Hello GMATNinja
I am quite confused with comparison.
As everybody before you, you're going to die and thanks to modern medicine and health practices, you'll probably live much longer as your ancestors did.

A. As everybody before you, you're going to die and thanks to modern medicine and health practices, you'll probably live much longer as your ancestors did.
B. Like everybody before you, you're going to die but thanks to modern medicine and health practices, you'll probably live much longer than your ancestors.
C. As everybody before you has done, you're going to die and despite modern medicine and health practices, you'll probably live much longer than your ancestors did.
D. Like everybody before you, you're going to die for thanks to modern medicine and health practices, you'll probably live much longer than your ancestors do.
E. Like everybody before you, you're going to die but thanks to modern medicine and health practices, you'll probably live much longer than your ancestors did.

For this question Option B you will live much longer than your ancestor, for me there is no meaning issue. Why we need verbs after ancestor? Live longer than ancestor perfectly illustrates the idea

I'm glad that the videos have been helpful!

Unfortunately, there isn't a really satisfying way to answer your question, because I can't tell you what particular issues are causing you to be stuck at a V34. There are any number of things that cause underperformance on the verbal section, and sadly there's no "one-size-fits-all" solution that works equally for every student.

It does sound like you've identified three key areas of concern -- inconsistent results on homework, time management issues, and test-day pressure.

Inconsistency in homework results

Inconsistency is usually caused by a couple of things: either your process itself is inconsistent (you do something different on different days when solving the same kinds of problems), or other external factors are impacting your results (inconsistent sleep, diet, exercise, stress, etc).

To nail down any inconsistencies in process, we recommend starting with these articles about SC, CR, and RC basics. These aren't substantially different from what is discussed in the videos, but can help you refocus on the nuts and bolts of a solid, consistent process.

Then, get some LSAT books -- this one is a decent place to start. Complete the Reading Comprehension and Logical Reasoning (very similar to GMAT CR) sections, really thinking about your process. Are you completing each step outlined in the Beginner's Guide articles? (Side note: ignore the LSAT's ridiculous 35 minute time limit. Just complete the section with test-like intensity, and note down how long it took you. You're just trying to achieve consistency as you hone your process).

To deal with external factors, keep a log of anything that might be impacting your results. Are you doing well after a good night's sleep, and poorly when you only catch a few hours of sleep? Do you skip meals and crash in the middle of homework sets? Try to isolate any particular habits that help you perform well.

Time Management

It's pretty common to struggle with time management on the verbal section, but I can't tell you how to fix it until you know why it's happening in the first place. It could be that you're a fundamentally slow reader. Or, it could be that you rush through the passage and then spend a ton of time struggling with the answer choices. Or, it could be that you waste time re-reading things over and over again. Or maybe you move at a good pace through most questions, but get extremely stubborn on one or two questions that have you stumped.

Each of these different underlying issues will require different solutions. Again, your best bet to improve on time management will be to use LSAT sets for RC and CR. If you times are fluctuating up and down from set to set, think about exactly what is changing to cause this variation.

Once you find the root cause(s) of your time management issues, think through some ways to prevent them from happening (e.g., letting go of questions that are a waste of time, or slowing down when you read the passage so that you can efficiently eliminate answer choices). Add these changes to your process, and see whether your times start to come down.

Test-Day Pressure

If you're noticing different results when you amp up pressure, then you could be experiencing some level of test anxiety that is negatively impacting your score.

To learn more about test anxiety and some tools that might help you perform well under pressure, check out our beginner's guide to test anxiety.

Hopefully some of this will help you get to the bottom of the issue. Best of luck with your studies!
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When an -ed modifier comes after the thing it modifies with a comma in between, it usually modifies the closest noun. For an official example, check out this question. If the -ed modifier comes before the thing it's modifying, on the other hand, then it usually modifies the subject. This article discusses this construction in depth.

So, is it a hard-and-fast rule that an "-ed" modifier that follows the thing it's modifying can never modify an entire clause? Nope -- like many GMAT SC "rules," there are exceptions. For example, the non-underlined portion of this official question is constructed that way. So, the construction of the non-official question above might be just fine (although again, it's really not worth your time to worry about the specifics of non-official questions).

Overall, it's best not to stress over a "rule" that the GMAT may or may not violate at some point. Instead, ask yourself, "What does the "-ed" modifier seem to modify here? Does that make sense?" If so, leave it in the running and look for other decision points.

I hope that helps a bit!
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Hi! Thanks for your response. So, basically, an ed modifier after a comma cannot modify the subject of the sentence if we have a noun in between them (which in most cases we will). So, This novel is a great source of entertainment, published in 1979. this sentence is incorrect. However, This novel, published in 1979, is a great source of entertainment. is correct. Is this all correct?

Hi GMATNinja

Please confirm Can appositives contain a clause?

In my understanding, the structure of appositive is noun + noun modifier (mostly phrase), but there is an example, in GMAT book SC Grail 2018 (Chapter- Fragments and run-on sentences), in which the author has confirmed that "a movie he had always wanted to see" is an appositive.

The complete sentence is "I offered him a ticket to Spielberg’s new movie, a movie he had always wanted to see."

"He had always wanted to see" is a clause, right? So can it be a part of the appositive?
Please confirm.

This doesn't appear to be an official question (if it is, please share the source!), so I wouldn't worry about it too much.

That said, "with the wealth and buying power..." is a modifier (describing the "women"). "Whose needs for relevant information..." is also a modifier (again, describing the "women"), so you could argue that (E) gives us a parallel list of modifiers, even though the first is a prepositional phrase and the second is a noun modifier. I don't recall ever seeing something like that in an official answer, but I guess it's okay?

More importantly, notice the verb "go (largely) ignored" at the end. That verb needs a subject, and we don't one in (A). If that's not clear, take a look at this stripped down version of (A), using only the second half of the parallel list:

"There are more and more women with needs for information still go largely ignored."

Notice that the object of the preposition ("with") is a noun ("needs"). What kind of needs? Needs for information ("for information" simply modifies the "needs"). Stripping out a few additional modifiers from (A), we're left with:

"There are more and more women with needs go ignored." - What is it that the women are with? (In order words, what do the women have?) The women have "needs go ignored" -- huh? What's a "needs go ignored"?? I don't think that's something you can have or be with.

In order for this to work, we'd need something like:

"There are more and more women with needs that go ignored." - Now, what is it that the women have? The women have "needs" -- what kind of "needs"? Needs that go ignored -- this makes perfect sense. Notice that "that" is a relative pronoun (referring to the "needs"), and this relative pronoun serves as the subject for the ensuing verb ("go ignored").

(E) solves the "missing subject" problem in a slightly different way:

"There are more and more women whose needs go ignored." - "whose" is also a relative pronoun, but here it just modifies "needs" (Which needs? The women's needs.). In this case, "needs" is the subject of the ensuing verb ("go ignored").

(A) doesn't work because we are missing a subject for the final verb ("go ignored"). And (E) is arguably parallel, so I guess it's our best choice.

Again, this doesn't seem to be an official question, so don't spend too much time on it. As discussed in our SC Guide for Beginners, it's best to stick to the official stuff for verbal.
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There is a subtle meaning difference between (A) and (B). In (A), "the apparent disappearance of matter in flames" is the illusion. In (B), "the matter that apparently disappears in flames" is the illusion.

But it's not the matter itself that is the illusion -- it's the apparent disappearance of that matter (it only seems like the matter disappears, but it really doesn't -- the disappearance is an illusion).

Grammatically, (B) doesn't look bad, but it has a glaring meaning issue. That makes (A) the better choice.

If you have any follow-up questions about this one, please post them in the thread for this specific question.
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The cheetah seems to be headed for extinction because, resulting from intensive inbreeding generations ago, the species has so little genetic variation that it is extremely vulnerable to environmental change.

(A) because, resulting from intensive inbreeding generations ago,
(B) because, as a result of intensive inbreeding generations ago,
(C) because they inbred intensively generations ago so that
(D) because there was intensive inbreeding generations ago and
(E) as a result of their intensive inbreeding generations ago, and

Can you explain how the OA is B? The clause "as a result of intensive inbreeding generations go" would make sense if it was after "little genetic variation" I really thought that answer should be D.

Hi GMAT Ninja,

Need your help with the understanding of how do the Verbs vary with respect to the timeperiod they refer to. From my understanding we use past perfect tenses when the specific time period is not mentioned and use simple tenses when a time period is mentioned. Following are the few question statements refering to which if you can explain, if my understanding is fine or not.



Q1. The conflict had faded from popular memory within fifteen years of the end of the U.S - Mexico war, but it has not disappeared, due to the outbreak of the U.S. Civil War.

A. The conflict had faded from popular memory within fifteen years of the end of the U.S - Mexico war, but it has not disappeared, due to the outbreak of the U.S. Civil War

B. The conflict has faded from popular memory but it has not disappeared, due to the outbreak of the U.S. Civil War within fifteen years of end of the U.S - Mexico war

C. Within fifteen years of the U.S - Mexico war’s end, the conflict faded from popular memory, but it did not disappear, due to the outbreak of the U.S. Civil War

D. Within fifteen years of the U.S - Mexico war’s end, the conflict had faded from popular memory, but it did had not disappeared, due to the outbreak of the U.S. Civil War

E. The conflict has not disappeared but it has faded from popular memory due to the outbreak of the U.S. Civil War within fifteen years of end of the U.S - Mexico war


Q2. The memory has faded as the number of extreme weather events dropped over the last four decades, but in the summer of 1980, the worst sustained heat wave of the twentieth century in the United States baked Texas and much of the rest of the country.

A. has faded as the number of extreme weather events dropped
B. faded as the number of extreme weather events dropped
C. has faded as the number of extreme weather events has dropped

Q3. Over the years between the economic depression, there were periods of explosive growth.
A. were
B. have been
C. had been

Hey GMATNinja, which test prep company according to you has the best SC questions? I understand nothings beats the official questions, but what would be the 2nd best source?

To be honest, none of us here at GMAT Ninja had even heard of the "VAN rule" until responding to this post back in 2020. It certainly isn't something we would use or teach to our students, so you'll have to ask the expert who used it!
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Note that this is NOT an official question, so I wouldn't worry about it too much.

I suppose the "did" in (E) makes it a tiny bit more clear that we are comparing how long you will probably live to how long your ancestors lived. But I can't imagine that something this minor would ever be the sole deciding factor on an actual GMAT question.

I hope that helps a bit!
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GMATNinja One basic doubt. If we have two options that are grammatically correct, but communicate different meanings, how do we determine which one is correct? This is predominantly in the questions where the whole sentence is underlined
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GMATNinja "Ravi or his friends" is this singular or plural?
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Hi GMATNinja

Q#1
I found this sentence structure in RC question.

Can we just put NOT in front of present or past participial phase to change meaning to opposite?
Is this grammatically correct?

At first, I think we MUST need to use pronoun that to convey opposite meaning as below.
(C) They frequently helped Irish entrepreneurs to finance business that was not connected with construction.


Q#2

Regardless of correct choice, my question is:
Can preposition be followed by perfect participle phase, or this form--choice(B)--is ALWAYS incorrect?
If it is correct, please kindly provide some usages of "preposition + perfect participle" for me.

Regards!

The main takeaway of the last post was that you should NOT try to boil this sort of thing down to rigid rules (i.e. "an ed modifier after a comma cannot modify the subject of the sentence if we have a noun in between them"). Again, it's best not to stress over a "rule" that the GMAT may or may not violate at some point. Instead, ask yourself, "What does the "-ed" modifier seem to modify here? Does that make sense?" If so, leave it in the running and look for other decision points.

"Tim raced home to his wife, worried that she might be upset by his unannounced solo trip to Tahiti."

This sentence violates the "rule" you proposed. But it seems pretty clear that worried modifies the subject ("Tim").

Should you automatically eliminate something like this on the GMAT because it violates some rule we made up? Absolutely not. Leave it in the running, and look for other decision points.
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The invention of the cotton gin, being one of the most significant developments of the nineteenth century, had turned cotton cloth into an affordable commodity; it was costly before that.

(A) being one of the most significant developments of the nineteenth century, had turned cotton cloth into an affordable commodity; it was costly before that

(B) having been one of the most significant developments of the nineteenth century, turned cotton cloth into an affordable commodity, costly previously

(C) one of the most significant developments of the nineteenth century, turned cotton cloth into an affordable, however costly previously, commodity

(D) one of the most significant developments of the nineteenth century, turned cotton cloth into an affordable commodity, whereas it had previously been costly

(E) being one of the most significant developments of the nineteenth century, turned cotton cloth from a previously costly commodity to an affordable one

I do not understand why answer is D.
Isn't "previously + had" redundant? GMATNinja Thanks!
I selected C. Why is it wrong?

I see where you are going with the guideline, "use past perfect tenses when the specific time period is not mentioned and use simple tenses when a time period is mentioned" -- simple past verbs are often used with specific times in the past (i.e. "I ate breakfast at 7 a.m.") while the past perfect typically denotes an action that happens in the “distant past”, before some other past action or “time marker” in the past (i.e. "By the time my guests arrived, I had already eaten the whole cheese platter by myself." - the guests arrived at a specific moment in time, but the eating of the cheese platter could have occurred any time before that specific moment in time).

But if you've been reading our SC posts, you probably know that we're not exactly fans of SC "rules." Why? Because the GMAT doesn't play by our made-up rules! Both of these come from correct answers to official GMAT SC questions:

• "By 1999, astronomers had discovered 17 nearby stars..." - Okay, this looks a lot like the "guests arrived" example above. The discovering of the stars could have occurred any time before that specific moment in time (1999). So we could say that the specific timing of that action is NOT specified, and the past perfect is justified.
• "By 1940, the pilot Jacqueline Cochran held seventeen official national and international speed records..." - Umm, wait a minute... we have the same setup as last time, but this time the OA uses simple past?! (Click here for further discussion of this one.)

The point is that it's almost always a bad idea to memorize and brainlessly apply grammar rules on GMAT SC. Is the use of the past perfect justified (as it is in this example)? Then keep it and look for other decision points.

As for the examples you asked about, let me repeat a disclaimer from this post:


So I wouldn't worry too much about past perfect usage in non-official sentences. If you have a question about the past perfect in an official question, feel free to tag us!

For more on the past perfect, check out this webinar.
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I don't think the placement of "as a result of..." is a problem in (B). Putting it before "the species..." prepares the reader for what follows, and helps clarify that whatever comes next ("the species has so little genetic variation...") will be a result of the intensive inbreeding generations ago.

The problem with (D) is that we seem to have two separate and distinct reasons why the cheetah seems to be headed for extinction: (1) because there was intensive inbreeding generations ago and (2) because the species has so little genetic variation that it is extremely vulnerable to environmental change. But is the intensive inbreeding by itself something that would drive the cheetah to extinction? Maybe, but it makes much more sense for the inbreeding to cause the lack of genetic variation that makes the cheetah extremely vulnerable to environmental change -- and this vulnerability, in turn, is why the cheetah seems to be headed for extinction.

Keep in mind that, if this was in fact an official question, it was retired a long time ago... so don't let it bug you too much.
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