of duplicated facilities alone
(B) on the grounds of avoiding duplicated facilities alone
(C) solely in that duplicated facilities should be avoided
(D) while the duplication of facilities should be avoided
(E) if only because the duplication of facilities should be avoided

Hi VeritasKarishma AjiteshArun

In choice C, "in that" is used. I have learnt in some official question that "in that" means "because", and, hence, I chose choice C.
Building large new hospitals in the bistate area would constitute a wasteful use of resources, solely in that duplicated facilities should be avoided

I still could not decipher why choice E is right and why choice C is wrong. Secondly, how choice E is an displaying "If X, then Y" condition.

Kindly share your thoughts over this question.
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Hello thereisaFire,

We hope this finds you well.

To answer your query, "in that" and "because"do not mean the same thing; “in that” is used to reflect an intrinsic property and “because” is used to indicate a cause-effect relationship.

Option C alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase “solely in that duplicated facilities”; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that building large new hospitals in the bistate area would constitute a wasteful use of resources only because facilities that have already been duplicated should be avoided; the intended meaning of the sentence is that building large new hospitals in the bistate area would constitute a wasteful use of resources, if for no other reason than the fact that the duplication of facilities should be avoided.

Further, Option E does not use the "if X then Y" construction; it uses the idiomatic construction "if only because", which means "if for no other reason". Thus, the intended meaning involves a cause-effect relationship, meaning "because" is the correct usage.

To understand the concept of "Because" vs "In That" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~2 minutes):



All the best!
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Building large new hospitals in the bistate area would constitute a wa 14 Oct 2022, 08:22
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thereisaFire
Hi VeritasKarishma AjiteshArun

In choice C, "in that" is used. I have learnt in some official question that "in that" means "because", and, hence, I chose choice C.
Building large new hospitals in the bistate area would constitute a wasteful use of resources, solely in that duplicated facilities should be avoided

I still could not decipher why choice E is right and why choice C is wrong. Secondly, how choice E is an displaying "If X, then Y" condition.

Kindly share your thoughts over this question.
Hi thereisaFire,

I agree with KarishmaB's explanation. I would try not to take a call on the basis of the if only because/solely in that split.
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Dear AjiteshArun
I also narrowed to C and E. A and B present misplaced adverb at the end "alone", and D begins with contrast "While". What I cannot comprehend is why many call "E" conditional?

Past "Would" and present "should be avoided" depict what type of conditionals?
When we use 2nd conditional to represent future unreal the stricture as following,
If I were... I would .. - Past + Past - O.k.

Thanks beforehand.
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Building large new hospitals in the bistate area would constitute a wa 16 Oct 2022, 04:00
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thereisaFire
Hi VeritasKarishma AjiteshArun

In choice C, "in that" is used. I have learnt in some official question that "in that" means "because", and, hence, I chose choice C.
Building large new hospitals in the bistate area would constitute a wasteful use of resources, solely in that duplicated facilities should be avoided

I still could not decipher why choice E is right and why choice C is wrong. Secondly, how choice E is an displaying "If X, then Y" condition.

Kindly share your thoughts over this question.
Hi thereisaFire,

I agree with KarishmaB's explanation. I would try not to take a call on the basis of the if only because/solely in that split.

Dear AjiteshArun
I also narrowed to C and E. A and B present misplaced adverb at the end "alone", and D begins with contrast "While". What I cannot comprehend is why many call "E" conditional?

Past "Would" and present "should be avoided" depict what type of conditionals?
When we use 2nd conditional to represent future unreal the stricture as following,
If I were... I would .. - Past + Past - O.k.

Thanks beforehand.
Show more

Hello BLTN,

We hope this finds you well.

To answer your query, in Option E the "if" phrase is a conditional marker that conveys the meaning "even if there is no other reason".

We hope this helps.
All the best!
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Building large new hospitals in the bistate area would constitute a wa 06 Oct 2023, 17:52
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@KarishmaB Could you please share your POE for this particular question. I would like to know the grammatical concept behind eliminating each option
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Building large new hospitals in the bistate area would constitute a wa 28 Oct 2023, 09:56
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Need your help to better understand this one!
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Building large new hospitals in the bistate area would constitute a wa 17 Nov 2025, 03:25
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Hello from the GMAT Club VerbalBot!

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