GMAT Club World Cup 2022 (DAY 10): If the year-end net profit had been : Sentence Correction (EA only)

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Re: GMAT Club World Cup 2022 (DAY 10): If the year-end net profit had been [#permalink]

22 Jul 2022, 08:50

Bunuel wrote:

If the year-end net profit had been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments must be kept on hold.

A. had been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments must

B. was below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments should

C. was below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments

D. were below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments

E. would have been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments would

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A. had been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments must: had been suggests it is already completed in past. Reject

B. was below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments should: was below suggests it's a past. Reject

C. was below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments: was below suggests it's a past. Reject

D. were below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments: Were is plural, which is error of tense. Reject

E. would have been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments would: Correct.

Option E is the right answer

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Re: GMAT Club World Cup 2022 (DAY 10): If the year-end net profit had been [#permalink]

22 Jul 2022, 08:59

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Answer is D
A. had been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments must
had been is wrong
B. was below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments should
was is wrong should be were
C. was below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments
should be were
D. were below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments
correct
E. would have been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments would
awkward...

D

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Re: GMAT Club World Cup 2022 (DAY 10): If the year-end net profit had been [#permalink]

22 Jul 2022, 09:10

If the year-end net profit had been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments must be kept on hold.

A. had been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments must been. Correct

B. was below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments should. Incorrect

C. was below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments. Incorrect

D. were below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments..Incorrect

E. would have been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments would.. Incorrect
Answer A

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Re: GMAT Club World Cup 2022 (DAY 10): If the year-end net profit had been [#permalink]

22 Jul 2022, 09:16

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Bunuel wrote:

If the year-end net profit had been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments must be kept on hold.

A. had been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments must

B. was below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments should

C. was below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments

D. were below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments

E. would have been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments would

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ANSWER D

This is a subjective mood question.

.....recommended that investments be kept on hold is the correct form. A, B and E are out.

Between C and D : option C is incorrect because it uses "was" instead of "were". We want to use "were" because it's wishful thinking

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Re: GMAT Club World Cup 2022 (DAY 10): If the year-end net profit had been [#permalink]

22 Jul 2022, 09:22

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its an hypothetical if condition
also subjunctive so should usage is wrong option B can be eliminated

A. had been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments must wrong

C. was below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments was usage is incorrect

D. were below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments correct ; hypothetical 'were' is correct also recommend that ... is correct

E. would have been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments would

OPTION D is correct

Bunuel wrote:

If the year-end net profit had been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments must be kept on hold.

A. had been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments must

B. was below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments should

C. was below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments

D. were below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments

E. would have been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments would

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Re: GMAT Club World Cup 2022 (DAY 10): If the year-end net profit had been [#permalink]

22 Jul 2022, 09:27

Bunuel wrote:

If the year-end net profit had been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments must be kept on hold.

A. had been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments must

B. was below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments should

C. was below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments

D. were below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments

E. would have been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments would

We will solve the problem by POE by eliminating 4 Incorrect Answer Choices, going forward the followig is submitted:

1. Firstly Had & Have is incorrect and singular noun so the verb will be singular hence were is also incorrect, was is correct (Eliminate A, D, & E)

2. Secondly in Option B & C, there is subjunctive verb and using should with Subjunctive Verb is incorrect, Hence Eliminate B

3. Lastly Was is correctly worded, Would is correctly placed as it is Hypothesis, Subjunctive Verb along with Be is rightly placed, hence Option C is the correct Answer

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Re: GMAT Club World Cup 2022 (DAY 10): If the year-end net profit had been [#permalink]

22 Jul 2022, 10:08

OA:C
Recommend is a part of grammar that mandatorily takes a subjunctive verb.
Errors:
A) use of must is incorrect as subjunctive verb consists of the form: recommended that + subject + plural verb(he verb is always plural irrespective of whether the subject is singular or plural) which is broken by must
B) Use of should like must in A makes it incorrect
C) No errors
D) Singular subject profit doesn't agree with plural verb were so incorrect
E) Use of would like must in A makes it incorrect

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Re: GMAT Club World Cup 2022 (DAY 10): If the year-end net profit had been [#permalink]

22 Jul 2022, 11:02

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Quote:

If the year-end net profit had been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments must be kept on hold.

A. had been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments must

B. was below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments should

C. was below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments

D. were below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments

E. would have been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments would

A classic example of the subjunctive mood and If-Then usage.

As we are aware, if the "if" clause uses past tense, the "then" clause should use past tense or 'would'.
and if the "if" clause uses past perfect, the "then" clause should use "would have".

For subjunctive, if a hypothetical is referred, such as the stated case, the verb will be plural.
Similarly, if a "command verb + that" is given, the verb will be plural or in the base form.

With that in mind, let's analyse the options:

Quote:

A. had been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments must

The usage of 'must' violates the rules of the subjunctive mood. Incorrect.

Quote:

B. was below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments should

If 'was', then 'would have' = Incorrect.

Quote:

C. was below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments

The verb 'was' should be 'were' as per subjunctive mood. Incorrect.

Quote:

D. were below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments

This option fixes the error in option C. Let's hold on to this.

Quote:

E. would have been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments would

This option has all the errors that we talked about. Incorrect.

The answer is option D.

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Re: GMAT Club World Cup 2022 (DAY 10): If the year-end net profit had been [#permalink]

22 Jul 2022, 14:20

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Answer D for me.

A. had been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments must
INCORRECT recommend + must is not okay. Furthermore, the use of past perfect is not justified here.

B. was below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments should
INCORRECT recommend + should is not okay.
Furthermore with the speculative nature of the sentence with If at the beginning we should have were rather than was.

C. was below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments
INCORRECT the speculative nature of the sentence with If at the beginning we should have were rather than was.

D. were below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments
CORRECT structure, perfect tenses, we are good here.

E. would have been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments would
INCORRECT recommend + would is not okay.
Furthermore If + would have been is very weird.

Posted from my mobile device

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Re: GMAT Club World Cup 2022 (DAY 10): If the year-end net profit had been [#permalink]

22 Jul 2022, 16:00

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Bunuel wrote:

If the year-end net profit had been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments must be kept on hold.

A. had been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments must

B. was below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments should

C. was below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments

D. were below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments

E. would have been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments would

This question was provided by GMAT Club
for the GMAT Club World Cup Competition

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Thank you sayantanc2k for the question!!!

A. had been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments must
INCORRECT. The context of the sentence requires a conditional mood. So 'were' or 'had' is needed. Also the subjunctive construction "..recommended that all further investments .." must be followed directly by 'be'

B. was below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments should
INCORRECT. The context of the sentence requires a conditional mood. So 'were' or 'had' is needed. Also the subjunctive construction "..recommended that all further investments .." must be followed directly by 'be'

C. was below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments
INCORRECT. The context of the sentence requires a conditional mood. So 'were' or 'had' is needed. Also the subjunctive construction "..recommended that all further investments .." must be followed directly by 'be'

D. were below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments
CORRECT. Correct verb tense in conditional mood. Correct subjunctive use.

E. would have been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments would
INCORRECT. The context of the sentence requires a conditional mood. So 'were' or 'had' is needed. Also the subjunctive construction "..recommended that all further investments .." must be followed directly by 'be'

D

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Re: GMAT Club World Cup 2022 (DAY 10): If the year-end net profit had been [#permalink]

22 Jul 2022, 17:26

Option A sounds better to my hearing.

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Re: GMAT Club World Cup 2022 (DAY 10): If the year-end net profit had been [#permalink]

22 Jul 2022, 17:29

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[quote="Bunuel"]If the year-end net profit had been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments must be kept on hold.

A. had been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments must
-This is incorrect. use of had been and would have for condition clause is incorrect .The verb should be used in subjunctive form
B. was below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments should
-This is incorrect. use of was and would have for condition clause is incorrect .The verb should be used in subjunctive form
C. was below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments
This is incorrect. Though the use of would recommend for the second part of the clause is correct but the use of was for conditional clause in subjunctive form is incorrect
D. were below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments
This is correct. In case of conditional statement and past subjunctive form were should be used instead of was
E. would have been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments would
-This is incorrect. use of would have been and would have recommended for condition clause is incorrect .The verb should be used in subjunctive form

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Re: GMAT Club World Cup 2022 (DAY 10): If the year-end net profit had been [#permalink]

22 Jul 2022, 21:29

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IMO D

A. had been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments must - we don't need a past perfect to show sequncing.

B. was below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments should - its a subjunctive so should cannot be used

C. was below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments - its hypothetical so if clause should have 'were'

D. were below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments - correct if has 'were' then clause has 'would'

E. would have been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments would - would have been is wrong in If clause.

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Re: GMAT Club World Cup 2022 (DAY 10): If the year-end net profit had been [#permalink]

22 Jul 2022, 22:40

Is the answer B?

A: Had been can not be used here. There is no other past event which happened after the results. This is a sentence with If-Then clause.

B: Looks like a correct use of tenses

C: If + Past Tense, then + Would have + Participle is the correct structure - Incorrect

D: Same as C. Although I was confused about were here. Usually plural form is used for a hypothetical scenarios, but here it is a more definite scenario. If the result was less, then there will be a consequence.

E: If would have is an incorrect form

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Re: GMAT Club World Cup 2022 (DAY 10): If the year-end net profit had been [#permalink]

22 Jul 2022, 23:10

Bunuel wrote:

If the year-end net profit had been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments must be kept on hold.

A. had been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments must - CORRECT

B. was below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments should - INCORRECT
-'Should' is not allowed with subjunctive verb {source: @eGMAT}
- If...then clause: "would have" comes in the 'then' clause only if the 'if' clause is in past perfect tense

C. was below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments - Tense change causing meaning change- INCORRECT

D. were below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments - Tense change causing meaning change - INCORRECT

E. would have been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments would - Wrong If..then condition - INCORRECT

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Re: GMAT Club World Cup 2022 (DAY 10): If the year-end net profit had been [#permalink]

22 Jul 2022, 23:43

If the year-end net profit had been below 5%,
the board of directors would have recommended
that all further investments must be kept on hold.

Quote:

A. had been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments must

The sentence is concise and correct and conveyes the meaning pefectly.

Quote:

B. was below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments should

Use of simple past was is incorrect
Incorrect

Quote:

C. was below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments

Use of simple past was is incorrect
Use of would recommend is also incorrect
Incorrect

Quote:

D. were below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments

[/quote]
Use of simple past were is incorrect
Use of would recommend is also incorrect
Incorrect

Quote:

E. would have been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments would

Use of would is incorrect. Must was used to convey the original meaning.
Option A is more concise and correct and conveys the original meaning.
Incorrect

IMO A

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Re: GMAT Club World Cup 2022 (DAY 10): If the year-end net profit had been [#permalink]

23 Jul 2022, 00:19

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Imo D

A. had been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments must
Recommend introduces subjunctive mood so eliminate all the options having must, should, and would in the end.
B. was below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments should
Recommend introduces subjunctive mood so eliminate all the options having must, should, and would in the end.
C. was below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments
Should be in this form If X were, Y would....
D. were below 5%, the board of directors would recommend that all further investments
Correct.
E. would have been below 5%, the board of directors would have recommended that all further investments would
Recommend introduces subjunctive mood so eliminate all the options having must, should, and would in the end.

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Re: GMAT Club World Cup 2022 (DAY 10): If the year-end net profit had been [#permalink]

23 Jul 2022, 00:19

GMAT Sentence Correction (EA only) Questions

GMAT Club World Cup 2022 (DAY 10): If the year-end net profit had been