Events & Promotions
| Last visit was: 27 Sep 2026, 00:10 |
It is currently 27 Sep 2026, 00:10 |
|
|
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.
Customized
for You
Track
Your Progress
Practice
Pays
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Sep 2701:30 AM EDT
-02:30 AM EDT
At one point, she believed GMAT wasn’t for her. After scoring 595, self-doubt crept in and she questioned her potential. But instead of quitting, she made the right strategic changes. The result? A remarkable comeback to 695. Check out how Saakshi did it.
Sep 2807:00 PM EDT
-10:00 PM EDT
Boost your GMAT score in less than one month in a live online class + 6 months access to TTP OnDemand video courses included! Class starts Mon, Tues, Wed, Thur, Fri Sept. 28, 2026 - Oct. 16, 2027, 7:00pm-10:00pm EST
Sep 2911:00 AM EDT
-01:00 PM EDT
" Description: Top scores are possible when you enroll in a powerful GMAT course, taught live online + 6 months access to TTP OnDemand video courses included! Class starts Tues/Thur Sept. 29, 2026 - Dec. 3, 2026, 11:00am-1:00pm EST
Oct 0102:00 AM EDT
-03:00 AM EDT
Tejas studied hard but kept repeating the same mistakes. After 3 attempts at 645, a focused 4-week strategy helped him identify and fix what was holding him back—leading to a 695 with just 12–15 hours of study per week.
Oct 0107:00 AM BST
-08:00 AM GMT
Welcome to the GMAT Club's Free Interview Prep Event for Top MBA Programs! Buy tickets - Virtual series that’s all set to equip you to -excel in your MBA interviews.
Oct 0301:00 PM EDT
-04:00 PM EDT
Top scores are possible when you enroll in a powerful GMAT course, taught live online + 6 months access to TTP OnDemand video courses included! Class starts Saturdays Oct. 3, 2026 - Dec. 26, 2026, 1:00pm-4:00pm EST
C
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
35%
(medium)
Question Stats:
63% (01:19) correct
37%
(01:24)
wrong
based on 7543
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
Despite recent increases in sales and cash flow that have propelled automobile companies’ common stocks to new highs, several industry analysts expect automakers, in order to conserve cash, to set dividends more conservatively than they were.
(A) to set dividends more conservatively than they were
(B) to set dividends more conservatively than they have been
(C) to be more conservative than they have been in setting dividends
(D) that they will be more conservative than they were in setting dividends
(E) that they will be more conservative than they have been to set dividends
(A) to set dividends more conservatively than they were
(B) to set dividends more conservatively than they have been
(C) to be more conservative than they have been in setting dividends
(D) that they will be more conservative than they were in setting dividends
(E) that they will be more conservative than they have been to set dividends
If this question felt shaky,
try an adaptive mini quiz of similar problems in
GMAT Club Forum Quiz →. Free plan gives 5 questions per day.
13 Aug 2012, 00:43
Kudos
Bookmarks
In this issue, whatever the structure, the pronoun they can refer only to automakers. It is only they who can set dividends for their companies and not the analysts nor any other plural words such as dividends. So we can rest at store all doubts about the pronoun reference.
More importantly the underlying principle here as a previous writer has pointed out, is the rule of ellipsis that disqualifies the choices A and B.
(A) to set dividends more conservatively than they were( in setting dividends )
(B) to set dividends more conservatively than they have been ( in setting dividends)
The phrase in bracket is the elliptical understanding ; an important requirement of such a supposition is that the phrase that is so understood, must be existent somewhere before in the same sentence and the ellipsis is resorted more for brevity than for anything else. One can see that the phrase –in setting dividends – is not available verbatim in the previous part of thefirst two choices. That is the reason, C, which mentions –in setting dividends- explicitly, wins over the other choices.
More importantly the underlying principle here as a previous writer has pointed out, is the rule of ellipsis that disqualifies the choices A and B.
(A) to set dividends more conservatively than they were( in setting dividends )
(B) to set dividends more conservatively than they have been ( in setting dividends)
The phrase in bracket is the elliptical understanding ; an important requirement of such a supposition is that the phrase that is so understood, must be existent somewhere before in the same sentence and the ellipsis is resorted more for brevity than for anything else. One can see that the phrase –in setting dividends – is not available verbatim in the previous part of thefirst two choices. That is the reason, C, which mentions –in setting dividends- explicitly, wins over the other choices.
30 Jan 2009, 19:25
Kudos
Bookmarks
ongste
In D,E
"that" is illogical here.
in A, B.
analyst to set dividends more conservatively than they were/have been
ask question what analysts were? .. no answer... so not correct
were/have been -- illogical here.. you need acton verb.. "did"
analyst to set dividends more conservatively than they "did/have done"--> logical
ask question what analysts did? answer -->they set dividends.
C is the best.
28 Nov 2021, 04:45
Kudos
Bookmarks
Dear Friends,
Here is a detailed explanation to this question-
Meaning is crucial to solving this problem:
Understanding the intended meaning is key to solving this question; the intended meaning of the crucial part of this sentence is that several industry analysts expect automakers to be more conservative than they have been in setting dividends.
Concepts tested here: Meaning + Tenses
• The infinitive verb form ("to + base form of verb" - " to + set" in this sentence) is the preferred construction for referring to the purpose/intent of an action.
• The present perfect continuous tense (marked by "has/have been") is the correct tense to refer to actions that started in past and continue into the present.
• The simple past tense is used to refer to actions that concluded in the past.
• The correct present perfect continuous tense verb construction is ("have + been + present participle - "verb+ing").
A: This answer choice incorrectly uses the simple past tense verb "were" to refer to an action that began in the past and continues into the present; please remember, the present perfect continuous tense (marked by "has/have been") is the correct tense to refer to actions that started in past and continue into the present, and the simple past tense is used to refer to actions that concluded in the past.
B: This answer choice fails to maintain the correct present perfect continuous tense verb construction ("have + been + present participle - "verb+ing"), as it omits the present participle; please remember, the correct present perfect continuous tense verb construction is ("have + been + present participle - "verb+ing").
C: Correct. This answer choice uses the phrases "to be more conservative" and "in setting dividends", conveying the intended meaning - that several industry analysts expect automakers to be more conservative in the act of setting dividends than they have been in the same. Further, Option C correctly uses the present perfect continuous tense verb "have been...setting" to refer to an action that began in the past and continues into the present. Moreover, Option C maintains the correct present perfect tense construction ("have + been + present participle ("verb+ing" - "setting" in this sentence).
D: This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "that they will be more conservative"; the construction of this phrase leads to an incoherent meaning - that intended meaning is that several industry analysts expect automakers to be more conservative than they have been in setting dividends. Further, Option D incorrectly uses the simple past tense verb "were" to refer to an action that began in the past and continues into the present; please remember, the present perfect continuous tense (marked by "has/have been") is the correct tense to refer to actions that started in past and continue into the present, and the simple past tense is used to refer to actions that concluded in the past.
E: This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "that they will be more conservative"; the construction of this phrase leads to an incoherent meaning - that intended meaning is that several industry analysts expect automakers to be more conservative than they have been in setting dividends. Moreover, Option E further alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "to set dividends"; the use of the infinitive verb form ("to + base form of verb" - " to + set" in this sentence) incorrectly implies that automakers will be more conservative than they have been in general for the purpose of setting dividends; the intended meaning is that automakers will be more conservative in the act of setting dividends than they have been in the same; please remember, the infinitive verb form ("to + base form of verb" - " to + set" in this sentence) is the preferred construction for referring to the purpose/intent of an action.
Hence, C is the best answer choice.
To understand the concept of "Perfect Continuous Tenses" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~2 minutes):
To understand the concept of "Simple Tenses" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~1 minute):
All the best!
Experts' Global Team
Here is a detailed explanation to this question-
ongste
Meaning is crucial to solving this problem:
Understanding the intended meaning is key to solving this question; the intended meaning of the crucial part of this sentence is that several industry analysts expect automakers to be more conservative than they have been in setting dividends.
Concepts tested here: Meaning + Tenses
• The infinitive verb form ("to + base form of verb" - " to + set" in this sentence) is the preferred construction for referring to the purpose/intent of an action.
• The present perfect continuous tense (marked by "has/have been") is the correct tense to refer to actions that started in past and continue into the present.
• The simple past tense is used to refer to actions that concluded in the past.
• The correct present perfect continuous tense verb construction is ("have + been + present participle - "verb+ing").
A: This answer choice incorrectly uses the simple past tense verb "were" to refer to an action that began in the past and continues into the present; please remember, the present perfect continuous tense (marked by "has/have been") is the correct tense to refer to actions that started in past and continue into the present, and the simple past tense is used to refer to actions that concluded in the past.
B: This answer choice fails to maintain the correct present perfect continuous tense verb construction ("have + been + present participle - "verb+ing"), as it omits the present participle; please remember, the correct present perfect continuous tense verb construction is ("have + been + present participle - "verb+ing").
C: Correct. This answer choice uses the phrases "to be more conservative" and "in setting dividends", conveying the intended meaning - that several industry analysts expect automakers to be more conservative in the act of setting dividends than they have been in the same. Further, Option C correctly uses the present perfect continuous tense verb "have been...setting" to refer to an action that began in the past and continues into the present. Moreover, Option C maintains the correct present perfect tense construction ("have + been + present participle ("verb+ing" - "setting" in this sentence).
D: This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "that they will be more conservative"; the construction of this phrase leads to an incoherent meaning - that intended meaning is that several industry analysts expect automakers to be more conservative than they have been in setting dividends. Further, Option D incorrectly uses the simple past tense verb "were" to refer to an action that began in the past and continues into the present; please remember, the present perfect continuous tense (marked by "has/have been") is the correct tense to refer to actions that started in past and continue into the present, and the simple past tense is used to refer to actions that concluded in the past.
E: This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "that they will be more conservative"; the construction of this phrase leads to an incoherent meaning - that intended meaning is that several industry analysts expect automakers to be more conservative than they have been in setting dividends. Moreover, Option E further alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "to set dividends"; the use of the infinitive verb form ("to + base form of verb" - " to + set" in this sentence) incorrectly implies that automakers will be more conservative than they have been in general for the purpose of setting dividends; the intended meaning is that automakers will be more conservative in the act of setting dividends than they have been in the same; please remember, the infinitive verb form ("to + base form of verb" - " to + set" in this sentence) is the preferred construction for referring to the purpose/intent of an action.
Hence, C is the best answer choice.
To understand the concept of "Perfect Continuous Tenses" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~2 minutes):
To understand the concept of "Simple Tenses" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~1 minute):
All the best!
Experts' Global Team
