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505-555 (Easy)|   Modifiers|   Parallelism|                     
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Despite its covering the entire planet, Earth has a crust that is not 13 Sep 2013, 22:08
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Hi e-gmat,

Sunspots, vortices of gas associated with strong
electromagnetic activity, are visible as dark spots on
the surface of the Sun but,have never been sighted on
the Sun's poles or equator.
(A) are visible as dark spots on the surface of the
Sun but have never been sighted on
(B) are visible as dark spots that never have been
sighted on the surface of the Sun
(C) appear on the surface of the Sun as dark spots
although never sighted at
(D) appear as dark spots on the surface of the Sun,
although never having been sighted at
(E) appear as dark spots on the Sun's surface,
which have never been sighted on

OG13 in rejecting (C) gives below reasoning:

Although typically introduces a subordinate
clause, which has a subject and a verb,but
here there is no subject and sighted'is not a
complete verb.
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Despite its covering the entire planet, Earth has a crust that is not 08 May 2017, 00:47
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Hi,I have a doubt in Choice D as comma +FANBOYS("BUT" in this case ) is used when you connect two ICs.But in choice D after "comma+ But" we have a Dependent clause. ?

Please clarify..
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Despite its covering the entire planet, Earth has a crust that is not 08 May 2017, 06:15
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Hi,I have a doubt in Choice D as comma +FANBOYS("BUT" in this case ) is used when you connect two ICs.But in choice D after "comma+ But" we have a Dependent clause. ?

Please clarify..
Show more

Consider the idiom "NOT X, BUT Y". The comma before "BUT" is required for this idiom. The sentence in the subject question has the same structure as this idiom: only instead of "NOT", "NEITHER....NOR..." is used. So here the modified idiom is:

"NEITHER A NOR B, BUT Y".
Thus the comma before "BUT" is required.
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Despite its covering the entire planet, Earth has a crust that is not 10 Jul 2017, 23:40
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hello, I want to ask about the idiom despite.
How can I know which idiom of despite is used properly in gmat?
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Despite its covering the entire planet, Earth has a crust that is not 18 Jul 2017, 06:24
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chesstitans
hello, I want to ask about the idiom despite.
How can I know which idiom of despite is used properly in gmat?
Show more

"Despite" can be used with a concrete noun or a present participle. A gerund is not a good fit for "despite".

"Despite covering the entire planet"... correct ( present participle).
"Despite ist covering the entire planet".. wrong ( gerund)

You will find standard usages of "despite" (and "in spite of") here:
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar ... nd-despite
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Despite its covering the entire planet, Earth has a crust that is not 02 Sep 2017, 09:44
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chesstitans
hello, I want to ask about the idiom despite.
How can I know which idiom of despite is used properly in gmat?

"Despite" can be used with a concrete noun or a present participle. A gerund is not a good fit for "despite".

"Despite covering the entire planet"... correct ( present participle).
"Despite ist covering the entire planet".. wrong ( gerund)

You will find standard usages of "despite" (and "in spite of") here:
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar ... nd-despite
Show more


Is usage of "but rather" not redundant?
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Despite its covering the entire planet, Earth has a crust that is not 05 Sep 2017, 14:51
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goalMBA1990


Is usage of "but rather" not redundant?
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Hello goalMBA1990,


I will be glad to help you out with this one. :-)

Redundancy error occurs when two words having the same meaning is used in a sentence to express the same idea. For example:

1. Every year, she donates a good proportion of salary annually to various charities.

2. Although he was sick, but he attended the meeting.

As you can see, in sentence 1, use of every year and annually together leads to redundancy error because both the words convey the same meaning.

Similarly, in sentence 2, use of although and but together leads to redundancy error because both the words suggest contrast.

However, the expression but rather does not lead to redundancy because but presents contrast and rather presents preference.

The expression but rather is correct and idiomatic on GMAT SC.


Hope this helps. :-)
Thanks.
Shraddha
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Despite its covering the entire planet, Earth has a crust that is not 28 Nov 2018, 15:12
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Hi, the first "it" does not have a clearly mentioned precedent, is the option still considered correct?

Although [u]it[/u] covers the entire planet, Earth's crust is neither seamless nor stationary, but rather
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Despite its covering the entire planet, Earth has a crust that is not 21 May 2019, 07:35
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Aastha2807
Hi, the first "it" does not have a clearly mentioned precedent, is the option still considered correct?

Although [u]it[/u] covers the entire planet, Earth's crust is neither seamless nor stationary, but rather
Show more
Hi Aastha, this is one of those cases where the pronoun is used before the antecedent.

When a pronoun is used as part of introductory modifier (in this case Although it covers the entire planet), the pronoun (it in this case) refers to the noun immediately after the introductory modifier, in this case Earth's crust.

For example:

Although she knows most of the concepts, Aastha was not aware of this specific pronoun rule. :)

Here, she is unambiguously referring to Aastha.

p.s. Our book EducationAisle Sentence Correction Nirvana discusses such cases (where Pronoun is used before the antecedent), its application and examples in significant detail. If you or someone is interested, PM me your email-id; I can mail the corresponding section.
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Despite its covering the entire planet, Earth has a crust that is not 10 Mar 2021, 05:36
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Hi AjiteshArun AndrewN EducationAisle EMPOWERgmatVerbal



While solving this question, I had question in mind :
I would like to enquire :
1.) which conjunctions need clause - although? ( Although it is cold outside, I feel warm)
Other examples: even though, though, because, therefore, until, whether, thereby?
2.) which conjunctions need only words or phrases or clause- but? ( It is cold outside but not snowing.
Other examples: Until , because ,etc?
I think replacing 'but' with 'although' will not work.

Question1: How can I know that such constructions would be wrong .
Question2:What are other conjunctions? - Where can I learn such a list?
Question3: Despite, In spite of - are these prepositions ? But In a sentence there placement is similar as conjunctions? How can differentiating Propositions with conjunctions can make difference? Do you have some examples?
E.g. Although it is cold outside, I feel warm
E.g.: In spite of cold outside, I feel warm
(IN other words, do you have some scenarios in which such knowledge made the difference when I need to choose between conjunction or propositions due to some rule)
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Despite its covering the entire planet, Earth has a crust that is not 10 Mar 2021, 07:34
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mSKR
Hi AjiteshArun AndrewN EducationAisle EMPOWERgmatVerbal



While solving this question, I had question in mind :
I would like to enquire :
1.) which conjunctions need clause - although? ( Although it is cold outside, I feel warm)
Other examples: even though, though, because, therefore, until, whether, thereby?
2.) which conjunctions need only words or phrases or clause- but? ( It is cold outside but not snowing.
Other examples: Until , because ,etc?
I think replacing 'but' with 'although' will not work.

Question1: How can I know that such constructions would be wrong .
Question2:What are other conjunctions? - Where can I learn such a list?
Question3: Despite, In spite of - are these prepositions ? But In a sentence there placement is similar as conjunctions? How can differentiating Propositions with conjunctions can make difference? Do you have some examples?
E.g. Although it is cold outside, I feel warm
E.g.: In spite of cold outside, I feel warm
(IN other words, do you have some scenarios in which such knowledge made the difference when I need to choose between conjunction or propositions due to some rule)
Show more
I know it can be tempting, mSKR, but I would advise you to stop looking to create absolute rules with grammar. You might take note of general tendencies, but that is all that I think is of use for GMAT™ purposes. If you are interested in conjunctions, learn the FANBOYS acronym (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so). If one of those conjunctions works to join two independent clauses in a sentence, then use it. Understand what each one means. Otherwise, you can use a transition word such as although. (By the way, this word does not always require an explicit clause—e.g., Although cold outside, she felt warm and comfortable in her coat.)

Do you have a query about this SC question or its answer choices in particular? If you are just looking for grammar rules, then I would suggest purchasing a guide, such as the one by Manhattan Prep. (I dislike dealing in grammatical certainties.)

- Andrew
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Despite its covering the entire planet, Earth has a crust that is not 10 Mar 2021, 08:07
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mSKR
Hi AjiteshArun AndrewN EducationAisle EMPOWERgmatVerbal



While solving this question, I had question in mind :
I would like to enquire :
1.) which conjunctions need clause - although? ( Although it is cold outside, I feel warm)
Other examples: even though, though, because, therefore, until, whether, thereby?
2.) which conjunctions need only words or phrases or clause- but? ( It is cold outside but not snowing.
Other examples: Until , because ,etc?
I think replacing 'but' with 'although' will not work.

Question1: How can I know that such constructions would be wrong .
Question2:What are other conjunctions? - Where can I learn such a list?
Question3: Despite, In spite of - are these prepositions ? But In a sentence there placement is similar as conjunctions? How can differentiating Propositions with conjunctions can make difference? Do you have some examples?
E.g. Although it is cold outside, I feel warm
E.g.: In spite of cold outside, I feel warm
(IN other words, do you have some scenarios in which such knowledge made the difference when I need to choose between conjunction or propositions due to some rule)
Show more
Hi mSKR, your question touches upon a wide variety of topics in grammar (clauses/phrases/coordinating conjunctions/subordinating conjunctions etc.).

The entire Grammar section of our book Sentence Correction Nirvana is also available for free preview at pothi, and would provide answers to all/most of the very pertinent questions that you ask.
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Despite its covering the entire planet, Earth has a crust that is not 16 Jun 2021, 02:36
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Option D has "it" in it. Isn't it describing "Earth's" which is an adjective making it wrong? Pronouns should always describe a noun and not an adjective.

Please correct me if I am wrong.
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Despite its covering the entire planet, Earth has a crust that is not 16 Jun 2021, 02:45
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Rasalghul853
Option D has "it" in it. Isn't it describing "Earth's" which is an adjective making it wrong? Pronouns should always describe a noun and not an adjective.

Please correct me if I am wrong.
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"it" is not referring to "Earth's", but to "Earth's crust". Basically "it" is referring to the "phrase" "Earth's crust".

A simpler example:

Although he works hard, the diligent boy is not consistent.

Again, he does not refer to the diligent, but to the entire noun phrase the diligent boy.
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Despite its covering the entire planet, Earth has a crust that is not 18 Jun 2021, 21:48
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egmat

Hi TGC,

Let me try to answer your questions.

(1) “Despite” can be followed by a noun or verb-ing modifier. Take the following examples:
a. Despite bad weather. Jane came over for dinner.
b. Despite being the youngest in the group, Bob gave the best answers.

(2) It is NOT ALWAYS necessary for “Although” to be preceded by a clause in order to denote a contrast. For example:

a. Although simple, the outfit stands out in the crowd.

As we can see, “although” here is not followed by a clause. It is just followed by a word – small (an adjective = noun modifier). Now this noun modifier correctly modifies the Subject of the following main clause and hence, presents logical and unambiguous comparison.

So it is not necessary for “Although” to be always followed by a clause.

Now let’s come back to the official sentence and study the correct answer Choice D:

Although it covers the entire planet, Earth's crust is neither seamless nor stationary, but rather fragmented into mobile semirigid plates.

When it comes to parallelism, we must be very careful in identifying the correct parallel list. We first need to identify the correct entities here.

This sentence is presenting a few characteristics of Earth’s crust. It:
a. is neither seamless nor stationary
b. but rather (is) fragmented into mobile semigrid plates.

In this answer choice all these entities are grammatically as well as logically parallel. The choice employs appropriate idioms to use these adjectives correctly to denote the correct comparison.

Note that “is” is not only applicable to “neither seamless not stationary” but also to “rather fragmented”. Here two verb phrases are parallel to each other.

Hope this helps. :-)
Thanks.
Shraddha
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Well pls see the link and pls clarify if although and though or any subordinate markers can be followed by a noun? This link explicitly states that it has rto be followed by a clause. https://www.englishgrammar.org/spite-or ... epositions.
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Despite its covering the entire planet, Earth has a crust that is not 20 Jun 2021, 05:15
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ag153
Well pls see the link and pls clarify if although and though or any subordinate markers can be followed by a noun? This link explicitly states that it has rto be followed by a clause. https://www.englishgrammar.org/spite-or ... epositions.
Show more
Hi ag153, I think you mean to ask:

can any subordinate markers be followed by an Adjective

The answer is yes. This is (what's called as) verb-less clause. For example, following is correct:

Although intelligent, Peter gets nervous in the exam.

Notice that "subordinating conjunction" although is followed by the "adjective" intelligent. The above can be interpreted as:

Although (he is) intelligent, Peter gets nervous in the exam.

Notice that he is intelligent is a clause.
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Despite its covering the entire planet, Earth has a crust that is not 05 Jul 2021, 06:42
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Although it covers the entire planet, Earth's crust is neither seamless nor stationary, but rather IS fragmented into mobile semirigid plates.

The verb after the but is missing in the option D. How is the part after but rather a clause? SHouldnt it be a clause?
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Despite its covering the entire planet, Earth has a crust that is not 26 Jul 2022, 09:29
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Hey,

But and rather together in a sentence is redundent.
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Despite its covering the entire planet, Earth has a crust that is not 26 Jul 2022, 10:36
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randarth
Although it covers the entire planet, Earth's crust is neither seamless nor stationary, but rather IS fragmented into mobile semirigid plates.

The verb after the but is missing in the option D. How is the part after but rather a clause? SHouldnt it be a clause?
Show more
The structure is:

Earth's crust is -

i) neither seamless nor stationary

but rather

ii) fragmented into mobile semirigid plates

seamless/stationary/fragmented are all adjectives and hence, D presents a parallel structure.
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Despite its covering the entire planet, Earth has a crust that is not 30 Nov 2022, 11:16
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Hello experts!

Is Despite and Although interchangeable? Is this a case of a split that should not be looked at all?

There is clear issues with all choices but D but would like to know for future questions.

Thanks
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