Painting a picture with a brush is like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times it is your worst enemy.

(A) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times it is your worst enemy

we have a parallel marker "but", here sometimes and at other times is not parallel, (we need sometimes and other times , at is the issue)

(B) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, other times your worst enemy

Not unlike is wordy

(C) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times your worst enemy

Same as B

(D) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times your worst enemy
what follows ,but should be an independent clause , eliminate D

(E) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times it is your worst enemy
Avoids the issues is A and D, hence correct choice

IMO E

Painting a picture with a brush is like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times it is your worst enemy.

(A) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times it is your worst enemy -> "it is" is incorrect to use.

(B) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, other times your worst enemy -> we need "but". Incorrect.

(C) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times your worst enemy -> at other times is not parallel with sometimes. Incorrect.

(D) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times your worst enemy -> There is no such error. Let's keep it.

(E) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times it is your worst enemy -> Same as A. Incorrect.

So, I think D.

Painting a picture with a brush is like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times it is your worst enemy.

This ones a little tricky and not too many definitive errors, let's get down and dirty.

(A) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times it is your worst enemy. The it seems to refer back to implement, although some might say its confusing. More importantly, in the list whether a bat, club, racket, or stick - best practice is to include A before stick to maintain comparison : Whether X or Y.

(B) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, other times your worst enemy. Not unlike is not necessarily long, but seems wordy for no reason. other times your worst enemy seems like an independent clause without a connector preceding it.

(C) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times your worst enemy Same wordiness as B, and additionally the list looks incomplete like A.

(D) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times your worst enemy. This one seems to fix the error with the list and the last part of the sentence, I prefer this one.

(E) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times it is your worst enemy. again the list is not perfect.

By analyzing the stuff in the dash which is in the form of whether X or Y, you would realize X and Y needs to be in parallel. So you can easily eliminate A, C & E. There are missing "a" at various places for these options.

Now if we look at B & D
1. In B two clauses are joined by comma splice which is incorrect. We need and/but/or to join the clauses. This priblem is fixed in D
2. In B, the statement starts with not unlike, which is clearly redundant.

So IMO the answer is D

(A) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times it is your worst enemy

(B) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, other times your worst enemy

(C) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times your worst enemy

(D) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times your worst enemy

(E) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times it is your worst enemy

Painting a picture with a brush is like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times it is your worst enemy.


(A) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times it is your worst enemy : correct imo

(B) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, other times your worst enemy : "not unlike" is a little wordy; "it is" is omitted, making it unclear what "your worst enemy" is, no contrasting word such as "but"; also without "but it becomes a run on sentence: Incorrect

(C) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times your worst enemy : Again "not unlike" is a little wordy; "it is" is omitted, making it unclear what "your worst enemy" is. : Incorrect

(D) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times your worst enemy : "it is" is omitted, making it unclear what "your worst enemy" is. : Incorrect

(E) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times it is your worst enemy : Preposition "at" is missing ; the use of "at" makes the sentence more clear and so A is preferred : Incorrect

Explanation:

Painting a picture with a brush is like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times it is your worst enemy.

Though unusual for using a double negative such as 'not unlike' to denote a positive factor “like”
A, C and D are comparing actions. 'like' is used to compare nouns not used to compare actions.
So, A, C and D options are out.

(A) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times it is your worst enemy Incorrect Explained above.

(B) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, other times your worst enemy Incorrect we have made a comparison, before starting a line we need connection i.e. why 'but' is required as both sentences are interconnected ; also 'a' is not required before club, racket and stick.

(C) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times your worst enemy
Correct

(D) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times your worst enemy Incorrect Explained above.

(E) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times it is your worst enemy Incorrect Explained above.


IMO-C

(A) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times it is your worst enemy --> "whether" is followed by "a", so "or" also should be followed by "a" to maintain parallelism. INCORRECT

(B) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, other times your worst enemy --> Normally, when we see verb + "unlike," there is a comma between the two. Also, "not unlike" is wordier than saying "like". The connector is missing between the 2 clauses: "sometimes..." and "other time...". INCORRECT

(C) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times your worst enemy --> "whether" is followed by "a", so "or" also should be followed by "a" to maintain parallelism. INCORRECT

(D) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times your worst enemy --> crisp and clear and sets the contrast between "sometimes..." and "other time...". CORRECT


(E) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times it is your worst enemy --> "whether" is followed by "a", so "or" also should be followed by "a" to maintain parallelism. INCORRECT

Painting a picture with a brush is like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times it is your worst enemy.


(A) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times it is your worst enemy

(B) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, other times your worst enemy

(C) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times your worst enemy

(D) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times your worst enemy -correct, not double negative and parallel a __, a____, or a ____

(E) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times it is your worst enemy

D

Answer: D

Painting a picture with a brush is like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times it is your worst enemy.

'it is' is redundant and also its not clear what 'it' is referring back to, though should refer to 'implement'
'but other times' is more concise than 'but at other times'

(A) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times it is your worst enemy --> Incorrect. As highlighted above.

(B) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, other times your worst enemy --> Incorrect. 'not unlike' is double negative. 'like' should work fine.

(C) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times your worst enemy --> Incorrect. same error as B

(D) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times your worst enemy --> Correct. Errors highlighted above are rectified. 'a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick' are in parallel.

(E) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times it is your worst enemy --> Incorrect. As highlighted above.

(A) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times it is your worst enemy

Parrallism issue - sometimes the implement vs but AT other times...

(B) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, other times your worst enemy

Improper S/V agreement - "sometimes the implement IS your best friend, other times your worst enemy"

(C) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times your worst enemy

Same issue as with B - lack of S/V agreement.

(D) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times your worst enemy

Same as B and C - no s/V agreement

(E) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times it is your worst enemy

Correct. Correct overall grammar, proper subject / verb agreement, no parellism issues.

Posted from my mobile device

(A) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times it is your worst enemy -- at other times seem incorrect

(B) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, other times your worst enemy -- not unlike is awkward

(C) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times your worst enemy -- not unlike is awkward

(D) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times your worst enemy -- "a" is too much

(E) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times it is your worst enemy -- seem ok to me

Correct Option : D

1. Like usage for comparison of similarly
2. Parallelism
- Painting and Playing
- list of Noun, after whether
3. Usage of "BUT" :- show contrast between two statements


Painting a picture with a brush
is like
Playing a sport with a tool of the trade

— whether
a bat,
a club,
a racket, or
a stick

— sometimes
the implement is your best friend,
but
other times your worst enemy

Posted from my mobile device

Take two examples: “I like pizzas” vs “I don’t dislike pizzas”.
The first states that I actually like pizzas while the second says that I may or may not like pizzas. I simply don’t have any dislike towards the pizzas.

the same is true for “like” and “not unlike”.
The first means similar while the second means that they are not different.
In our case we probably need “like”, because in both painting and sports, the instruments you use have similar traits.
Moreover, there is no correct choice on the GMAT that has a structure “unlike verbing”.

“at other times” vs “other time”.
“at other times” refers to periods of time while “other times” refers to sequence, kind of “first time, I could lift it but other times I was unable”.
In our case we need the former.

“comma + but” can be followed both by a complete sentence or by a fragment parallel to something that preceded “but”
“comma + but” doesn’t always signal an independent clause and there are many such correct choices on the GMAT.
Keeping this in mind, let’s move further.

(A) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times it is your worst enemy

correct because it uses “but at other times”. Additionally, “like” correctly signifies similarity. Morover, “it is your” at the end eliminated a possible ambiguity present in C.

(B) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, other times your worst enemy

Incorrect because illogically uses “other time”. a conjunction “but” is missed, so we have a comma splice. “other times your worst enemy” may mean that “other times your worst enemy is your best friend”. Not the intended meaning.
There is no correct choice on the GMAT that has a structure “unlike verbing”.

(C) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times your worst enemy

There is no correct choice on the GMAT that has a structure “unlike verbing”. “other times your worst enemy” may mean that “other times your worst enemy is your best friend”. Not the intended meaning.
take an easier example: “sometimes joy is your best motivator, but at other times pain”.
Possible interpretations:
1. sometimes joy is your best motivator, but at other times pain is your best motivator.
2. sometimes joy is your best motivator, but at other times joy is your pain.
Ambiguous

(D) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times your worst enemy

Incorrect because illogically used “other time”.
Has similar ambiguity as in C and D.

(E) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times it is your worst enemy

Incorrect because illogically uses “other time”.

So A
_________________

IMO D

(A) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times it is your worst enemy -- Incorrect. "club", "racket", or "stick", each needs an article

(B) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, other times your worst enemy -- Incorrect. Double negatives "not unlikely" is unnecessary

(C) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times your worst enemy -- Incorrect. "club", "racket", or "stick", each needs an article

(D) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times your worst enemy -- Correct

(E) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times it is your worst enemy --Incorrect. "club", "racket", or "stick", each needs an article

(A) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times it is your worst enemy - Sometimes - at other times is the better usage here!

(B) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, other times your worst enemy - not unlike is a double negative!

(C) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times your worst enemy - not unlike is a double negative!

(D) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times your worst enemy - what is your worst enemy at other times?

(E) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times it is your worst enemy - Sometimes - at other times is the better usage here!

IMO, (A)!
_________________

Painting a picture with a brush is like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times it is your worst enemy.

Mainly will use the article and parallelism to eliminate the wrong answer

(A) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times it is your worst enemy
- whether a bat, club, racket, or stick - a tool of the trade
- "a" is missing from club, racket or stick


(B) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, other times your worst enemy
- B and D appears to be same - difference is of "no unlike"
- D is simple and straight forwards

(C) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times your worst enemy
-- whether a bat, club, racket, or stick - a tool of the trade
- "a" is missing from club, racket or stick

(D) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times your worst enemy
- article has been used in front of each of the noun
- CORRECT

(E) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times it is your worst enemy
- whether a bat, club, racket, or stick - a tool of trade
- "a" is missing from club, racket or stick

Understand the sentence and try to identify the errors:
Painting a picture with a brush is like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times it is your worst enemy.
S-V is fine
we can remove —whether a bat, club, racket, or stick— and read the sentence.
but requires ||ism.


(A) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times it is your worst enemy
but requires ||ism.

(B) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, other times your worst enemy
not unlike is unnecessary
(C) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times your worst enemy
not unlike is unnecessary
||ism error.
(D) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times your worst enemy
||ism error after 'but' as It requires a clause
(E) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times it is your worst enemy
better

Answer E

Initial Analysis - 1) We see a 3-2 split at the beginning - 'like playing' vs 'not unlike'.
2) We need ot maintain parallelism in the list of objects
3) some times - needs a complimenting 'but at other times'
'not unlike' emphasis the Comparison by using 2 negatives - so the rhetoric construction is better.


(A) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times it is your worst enemy
REJECTED - the 'like playing' construction is not as great as the 'not unlike' construction.
the 'it is your worst enemy' construction is slightly wordy.

(B) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, other times your worst enemy
REJECTED - the 'like playing' construction is not as great as the 'not unlike' construction.
No contrast for 'Sometimes'.

(C) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times your worst enemy
RIGHT ANSWER - The 'not unlike' emphasises the Comparison by using 2 negatives - so the rhetoric construction is better.
The sometimes ----but at other times - brings out contrasting elements. This is the best choice.

(D) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times your worst enemy
REJECTED - the 'like playing' construction is not as great as the 'not unlike' construction.
'but other times' is not as good as 'but at other times'

(E) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times it is your worst enemy
REJECTED - the 'like playing' construction is not as great as the 'not unlike' construction.
'it is your worst enemy' - slightly wordy.

Painting a picture with a brush is like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times it is your worst enemy.


(A) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times it is your worst enemy

(B) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, other times your worst enemy

(C) not unlike playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but at other times your worst enemy

(D) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, a club, a racket, or a stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times your worst enemy

(E) like playing a sport with a tool of the trade—whether a bat, club, racket, or stick—sometimes the implement is your best friend, but other times it is your worst enemy