Efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts, a major

Question

Efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts, a major goal of education reformers and many states in the 1970’s,  has not significantly reduced the gaps existing  between the richest and poorest districts.

(A) has not significantly reduced the gaps existing
(B) has not been significant in reducing the gap that exists
(C) has not made a significant reduction in the gap that exists
(D) have not significantly reduced the gap that exists
(E) have not been significant in a reduction of the gaps existing

bmwhype2 · Accepted Answer

I think the difference is in the meanings of the sentences. E implies the efforts have not been significant whereas D implies the reduction has not been significant. We cannot change the meaning of the stem. In sentence correction, passive answers are not always wrong. In addition, concise answers are not always wrong. I think its important to keep in mind that both reasons that vishalsuri said are "secondary" reasons. it is more important to look at the structure of the sentences for blatant grammar mistakes. :read

ExpertsGlobal5 · Answer

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 core meaning is that efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts have not reduced the gap between the richest and poorest districts to a significant degree.

Concepts tested here: Subject-Verb Agreement + Meaning + Verb Forms +Awkwardness/Redundancy

• The simple present tense is used to indicate actions taking place in the current time frame, indicate habitual actions, state universal truths, and convey information that is permanent in nature.

A:  This answer choice incorrectly refers to the plural noun “Efforts" with the singular verb “has…reduced”. Further, Option A incorrectly uses the present participle (“verb+ing” – “existing” in this sentence) to refer to an action that takes place in the current time frame; remember, the simple present tense is used to indicate actions taking place in the current time frame, indicate habitual actions, state universal truths, and convey information that is permanent in nature.

B:  This answer choice incorrectly refers to the plural noun “Efforts” with the singular verb “has…been”. Further, Option B alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase “has not been significant in reducing”; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that the efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts have not   played a significant role   in the reduction of the gap; the intended meaning is that the efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts have not reduced the gap   to a significant degree  .

C:  This answer choice incorrectly refers to the plural noun “Efforts” with the singular verb “has…made”. Further, Option C uses the needlessly wordy phrase “made a significant reduction”, leading to awkwardness and redundancy.

D:   Correct.  This answer choice correctly refers to the plural noun “Efforts” with the plural verb “have…reduced”. Further, Option D uses the phrase “have not significantly reduced”, conveying the intended meaning – that the efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts have not reduced the gap   to a significant degree  . Additionally, Option D correctly uses the simple present tense verb “exists” to refer to an action that takes place in the current time frame. Besides, Option D is free of any awkwardness or redundancy.

E:  This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase “have not been significant in a reduction”; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that the efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts have not   played a significant role   in the reduction of the gap; the intended meaning is that the efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts have not reduced the gap   to a significant degree  . Further, Option E incorrectly uses the present participle (“verb+ing” – “existing” in this sentence) to refer to an action that takes place in the current time frame; remember, the simple present tense is used to indicate actions taking place in the current time frame, indicate habitual actions, state universal truths, and convey information that is permanent in nature. Additionally, Option C uses the needlessly wordy phrase “been significant in a reduction”, leading to awkwardness and redundancy.

Hence, D is the best answer choice.

To understand the concept of "Simple Tenses" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~2 minutes):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATNTtugB9fM

All the best!
Experts' Global Team

GMATT73 · Answer

D for the proper S-V agreement and the active voice.

arsenicdoped · Answer

D is good.
Classical Subject- Verb agreement problem. "Efforts" is plural and hence needs "have".

vc019 · Answer

D it is.

Efforts ... have. Subject-Verb agreement.

gamjatang · Answer

"Efforts" is plural, and so (A), (B), and (C) are out.

(E) distorts the meaning of the original sentence.

(D) is the best answer.

bmwhype2 · Answer

273. Efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts, a major goal of education reformers and many states in the 1970’s, has  not significantly reduced the gaps existing  between the richest and poorest districts.

(D) have not significantly reduced the gap that exists
(E) have not been significant in a reduction of the gaps existing

nevergiveup · Answer

Could you post all the answer choices? Did you narrow down to just D and E? In that case, I think I like D better than E. E is kind of wordy and awkward. What is the OA?

bmwhype2 · Answer

The OA is D. I posted this question because I want to know why E is wrong. Someone advise please!

vishalsuri · Answer

The OA is D. I posted this question because I want to know why E is wrong. Someone advise please![/quote

1. E is wordy whereas D is short and concise and conveys the meaning.
2. E uses passive voice whereas D uses active voice.

vishalsuri · Answer

Thanks for the explanation. I could have never thought of that one.

simonsanchez · Answer

The passive voice in E is what makes it wrong. There may be something else, but the passive is too obvious...and E is just confusing in its agreement and modification of the subject of the sentence.

prasforgmat · Answer

D; Passive vs Active; significantly reduced (Better) vs significant in a reduction

mun23 · Answer

Efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts, a major goal of education reformers and many states in the 1970’s,  has not significantly reduced the gaps existing  between the richest and poorest districts.
(A) has not significantly reduced the gaps existing
(B)has not been significant in reducing the gap that exists
(C)has not made a significant reduction in the gap that exists
(D) have not significantly reduced the gap that exists
(E) have not been significant in a reduction of the gaps existing

Whats the difference between option A`s gaps existing and option D`s that exists?Is both modified gaps correctly?

Vercules · Answer

Hi mun23,

The major difference between  "gaps existing"  and  "gap that exists"  is that (A) says  gaps , which is plural and (D) says  gap , which is singular. Second, the difference between  "that"  and  "existing"  is that one is a relative clause and other is a participle. But, both are modifying the preceding noun, "gaps" in (A) and gap in (D). Both of these modifying structures are conveying the same meaning.

Also note that this question is a good example of a case in which the correct answer changes the meaning slightly, but is still the correct choice because the other answer choices are grammatically incorrect.

Hope this helps,

Vercules

umeshpatil · Answer

1.  the gaps existing between the richest and poorest districts  
2.  the gap that exists between the richest and poorest districts

Both alternatives are grammatically correct. Option A is eliminated only due to usage of  has  .

doe007 · Answer

All duplicate threads on this topic have been merged.

Please check and follow the  Guidelines for Posting in Verbal GMAT forum  before posting anything.

krrish · Answer

s-v agreement, efforts plural so it has to take have

a,b,c are rejected 
d,e are left out of them E changes meaning, 
d is good

so answr: d

abrakadabra21 · Answer

Efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts, a major goal of education reformers and many states in the 1970’s, has not significantly reduced the gaps existing between the richest and poorest districts.

(D) have not significantly reduced the gap that exists
(E) have not been significant in a reduction of the gaps existing

I thought E is wrong for using "gaps" there is only 1 gap we are talking about between the richest and poorest districts.
Also E changes the meaning that efforts have not been significant. Slight change in meaning- efforts have not significantly reduced Y

Efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts, a major

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GMAT Sentence Correction (SC - EA only) Questions

Efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts, a major

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