Hello Everyone!
Let's take a closer look at this question to figure out how to get to the correct answer quickly! First, here is the original question with any major differences between each option highlighted in
orange:
Especially in the early years, new entrepreneurs may need to find resourceful ways, like renting temporary office space or using answering services,
that make their company seem large and more firmly established than they may actually be.
(A)
that make their
company seem
large(B)
to make their
companies seem
larger(C)
thus making their
companies seem
larger(D)
so that the
companies seem
larger(E)
of making their
company seem
largeAfter a quick glance over each option, a few major differences jump out:
1. How they begin: that / to / thus / so that / of
2. company vs. companies
3. large vs. largerThe best way to tackle a GMAT question is to pick out the issues that could potentially eliminate the most answers. For this question, #2 and #3 on our list will knock out 2-3 options easily, so let's start there.
If we start with #3 on our list (large vs. larger), we will eliminate 2-3 answers right away.After reading through the entire sentence, it's clear that the advice given is meant to make a company seem
both larger than it truly is and
more firmly established than it truly is. When using the comparative for one item (
more firmly established), we must use it for both items! It doesn't make sense to say the advice makes your company
large than it truly is and more firmly established than it truly is, does it? So, let's see how our options stack up:
(A) that make their company seem
large(B) to make their companies seem
larger(C) thus making their companies seem
larger(D) so that the companies seem
larger(E) of making their company seem
largeWe can eliminate options A and E right away because they don't use the correct comparative term "larger" to show how the company looks to how it really is.
If we look at #2 on our list, we would also eliminate options A and E. Since we're talking about the plural "entrepreneurs," we're also talking about their plural "companies" they're starting. It wouldn't make sense to say all entrepreneurs are involved in starting the same company, right?
Now we're left with #1 on our list: how to begin the phrase (to / thus / so that). If we look closely at the original sentence, there are some non-essential phrases that we can cross out to better help us figure out which option is best:
Especially in the early years, new entrepreneurs may need to find resourceful ways, like renting temporary office space or using answering services,that make their company seem large and more firmly established than they may actually be.
Whichever option we choose MUST make sense
with and without these non-essential phrases added in! I've added in the rest of the sentence for each one, so we can see which option works the best:
(B) new entrepreneurs may need to find resourceful ways to make their companies seem larger
This option is
CORRECT because the word "to" is used correctly here to directly show purpose. It's clear that the entrepreneurs' actions are done
with the purpose of making their companies look good.
(C) new entrepreneurs may need to find resourceful ways, thus making their companies seem larger
This option is
INCORRECT because it changes the logical meaning of the sentence. "Thus" is meant to show
the results of an action, not
the purpose of an action. We don't know for sure if these resourceful ways will actually work or not. However, we know that entrepreneurs should do these things
with the purpose of trying to make their companies look better, so using "to" is much clearer.
(D) new entrepreneurs may need to find resourceful ways so that the companies seem larger
This option is also
INCORRECT because the phrase "so that" doesn't work here. "So that" is meant to show that one person does an action so that
another person can do/no do something as a result. Since a company is not a person, it doesn't make sense to use it here. Saying "to" is much clearer and shows a direct purpose.
There you have it - option B is the correct one! It uses the correct comparative "larger," agrees in number (entrepreneurs/they/companies), and uses the best conjunction to show purpose (to).
Don't study for the GMAT. Train for it.