Even though interest rates rose last year, they were not nearly as hig

Answer should be B (interest rates should be compared to interest rates)

(A) they were not nearly as high as the early 1980s, when ... wrong (compares rates to 1980s)
(B) they were not nearly as high as interest rates in the early 1980s, when .. RIGHT
(C) they were not nearly at the levels they were in the early 1980s, at the time when .. wrong..("at the time" is redundant)
(D) they had not approached the high levels of the early 1980s, during the time in which ... wrong (use 'when' to refer to time)
(E) the high levels of the early 1980s were not being approached, when.. (use of 'being' is redundant)

Even though interest rates rose last year, they were not nearly as high as interest rates in the early 1980s, when the economy tumbled into a recession and markets were depressed.

Answer must be (B) for the highlighted errors in the options...
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Answer should be B.

B correctly compares rates of 1980 to the current rates. Plus When is a better option compared to in Which when referring to time.

Responding to a PM - 1980s here is not a possessive form. It means the the decade: 1980 - 1989.

(A) they were not nearly as high as the early 1980s, when --> wrong comparison: as high as "the early 1980s" (comparison with year)
(B) they were not nearly as high as interest rates in the early 1980s, when --> correct comparison of interest rates
(C) they were not nearly at the levels they were in the early 1980s, at the time when --> "at the time when" repeats the sense of the 1980s
(D) they had not approached the high levels of the early 1980s, during the time in which --> past perfect not required here . (not sure whether "during the time in which" is wrong)
(E) the high levels of the early 1980s were not being approached, when -->wrong usage of "being". Not clear "what" or "who" is not approaching the interest levels of the 1980s

Even though interest rates rose last year, they were not nearly as high as the early 1980s, when the economy tumbled into a recession and markets were depressed.

POINT TO NOTE HERE or BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT : 1980s here is not a possessive form. It means the the decade: 1980 - 1989.

(A) they were not nearly as high as the early 1980s, when
Wrong comparison -- comparison of rates with the early 1980s. INCORRECT.

(B) they were not nearly as high as interest rates in the early 1980s, when
CORRECT

(C) they were not nearly at the levels they were in the early 1980s, at the time when
Multiple errors here,
1. Forms of they (they, them, their) cannot serve to compare TWO DIFFERENT SETS OF X.
Incorrect: This year's cellphones are better than THEY were last year.
Here, the usage of they implies that the SAME set of cellphones is being discussed in each instance.
Not so.
The intention is to compare ONE set of cellphones (this year's cellphones) to ANOTHER set of cellphones (last year's cellphones).
Correct: This year's cellphones are better than last year's.

2. at the time AND when are redundant.

3. Choice is wordier and can be expressed in less words as in option B.

(D) they had not approached the high levels of the early 1980s, during the time in which
high levels of what? "the high levels of the early 1980s" -- does NOT make sense as it is NOT 1980's but it is 1980s.
Also, the usage of Double Past is incorrect here. We are talking about last year and then suddenly we are going back even before the last year itself. Presence of "Last year" is marking the usage of simple past and not double past tense as no verb sequencing is required here.
during the time in which -- Is wordier and can be replaced with "when"

(E) the high levels of the early 1980s were not being approached, when
Again "high levels" of what?
were not being -- correct usage of BEING -- that is past progressive tense usage AND its in passive voice.

Hey e-gmat team
Can you please help

Even though interest rates rose last year, they were not nearly as high as the early 1980s, when the economy tumbled into a recession and markets were depressed.

(A) they were not nearly as high as the early 1980s, when
Could we consider interest rates as ellipsed in this sentence because logically interest rates can not be compared to 1980s..
Only logical comparison is between 2 interest rates?

Hi
Ellipse can take place with verbs and preposition
You can't take the subject for an ellipse. When the subject consist of parts also don't assume that in comparison it will be ellipse.Dont touch subject of comparison as ellipse. Alwyz Make sure the subject or its reference is clearly and explicitly mentioned.

they were not nearly as high as the early 1980s, when
In this sentence they or something presenting the interest rates need to be present in the part after ASA high as .....it could be there were /interest rates

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The Subject ( interest rates) has not been elided in A. It is represented by the pronoun 'they'. The problem is in saying ' as the 1980s". We must say ' in the 1980s." as in B.
That is the only difference between A and B.
If we are not focussed in SC, things may go astray, drifting into 'out of scope' territories.
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Thanks for responding.

SO if i say "they were not nearly as high as in the early 1980s, when "
Will the sentence be correct? That means we wont need to repeat 'interest rates' like Option B then?

Thanks!

Comparison issue.

They(interest rates) to be compared with "interest rates".

Even though interest rates rose last year, they were not nearly as high as the early 1980s, when the economy tumbled into a recession and markets were depressed.

(A) they were not nearly as high as the early 1980s, when
(B) they were not nearly as high as interest rates in the early 1980s, when
(C) they were not nearly at the levels they were in the early 1980s, at the time when
(D) they had not approached the high levels of the early 1980s, during the time in which
(E) the high levels of the early 1980s were not being approached, when

IMO B

Even though interest rates rose last year, they were not nearly as high as the early 1980s, when the economy tumbled into a recession and markets were depressed.

(A) they were not nearly as high as the early 1980s, when - here, interest rates are being compared to a time period (the 1980's).
(B) they were not nearly as high as interest rates in the early 1980s, when -has no error. Hence, (B) is the right answer choice.
(C) they were not nearly at the levels they were in the early 1980s, at the time when - the clause that succeeds the underlined portion is a modifier clause that modifies the underlined portion; the subject of this modifier clause in (C) is the time period ''1980's''. since the subject is considered as a noun, it would have been correct if the modifier clause started with the indefinite article 'a'.

that is: ..........they are in the early 1980's, a time when.... -

(D) they had not approached the high levels of the early 1980s, during the time in which - what phenomenon is being described as 'high levels' of the 1980's? this is not clear in (D). (D) has an ambiguity error.
(E) the high levels of the early 1980s were not being approached, when - the event being described in the sentence is in the past tense, whereas the action of the clause (also a past event) is being described used the present tense verb form (...were not being approached...). in (E), the verb tenses do not match

Even though interest rates rose last year, they were not nearly as high as the early 1980s, when the economy tumbled into a recession and markets were depressed.

(A) they were not nearly as high as the early 1980s, when
Comparison is wrong . Interest rates rose ....as the early 1980s . Eliminate A

(B) they were not nearly as high as interest rates in the early 1980s, when
Looks good.When - relative clause modifies early 1980s (time period).

(C) they were not nearly at the levels they were in the early 1980s, at the time when
Long. at the time - not required. high or low (ambiguity there). C is out

(D) they had not approached the high levels of the early 1980s, during the time in which
had - no reason to use had. which - referring to time is wrong

(E) the high levels of the early 1980s were not being approached, when
when - refers back to approached . Logically wrong.

B is our winner

How is this question different from the one below that uses "as" + time correctly?

Many airline carriers are attempting to increase profitability while keeping overhead low by offering, in terms of flights, "the same number as last year but" using larger planes that fly more efficiently.

https://gmatclub.com/forum/many-airline ... 62593.html

Hello, gmatimothy. One thing you should not look to do is create a rule on the basis of a single question, unless you are quite comfortable revising any rule you might develop through such a method. Rather, you want to examine the heart of the comparison carefully on a case-by-case basis. In this question, you have they were not nearly as high as _____. Since they refers to interest rates last year, the entire noun phrase, we want to see a rate + year-to-rate + year comparison, rather than a rate-to-time comparison. Consider the options just through the lens of the comparison:

(A) [interest rates last year] were not nearly as high as the early 1980s
(B) [interest rates last year] were not nearly as high as interest rates in the early 1980s
(C) [interest rates last year] were not nearly at the levels [interest rates last year] were in the early 1980s
(D) [interest rates last year] had not approached the high levels of the early 1980s
(E) the high levels of the early 1980s were not being approached

Although a rate-to-levels comparison is tenuous at best, if you wanted to be conservative, you could. There are other, non-comparative issues in (D) and (E), though, which I will refrain from discussing.

In the other question, there is a flights-to-flights comparison, not a flights-to-time comparison, although the second flights is omitted as an understood element. The placement of the phrase in terms of flights establishes what is being compared.


Once again, we can examine the comparative elements one by one.

(A) [offering] an equal amount [of flights] as last year
(B) [offering] the same number [of flights] offered last year
(C) [offering] an equal amount [of flights] offered last year
(D) the same number [of flights] as last year
(E) an equal number [of flights] as were offered last year

On the basis of the comparison alone, we need number, since we can count how many flights are offered in a given year. (How much would pair with amount.) There are other issues to discuss in answer choices (B) and (E), but the comparison in flights offered is at least appropriate.

Comparisons can be tricky, and they give many people headaches. I would recommend checking out GMAT Ninja's Sentence Correction Resource Collection, section 8 in particular, for more information on how to handle comparisons.

Good luck with your studies.

- Andrew
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Thanks. Using the explanation to the first problem, shouldn't it be "the same number [of flights] as [number of flights] last year?

The full comparison is between offerings: offerings of flights this year versus those of last year. Answer choice (D) uses ellipsis in a logically sound manner to convey what answer choice (E) spells out: [the same] number of flights as were offered last year. If you have trouble wrapping your head around the dropped words, consider a simple parallel sentence about someone on a salary:

He is earning as much this year as last year.

We do not need the extra words to understand the comparison, as in,

He is earning as much money this year as he earned (or did) last year.

You cannot say that ellipsis will always be used in comparisons when it could be, but you also have to ask yourself if the comparison makes sense without being explicit (and spelling everything out). As always, you have to make an informed decision based on the five answer choices that are on the screen for that particular question, not on what could be there.

Thank you for following up.

- Andrew
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Perfect, thank you.