GMAT Club World Cup 2022 (DAY 6): In recent years usage of fossil-fuel

At first sight, this seems pretty simple. But the issue is with that of the modifier, "especially coal", which seems to modify electricity when it should be modifying fossil fuel. Hence, A is rejected for this reason

In option B, the modifier is modifying "fossil fuel usage" and not "fossil fuel". Hence, B is incorrect as well.

In option C, the error regarding the modifier gets fixed, but there's a more nuanced error. "For producing electricity" is placed in such a way that there is a meaning-based error now. The intended meaning of the sentence is changed to "the usage has decreased in recent years in order to produce electricity", which is incorrect.

Option D has a similar meaning-based error because of "to product electricity". The reduction hasn't happened with the intention of producing electricity.

Option E rectifies all these errors and is the remaining option as well. This is our answer.

It,s the usage of coal that got decreased not coal itself
A ,Bwrong due to coal is decreaed
CHave wrong
D that of coal wrong
E correct

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IMO E

A. In recent years usage of fossil-fuel to produce electricity, especially coal, has significantly decreased.- coal should be placed closer to fossil fuel

B. In recent years fossil-fuel usage, especially coal, to produce electricity has significantly decreased. - subject cannot be in a prepositional phrase

C. For producing electricity, usage of fossil-fuel, especially of coal, in recent years have significantly decreased. - usage of have is incorrect

D. To produce electricity, fossil-fuel usage, especially that of coal, has significantly decreased in recent years.- Usage did not decrease with the intention of producing electricity

E. Usage of fossil fuel, especially of coal, to produce electricity has significantly decreased in recent years. - Rectifies the error in B

Few salient points ;-
1. Usage is subject.
2. Especially of coal is modifier which is modifying fossil -fuel. It should be nearer to modifying entity
3. Inverted sentence.

In recent years usage of fossil-fuel to produce electricity, especially coal, has significantly decreased.

A. In recent years usage of fossil-fuel to produce electricity, especially coal, has significantly decreased.- Here especially coal is modifying usage . wrong

B. In recent years fossil-fuel usage, especially coal, to produce electricity has significantly decreased. Modifier error

C. For producing electricity, usage of fossil-fuel, especially of coal, in recent years have significantly decreased. SV error

D. To produce electricity, fossil-fuel usage, especially that of coal, has significantly decreased in recent years.Modifier error

E. Usage of fossil fuel, especially of coal, to produce electricity has significantly decreased in recent years. Correct

In the original sentence "especially coal" refers to electricity, so A is out. It should be parallel to "usage of fossil fuel"

B. In recent years fossil-fuel usage, especially coal, to produce electricity has significantly decreased. - coal refers to usage, incorrect

C. For producing electricity, usage of fossil-fuel, especially of coal, in recent years have significantly decreased. - incorrect usage of plural verb form "have decreased", incorrect

D. To produce electricity, fossil-fuel usage, especially that of coal, has significantly decreased in recent years. Seems correct, we keep for now

E. Usage of fossil fuel, especially of coal, to produce electricity has significantly decreased in recent years. "especially of coal" is incorrect, it should be "that of coal" So D is the winner.

A. In recent years usage of fossil-fuel to produce electricity, especially coal, has significantly decreased. correct


B. In recent years fossil-fuel usage, especially coal, to produce electricity has significantly decreased. s-v disagreement

C. For producing electricity, usage of fossil-fuel, especially of coal, in recent years have significantly decreased. non essential modifier issue

D. To produce electricity, fossil-fuel usage, especially that of coal, has significantly decreased in recent years. modifier issue

E. Usage of fossil fuel, especially of coal, to produce electricity has significantly decreased in recent years.
incorrect

OPTION A is correct

In recent years usage of fossil-fuel to produce electricity, especially coal, has significantly decreased.

A. In recent years usage of fossil-fuel to produce electricity, especially coal, has significantly decreased. Especially coal cant modify electricity so it has to be for fossil fuel. Correct

B. In recent years fossil-fuel usage, especially coal, to produce electricity has significantly decreased. Incorrect. usage of fossil fuel for producing electricity.

C. For producing electricity, usage of fossil-fuel, especially of coal, in recent years have significantly decreased. incorrect

D. To produce electricity, fossil-fuel usage, especially that of coal, has significantly decreased in recent years. that of. Incorrect

E. Usage of fossil fuel, especially of coal, to produce electricity has significantly decreased in recent years. Incorrect.

Answer A

this is a tricky one, the correct answer is E
Choice A is wrong because the electricity is not coal
Choice B is wrong because the usage has decreased and not coal decreased
choice C is wrong because have is wrong
choice D is wrong because fossil fuel of coal is wrong because coal is a type of fossil fuel
Choice E is correct

Answer is E
A. In recent years usage of fossil-fuel to produce electricity, especially coal, has significantly decreased.
usage of fossil-fuel to produce coal? Wrong
B. In recent years fossil-fuel usage, especially coal, to produce electricity has significantly decreased.
Awkward
C. For producing electricity, usage of fossil-fuel, especially of coal, in recent years have significantly decreased.
a mess
D. To produce electricity, fossil-fuel usage, especially that of coal, has significantly decreased in recent years.
that of coal? Wrong
E. Usage of fossil fuel, especially of coal, to produce electricity has significantly decreased in recent years.
Clear and correct.

In recent years usage of fossil-fuel to produce electricity, especially coal, has significantly decreased.

E. Usage of fossil fuel, especially of coal, to produce electricity has significantly decreased in recent years.


E seems to be the best option, since it clearly specifies the following :

a. What has decreased? Fossil fuel has not decreased, as per the statement, rather 'Usage of fossil fuel' has decreased
b. The part between the comma's (that is coal) should specify what is being spoken of just before the comma, which is fossil fuel

Very interesting question

A. In recent years usage of fossil-fuel to produce electricity, especially coal, has significantly decreased.

Is coal a type of electricity. The placement gives an illogical meaning.

B. In recent years fossil-fuel usage, especially coal, to produce electricity has significantly decreased.

Is coal a type of fossil fuel usage. The placement gives an illogical meaning.

C. For producing electricity, usage of fossil-fuel, especially of coal, in recent years have significantly decreased.

Incorrect S-V agreement

D. To produce electricity, fossil-fuel usage, especially that of coal, has significantly decreased in recent years.

The usage of that is incorrect.

E. Usage of fossil fuel, especially of coal, to produce electricity has significantly decreased in recent years.

Correct, conveys the intended meaning.

IMO - E

First way to enter the question for me was use of Coal. Coal is example of fossil-fuel not of electricity(as in Option A) not of usage(as in option B)
A and B is out
Option C: S-V error. usage of fossil-fuel...have. C is out
Option D: Meaning Error. By using To produce electricity, we are saying purpose of fossil-fuel usage...has significantly decreased is to produce electricity. This is clearly not the intended meaning.
Option E is right choice

IMO, Option E is the best answer. Option E sounds best to my hearing.

In recent years usage of fossil-fuel to produce electricity, especially coal, has significantly decreased.

A. In recent years usage of fossil-fuel to produce electricity, especially coal, has significantly decreased.
Incorrect modifier usage in 'electricity, especially coal'

B. In recent years fossil-fuel usage, especially coal, to produce electricity has significantly decreased.
usage of fossil fuel is better grammatical structure compared to 'fossil-fuel usage' which is colloquial

C. For producing electricity, usage of fossil-fuel, especially of coal, in recent years have significantly decreased.
Inorrect 'plural' helping verb-- it should be replace by 'has'

D. To produce electricity, fossil-fuel usage, especially that of coal, has significantly decreased in recent years.
not a correct grammatical structure..fossil-fuel usage should be replaced by usage of fossil fuel

E. Usage of fossil fuel, especially of coal, to produce electricity has significantly decreased in recent years.
CORRECT usage in the form of 'Usage of fossil fuel, especially of coal' ; also present perfect tense by using 'has' is correct

(E) is correct option

A. In recent years usage of fossil-fuel to produce electricity, especially coal, has significantly decreased.
CORRECT. Although it would have been better to have a comma after 'In recent years', this statement is otherwise alright. It does not have issues with improper placement of the infinitive phrase as some of the other options do, and conveys a unambiguous meaning.

B. In recent years fossil-fuel usage, especially coal, to produce electricity has significantly decreased.
INCORRECT. 'In recent years fossil-fuel usage' is incoherent. Also the position of the infinitive phrase 'to produce electricity' makes the sentence unclear of its intended meaning.

C. For producing electricity, usage of fossil-fuel, especially of coal, in recent years have significantly decreased.
INCORRECT. This has modifier issue making the sentence ambiguous. For producing electricity. usage of fossil fuel..' may seem to convey the absurd meaning that the usage of fossil fuel in recent years decreased to produce electricity.

D. To produce electricity, fossil-fuel usage, especially that of coal, has significantly decreased in recent years.
INCORRECT. Again improper placement of 'to' phrase makes the sentence unclear of its intended meaning. The given sentence as per this option seems to convey that 'to produce electricity, fossil fuel usage .. has significantly decreased in recent years.' This is definitely not the intended meaning of the sentence.

E. Usage of fossil fuel, especially of coal, to produce electricity has significantly decreased in recent years.
INCORRECT. This has meaning issue. 'to produce electricity' - does it intend to convey that 'usage of fossil fuel to produce electricity has significantly decreased in recent years' OR 'To produce electricity, usage of fossil fuel has significantly decreased in recent years.

In recent years usage of fossil-fuel to produce electricity, especially coal, has significantly decreased.

A. In recent years usage of fossil-fuel to produce electricity, especially coal, has significantly decreased.
--> 'especially coal' modifies the noun preceding it 'electricity' indicating coal is a type of electricity.

B. In recent years fossil-fuel usage, especially coal, to produce electricity has significantly decreased.
--> 'fossil-fuel usage' is incorrectly compared to coal.

C. For producing electricity, usage of fossil-fuel, especially of coal, in recent years have significantly decreased.
--> for noun 'usage of fossil-fuel', 'has' should be used instead of has.

D. To produce electricity, fossil-fuel usage, especially that of coal, has significantly decreased in recent years.
--> 'fossil-fuel usage' is compared to 'that of coal', where 'that' does not have a clear reference.

E. Usage of fossil fuel, especially of coal, to produce electricity has significantly decreased in recent years.
-->'Usage of fossil fuel' is correctly compared to 'usage of coal'.