Last visit was: 18 Nov 2025, 18:59 It is currently 18 Nov 2025, 18:59
Home
GMAT
Messages
Tests
Schools
Events
Rewards
Chat
My Profile
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Go to My Error Log Learn more
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
Back to Forum
Create Topic
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 18 Nov 2025
Posts: 105,355
Own Kudos:
778,081
 [3]
Given Kudos: 99,964
Products:
GMAT Club Tests Forum Quiz
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 105,355
Kudos: 778,081
 [3]
Ignoring the admonitions of his staff, the chief financial officer acc 08 Apr 2019, 07:54
Kudos
Add Kudos
3
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
00:00
Start Timer
Pause Timer
Resume Timer
Show Answer
Hide
Show
History
D
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!

Difficulty:

15% (low)

Question Stats:

81% (01:24) correct 19% (01:35) wrong based on 647 sessions

History

Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
Ignoring the admonitions of his staff, the chief financial officer accepted the advice of the consulting company because he believed that the standardized accounting procedures would prove not only inexpensive but reliable indicators of economic performance.


(A) he believed that the standardized accounting procedures would prove not only inexpensive but

(B) the standardized accounting procedures will prove both inexpensive and also

(C) he believed the standardized accounting procedures would prove themselves to be both inexpensive and

(D) he believed that the standardized accounting procedures would prove to be both inexpensive and

(E) standardized accounting procedures will prove his belief that they are both inexpensive and
ShowHide Answer
Official Answer
D
User avatar
Archit3110
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 18 Aug 2017
Last visit: 18 Nov 2025
Posts: 8,423
Own Kudos:
4,979
Given Kudos: 243
Status:You learn more from failure than from success.
Location: India
Concentration: Sustainability, Marketing
GMAT Focus 1: 545 Q79 V79 DI73
GMAT Focus 2: 645 Q83 V82 DI81
GPA: 4
WE:Marketing (Energy)
GMAT Focus 2: 645 Q83 V82 DI81
Posts: 8,423
Kudos: 4,979
Ignoring the admonitions of his staff, the chief financial officer acc 08 Apr 2019, 10:33
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel
Ignoring the admonitions of his staff, the chief financial officer accepted the advice of the consulting company because he believed that the standardized accounting procedures would prove not only inexpensive but reliable indicators of economic performance.


(A) he believed that the standardized accounting procedures would prove not only inexpensive but

(B) the standardized accounting procedures will prove both inexpensive and also

(C) he believed the standardized accounting procedures would prove themselves to be both inexpensive and

(D) he believed that the standardized accounting procedures would prove to be both inexpensive and

(E) standardized accounting procedures will prove his belief that they are both inexpensive and
Show more

BOTH X AND Y ; cor relative conjunction ..
IMO D
he believed that the standardized accounting procedures would prove to beboth inexpensive and
User avatar
ishan261288
User avatar
Joined: 31 Oct 2018
Last visit: 04 Nov 2024
Posts: 15
Own Kudos:
17
 [1]
Given Kudos: 285
WE:Research (Hospitality and Tourism)
Posts: 15
Kudos: 17
 [1]
Ignoring the admonitions of his staff, the chief financial officer acc 24 May 2019, 04:08
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
The difference between A and D is that A follows " not only X but Y" form which also appears true and D follows both X and Y form. So why the answer is D and not A?
Or is it because, the correct idiom is "not only X but also Y"
Please help
User avatar
janadipesh
User avatar
Joined: 10 Jun 2014
Last visit: 23 Jun 2021
Posts: 69
Own Kudos:
78
Given Kudos: 286
Location: India
Concentration: Operations, Finance
WE:Manufacturing and Production (Energy)
Posts: 69
Kudos: 78
Ignoring the admonitions of his staff, the chief financial officer acc 25 May 2019, 12:03
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Ignoring the admonitions of his staff, the chief financial officer accepted the advice of the consulting company because he believed that the standardized accounting procedures would prove not only inexpensive but reliable indicators of economic performance.


(A) he believed that the standardized accounting procedures would prove not only inexpensive but...Procedures would prove inexpensive..Wrong

(B) the standardized accounting procedures will prove both inexpensive and also......Both/Also ...redundant

(C) he believed the standardized accounting procedures would prove themselves to be both inexpensive and.....would prove themselves ..Wrong

(D) he believed that the standardized accounting procedures would prove to be both inexpensive and....Correct

(E) standardized accounting procedures will prove his belief that they are both inexpensive and....Awkward construction
avatar
Bharatmareeg
avatar
Joined: 23 Jun 2017
Last visit: 13 Jun 2020
Posts: 2
Given Kudos: 3
Posts: 2
Kudos: 0
Ignoring the admonitions of his staff, the chief financial officer acc 08 Jul 2019, 01:44
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
another reasons for elimination is sentence is going from past to conditional , that uses would not will so b and e is out ,in a idiom error so a out , in c pronoun ambiguity/ awkward construction
User avatar
AliciaSierra
User avatar
Joined: 17 Mar 2014
Last visit: 14 Jun 2024
Posts: 747
Own Kudos:
642
Given Kudos: 1,350
Products:
My Reviews
Posts: 747
Kudos: 642
Ignoring the admonitions of his staff, the chief financial officer acc 14 Jul 2019, 11:55
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel
Ignoring the admonitions of his staff, the chief financial officer accepted the advice of the consulting company because he believed that the standardized accounting procedures would prove not only inexpensive but reliable indicators of economic performance.


(A) he believed that the standardized accounting procedures would prove not only inexpensive but

(B) the standardized accounting procedures will prove both inexpensive and also

(C) he believed the standardized accounting procedures would prove themselves to be both inexpensive and

(D) he believed that the standardized accounting procedures would prove to be both inexpensive and

(E) standardized accounting procedures will prove his belief that they are both inexpensive and
Show more


sentence is in past tense. "CFO believed" is in past so what did he believe should also be in past. Past Future for "Will" is "WOULD"

I think core of sentence will be CFO accepted the advice because he believed that XYZ.

(A) he believed that the standardized accounting procedures would prove not only inexpensive but --- Not Only + But Also. Also is missing here

(B) the standardized accounting procedures will prove both inexpensive and also --- believe is missing.

(C) he believed the standardized accounting procedures would prove themselves to be both inexpensive and--- extra word. I think "believed that" is better than alone believed

(D) he believed that the standardized accounting procedures would prove to be both inexpensive and --- Correct

(E) standardized accounting procedures will prove his belief that they are both inexpensive and --- believe is missing.
User avatar
robu1
User avatar
Joined: 08 Jul 2017
Last visit: 19 Apr 2021
Posts: 91
Own Kudos:
66
Given Kudos: 214
GMAT 1: 620 Q48 V29
GMAT 1: 620 Q48 V29
Posts: 91
Kudos: 66
Ignoring the admonitions of his staff, the chief financial officer acc 25 May 2020, 11:44
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
[quote="Bunuel"]Ignoring the admonitions of his staff, the chief financial officer accepted the advice of the consulting company because he believed that the standardized accounting procedures would prove not only inexpensive but reliable indicators of economic performance.


(A) he believed that the standardized accounting procedures would prove not only inexpensive but

(B) the standardized accounting procedures will prove both inexpensive and also

(C) he believed the standardized accounting procedures would prove themselves to be both inexpensive and

(D) he believed that the standardized accounting procedures would prove to be both inexpensive and

(E) standardized accounting procedures will prove his belief that they are both inexpensive and[/t

But in D inexpensive is adjective ,reliable factors is noun. How both are parallel.
User avatar
emcheeks
User avatar
Joined: 28 Jun 2020
Last visit: 22 Dec 2024
Posts: 119
Own Kudos:
111
 [2]
Given Kudos: 78
Posts: 119
Kudos: 111
 [2]
Ignoring the admonitions of his staff, the chief financial officer acc 27 Jul 2020, 15:54
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
comparison of A and D:

"not only...but also..." cannot omit any parallel parts! --> "not only inexpensive but reliable indicators" actually omits the "indicators" in the "not only" part. And this is not allowed!

"both... and" can omit parallel parts! --> in D, "both inexpensive and reliable indicators" omits "indicators" in the first part, but this is allowed!

Therefore, D is correct, and A is wrong.


I noticed some people said A is wrong solely based on the fact that "also" is omitted from "not only but also" construction. IMO, it is wrong!! I have seen other OG questions that omits "but" or omits "also" and the sentence is still correct! Therefore, we cannot eliminate A just based on that.
avatar
750Barrier
avatar
Joined: 06 May 2015
Last visit: 21 Sep 2023
Posts: 38
Own Kudos:
3
Given Kudos: 35
GMAT 1: 690 Q48 V37
WE:Consulting (Consulting)
GMAT 1: 690 Q48 V37
Posts: 38
Kudos: 3
Ignoring the admonitions of his staff, the chief financial officer acc 03 Oct 2021, 02:40
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel
Ignoring the admonitions of his staff, the chief financial officer accepted the advice of the consulting company because he believed that the standardized accounting procedures would prove not only inexpensive but reliable indicators of economic performance.


(A) he believed that the standardized accounting procedures would prove not only inexpensive but

(B) the standardized accounting procedures will prove both inexpensive and also

(C) he believed the standardized accounting procedures would prove themselves to be both inexpensive and

(D) he believed that the standardized accounting procedures would prove to be both inexpensive and

(E) standardized accounting procedures will prove his belief that they are both inexpensive and
Show more



can you please explain why a is wrong?
User avatar
LunaticMaestro
User avatar
Joined: 02 Jul 2023
Last visit: 18 Nov 2025
Posts: 38
Own Kudos:
21
Given Kudos: 105
Posts: 38
Kudos: 21
Ignoring the admonitions of his staff, the chief financial officer acc 23 Nov 2023, 00:16
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Can anyone please help me figure out the antecedent of "he" ?

Is the usage of "he" standard and obvious in the example ?

Thanks in advance.
Moderators:
GMATNinja
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
7445 posts
GMATNinjaTwo
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
234 posts
miag
188 posts