Citing the recent increase in earnings by several computer

Question

Citing the recent increase in earnings by several computer companies, economists feel that  a cycle has begun in which personal computer users,  especially corporate consumers, are replacing their PC’s with more powerful models.

A. a cycle has begun in which personal computer users
B. a cycle for personal computer users has begun in which they
C. there is a cycle beginning for personal computer users
D. it is the beginning of a cycle for personal computer users
E. personal computer users are in the beginning of a cycle when they

mejia401 · Accepted Answer

First look:   S/V agreement, modifying phrases, pronoun agreement

A. a cycle has begun in which personal computer users  OK - The areas of concern were tested, and all were okay.

B. a cycle for personal computer users has begun in which they  Wrong - Pronoun "They" has no referent. The modifier "for personal computer users" describes the cycle, making the sentence non-sensical. It is not a cycle of users, but a cycle in which users replace their computers.

C. there is a cycle beginning for personal computer users  Wrong - The prepositional phrase cannot have a verb -- "for... users  are  replacing their PCs"

D. it is the beginning of a cycle for personal computer users  Wrong - The prepositional phrase cannot have a verb -- "for... users  are  replacing their PCs"

E. personal computer users are in the beginning of a cycle when they  Wrong - Logical predication. Personal computer users cannot literally be "in the beginning of a cycle when they." Perhaps their behavior is in the beginning of a cycle, but not they themselves.

IMO - A

anairamitch1804 · Answer

A answer choice may be eliminated for pronoun ambiguity if another answer choice avoids the ambiguity and is free of errors. 
In B and E, they has two eligible antecedents (economists and users). 
Since A avoids this issue and is free of errors, eliminate B and E. 
In C, are replacing lacks a subject. 
Eliminate C. 
In D, it lacks a viable referent. 
Eliminate D. 
The correct answer is A.
There are 2 prepositions that are confusing – when and “in which” and the confusion is when both of them are used when a reference to time has been made.

“When” is used when there is a specific time or a date that is being discussed. 
Ex : 15th August 1947 is the day when India got its Independence. 
“In which” is used when we are talking about a time period. 
Ex : 1947 was the year in which the freedom struggle came to an end. 
Here there is a cycle being referred to. And a cycle is usually a time period. That’s why usage of “which” makes more sense!

sayantanc2k · Answer

There are some exceptions to the modifier touch rule you are referring to - These exceptions are well explained in Manhattan SC guide. One such exception is that if the modifier of the subject of a sentence is very long compared to the predicate of the sentence, then the modifier can be separated from the subject and positioned AFTER the predicate. This is such an exception: The very long modifier "in which personal computer users....models" for the subject "a cycle" is separated and placed AFTER the short predicate "has begun".

noboru · Answer

OA is A.
I have 2 questions:
i) What's wrong with C?
ii) Would not "cycle" and "in which" have to be together?
Thanks.

onedayill · Answer

A. You want "especially corporate consumers" to be as close as possible to "personal computer users". We can therefore eliminate B,E. Out the remain options A is the best becos its in the past perfect. Action has started and will continue into the future.

ClassSkippa · Answer

First of all...I am fairly sure this isn't a sub 600 question. Secondly, I'm very puzzled at the high accuracy rate for this one. My guess here is that this is one of those questions..where you "use your ears" and just get it right.

This question can be eliminated purely by using meaning: economists have suggested that a new cycle is beginning (#PCMasterRace!!!)

A. a cycle has begun in which personal computer users
 => Sounds legit (or..you may say leet) 
B. a cycle for personal computer users has begun in which they
 => the cycle isn't for personal computers (it's for the whole universe to gasp and wonder!) 
C. there is a cycle beginning for personal computer users
 => the cycle isn't for personal computers (it's for the whole universe to gasp and wonder!) 
D. it is the beginning of a cycle for personal computer users
 => the cycle isn't for personal computers (it's for the whole universe to gasp and wonder!) 
E. personal computer users are in the beginning of a cycle when they
 => users aren't in the cycle themselves (although I'd like to explore that continuum)

SidJainGMAT · Answer

Hello Verbal Experts (e-Gmat/GMATNinja),

In option A, in which is far away from the noun (cycle) it is referring to. Is this correct behavior?
I had read somewhere that Noun Modifier cannot topple the verb to refer to the subject. 
In this case it is toppling verb 'has begun' to refer to the subject 'cycle'.
Because of this I eliminated A & B.
Can someone please comment on this

Brego · Answer

EducationAisle

In choice A how "in which" can jump over verb and modify a cycle?

Thank you

EducationAisle · Answer

Well, for the simple reason that  which  is a relative  pronoun  and hence, can only modify a  noun  (not a  verb ).

singh7 · Answer

The modifier doesn't touch the noun it modifies, then how is it correct?

Tanchat · Answer

Dear experts  GMATNinja   AndrewN   KarishmaB

Is it possible that “in which follows verb ?
Could you help elaborate why A is correct? 
I don’t want to remember all exceptions.

Posted from my mobile device

KarishmaB · Answer

We don't have any such restrictions. A prepositional phrase can follow a verb.

The game was played in Italy. 
Impressionism started in Paris in the 1860s.

Here, the 'that clause' is:
a cycle has begun in which personal computer users ...are replacing their PC’s with more powerful models.

The relative pronoun 'which' is the object of the preposition 'in.' 
'which' replaces 'cycle' and the preposition is placed before it. The relative clause is 'personal computer users ...are replacing their PC’s with more powerful models in this cycle'

This is how we have combined the below given two clauses together:
- a cycle has begun
- 'personal computer users ...are replacing their PC’s with more powerful models in this cycle'

KarishmaB · Answer

When a relative clause has a preposition, we often place the preposition before the relative clause to make the sentence more formal.

'She is the friend to whom I gave my ticket' is more formal than 'she is the friend whom I gave my ticket to.'

ExpertsGlobal5 · Answer

Hello  Tanchat ,

We hope this finds you well.

To answer your query, since "which" is a relative pronoun, the phrase "in which" can only modify the noun "cycle", not the verb "has begun"; the sentence formed by Option A is just a slightly less direct way of writing "a cycle, in which personal computer users, especially corporate consumers, are replacing their PC’s with more powerful models, has begun."

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

Tanchat · Answer

In this form : a cycle, in which personal computer users, especially corporate consumers, are replacing their PC’s with more powerful models, has begun. which is literally closed to "a cycle". I'm not sure whether the sentence formed by Option A is acceptable and "clear". I understand that there is no "touch rule" but the sentence formed by A is weird for me.

Tanchat · Answer

So it is acceptable for prep. + which to follow a noun. is it clear?
I usually find : A place, at which Mr.A met Mrs.B, is in France. which is closed to " A Place". I have never found that prep. + Which can follow a verb.

KarishmaB · Answer

Yes, it is a lot more common that the noun is placed right next to "in which" and the "which" modifies the noun but there is no such "rule". Depending on requirement, we decide what works best. Hence, I use the words "usually," "normally" etc a whole lot in grammar discussions. 
Clarity and unambiguous usage are very important.

A cycle has begun in which A is doing B.
- is clear and we know that 'which' is talking about the cycle. 
If we were to place "in which" right next to "cycle," the verb would appear much later and the continuity would be lost. Since the predicate is short (has begun) and does not introduce any ambiguity, we can place the modifier later.

ExpertsGlobal5 · Answer

Hello  Tanchat ,

We hope this finds you well.

To answer your query, as we mentioned, the alternate construction we have provided is more direct, but the sentence formed by Option A is also perfectly valid; since "in which" can only logically act upon "cycle", there is no ambiguity at play here.

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

akt715 · Answer

As per my understanding , in option B pronoun they is clearly referring to personal computer users. But I have seen many posts where people have mentioned , that "they"
does not have clear referent.

Also if there is no pronoun issue why B is a better option than A .

Citing the recent increase in earnings by several computer

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Citing the recent increase in earnings by several computer

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