In a review of 2000 studies of human behavior that date back

Question

In a review of 2000 studies of human behavior that date back to the 1940's, two Swiss psychologists, declaring that since most of the studies had failed to control for such variables as social class and family size, none could be taken seriously.

(A) psychologists, declaring that since most of the studies had failed to control for such variables as social class and family size,

(B) psychologists, declaring that most of the studies failed in not controlling for such variables like social class and family size, and

(C) psychologists declared that since most of the studies, having failed to control for such variables as social class and family size,

(D) psychologists declared that since most of the studies fail in controlling for such variables like social class and family size,

(E) psychologists declared that since most of the studies had failed to control for variables such as social class and family size,

The Official Guide for GMAT Review, 13th Edition, 2012

Practice Question  
Question No.: SC 1

rkoshlyak · Answer

In a review of 2000 studies of human behavior that date back to the 1940's, two Swiss psychologists, declaring that since most of the studies had failed to control for such variables as social class and family size, none could be taken seriously.

(A) psychologists,  declaring  that since most of the studies  had failed  to control for such variables  as  social class and family size,

(B) psychologists,  declaring  that most of the studies  failed  in not controlling for such variables  like  social class and family size, and

(C) psychologists  declared  that since most of the studies,  having failed  to control for such variables  as  social class and family size,

(D) psychologists  declared  that since most of the studies  fail  in controlling for such variables  like  social class and family size,

(E) psychologists  declared  that since most of the studies  had failed  to control for variables such  as  social class and family size,

Rules:
1)
If 2 events in past and one of them happens before second one, we need to use perfect past time
2)
clause should have noun and verb
3)
like - used for comparision
such as - for indroducing examples

Splits:
 declared  vs  declaring 
 had failed  vs  fail  vs  failed  vs  having failed 
 as  vs  like

RashedVai · Answer

In a review of 2000 studies of human behavior that date back to the 1940's, two Swiss psychologists, declaring that since most of the studies had failed to control for such variables as social class and family size, none could be taken seriously.

(A) psychologists, declaring that since most of the studies had failed to control for such variables as social class and family size,

(B) psychologists, declaring that most of the studies failed in not controlling for such variables like social class and family size, and

(C) psychologists declared that since most of the studies, having failed to control for such variables as social class and family size,

(D) psychologists declared that since most of the studies fail in controlling for such variables like social class and family size,

(E) psychologists declared that since most of the studies had failed to control for variables such as social class and family size,

Here it goes:

The medium-length underline contains two commas, signaling likely Structure, Modifier, or Meaning issues.

Issues

(1) Structure

Like many GMAT sentences, this one begins with an opening modifier, followed by the subject of the sentence,   two
psychologists  , and then another modifier,   declaring that  . What verb goes with the subject?

Although the modifier  declaring that…size  is not incorrect because it could potentially modify psychologists,  a modifier
cannot contain the sentence's main verb , so it can't help with the missing verb problem. The next and final chunk of the
sentence,  none could be taken seriously , is a complete clause on its own and does not contain a verb for psychologists.
Answer (A) is just a sentence fragment.

Answer (B) is similar. It adds an and to the final clause, but the sentence still has no main verb to go with the subject
 psychologists . Eliminate answers (A) and (B).

Answers (C), (D), and (E) fix the missing verb problem by changing the modifier declaring into a main verb form:  declared .
Answer (C) creates another missing verb problem, though:  most of the studies  is also a subject that needs a verb but answer
(C) replaces the verb  failed  with the modifier  having failed . Eliminate answer (C).

(2) Verb: fail

Scan the answers and note that there are three variations in verb tense:  had failed, failed, and fail . When did the studies  fail?

The full clause states that  since the studies fail / failed / had failed, none could be taken seriously .  The verb form  could be  is
either indicating a past tense or a polite statement or request (Could you please do this for me?) . In this sentence, could be is
indicating a past time frame, so fail shouldn't be in the present tense. Eliminate answer (D).

Answers (A), (B), and (E) all use acceptable past tenses; answer (C) changes the structure (see the discussion of Structure for
more).

(3) Idiom: failed in controlling

The answers contain a split between  failed in controlling  in answers (B) and (D) and  failed to control  in answers (A), (C),
and (E). Are both versions acceptable?

Try some simpler examples:
She failed to control her temper.
She failed in controlling her temper.

The first example is the correct idiom; the second is incorrect.  If some action is what failed to happen, use the infinitive form (in this case, to control) rather than the gerund form as the object of a preposition (in this case, in controlling) . Eliminate answers (B) and (D).

(4) Comparison: such X like Y

Towards the end of the underlined section, there is a split between  such variables as social class  and  such variables like
social class.

The word like means “similar to.”   This sentence is trying to introduce examples of something; the correct idiom for introducing
examples is such as   . Eliminate answers (B) and (D).

Correct answer (E)   contains a subject and a verb for both  psychologists  and  most of the studies . It also uses the correct idiom,
 such as , to provide an example.

Srsrsr32 · Answer

In a review of 2000 studies of human behavior that date back to the 1940's, two Swiss psychologists, declaring that since most of the studies had failed to control for such variables as social class and family size, none could be taken seriously.

(A) psychologists, declaring that since most of the studies had failed to control for such variables as social class and family size,

(B) psychologists, declaring that most of the studies failed in not controlling for such variables like social class and family size, and

(C) psychologists declared that since most of the studies, having failed to control for such variables as social class and family size,

(D) psychologists declared that since most of the studies fail in controlling for such variables like social class and family size,

(E) psychologists declared that since most of the studies had failed to control for variables such as social class and family size,

In the sentence above, the subject  'psychologists'  needs a main verb, which is absent in options  A  and  B .

The incorrect idiomatic expression  'such......like'   is used in the options  B   and  D .

In option  C , the subject  'most of the studies'  doesn't have any verb.

In option  D , there is an error in the use of tense.

When one past event took place before the other, past perfect tense had to use. So,  E  is the correct answer option.

ssshyam1995 · Answer

Option E has a run on sentence issue right since the two clauses have a subject and a verb thereby making them independent clauses??

EducationAisle · Answer

Hi Shyam, there is only one independent clause:

Two Swiss psychologists declared <something>

Russ19 · Answer

The expression 'such... like' existed in answer options B and D is not correct. In option A, the noun psychologists do not have a verb. Everything seems okay in option E including sequence of tense.

dabaobao · Answer

(A) psychologists,  declaring  that since most of the studies had failed to control for such variables as social class and family size,  - Wrong: Structure

(B) psychologists,  declaring  that most of the studies failed in not controlling for such variables  like  social class and family size, and  - Wrong: Structure 2) Idiom

(C) psychologists declared that since most of the  studies,  having failed to control for such variables as social class and family size,  - Wrong: 1) Structure

(D) psychologists declared that since most of the studies  fail  in controlling for such variables  like  social class and family size,  - Wrong: 1) Idiom 2) Verb

(E) psychologists declared that since most of the studies had failed to control for variables such as social class and family size,  - Correct

saby1410 · Answer

hi,
 GMATNinja   ChiranjeevSingh   egmat   VeritasKarishma 
In a review of 2000 studies of human behavior that date back to the 1940's, two Swiss psychologists, declaring that since most of the studies had failed to control for such variables as social class and family size, none could be taken seriously.

1.none could be taken seriously is modifying the studies.
2.do we need connector to join declaring that X connector Y(none could be taken seriousely).
3.none could be taken seriousely is it acting as clause within that if it is then how to know whether it is acting as main clause within that?

IloveMBA123 · Answer

Hi guys i need help. the sentence "two Swiss psychologists declared that since most of the studies had failed to control for variables such as social class and family size." is related to which event?

"In a review of 2000 studies"

OR

"the 1940's"?

Thanks!

If it's the former, is the past perfect required?

TargetMBA007 · Answer

(B) psychologists, declaring that most of the studies failed in not controlling for such variables like social class and family size, and

Other than all the errors discussed here, there is a Redundancy error with B because of the incorrect use of "Double Negative" - (It should read "failed in controlling")

Here is a great post on how the GMAT uses double negatives https://gmatclub.com/forum/double-negat ... 20positive.

sassycassy · Answer

In a review of 2000 studies of human behavior that date back to the 1940's, two Swiss psychologists, declaring that since most of the studies had failed to control for such variables as social class and family size, none could be taken seriously.

(A) psychologists, declaring that since most of the studies had failed to control for such variables as social class and family size,
WRONG - This is not in past tense and there is a comma after psychologists.

(B) psychologists, declaring that most of the studies failed in not controlling for such variables like social class and family size, and
WRONG - There is a comma after psychologists.

(C) psychologists declared that since most of the studies, having failed to control for such variables as social class and family size, 
WRONG - "having" - the tense is wrong

(D) psychologists declared that since most of the studies fail in controlling for such variables like social class and family size,
WRONG - This is missing a verb between "studies" and "fail".

(E) psychologists declared that since most of the studies had failed to control for variables such as social class and family size,
CORRECT!

CEdward · Answer

In a review of 2000 studies of human behavior that date back to the 1940's, two Swiss psychologists, declaring that since most of the studies had failed to control for such variables as social class and family size, none could be taken seriously.

(A) psychologists,  declaring  that since most of the studies had failed to control for  such  variables as social class and family size, X

(B) psychologists,  declaring  that most of the studies failed  in not controlling  for such variables like social class and family size, and X

(C) psychologists declared that since most of the studies, having failed to control for such variables as social class and family size, X (The problem here is 'having failed...' suggests the two psychologists failed to do so...but that distorts the meaning)

(D) psychologists declared that since most of the studies  fail in  controlling for such variables like social class and family size, X (fail is in the present tense...what we need is past perfect tense to indicate the failing was done already)

(E) psychologists declared that since most of the studies had failed to control for variables such as social class and family size, CORRECT

kriswati · Answer

Though I do understand the answer choices, I had a concern with the non underlined part of the sentence. Would help to learn if someone could clarify.

In a review of 2000 studies of human behaviour  that  date back to the 1940s, ......

What does "that" refer to here, studies or human behaviour. The relative clause should be as close to the noun it modifies. Here the closest noun is "human behaviour". However, the preposition "of human behaviour" could mean that the relative clause could refer to either "studies" or "human behaviour". This would ideally impact the tense "had failed" used in the underlined part of the sentence which relates to "studies". The verb tense could be "failed" or "had failed" accordingly.

Reaching out to experts for help  GMATNinja

Posted from my mobile device

GVelarde · Answer

Here's an explanation of my reasoning to the answer. It took me approximately 45 seconds.

If I am attentive to the core support of the sentence, the subject and verb, I will notice that "psychologists" must be the subject since all prior nouns are in a prepositional phrase. The idea of "declaring" is what ought to be the verb, but the form of "declaring" is grammatically incorrect (it isn't a finite verb). That observation will eliminate choices 1 and 2 quickly. When I've got it down to the last three choices, I re-read number 3, as if it were the original sentence. By reading this choice in this way, and once again being attentive to the core support of subject-verb, I notice that number three's next subject-verb is incorrect ("most of the studies having failed") for the same reason as #1 and 2 (lack of finite verb).

From this point, I could continue my train of thought and continue to check out the "fail" verb with "most of the studies". Number 4 does not make sense at all as these studies failed in the past. Therefore, the answer is number 5.

Alternatively, when presented with the last two choices, I can compare them to each other and note all differences. If I did this action, I could again solve it using the verb "fail". I could also note that in number 4, it says "such variables like", and that, on the GMAT, the word "like" is not used for giving examples, but for making comparisons. (Although, as a Californian, I do use "like" for examples in my speech often.)

GVelarde · Answer

Hi kriswati,

I wanted to reply to your query, as I see no one else had yet.

The word "that" is a relative pronoun referring back to the word "studies". The word "date" is a verb that is plural and thus requires a plural subject (the pronoun "that"). Thus, since "that" is plural, it must refer to "studies".

Hope that helps!

NischalSR · Answer

Hello Experts  GMATNinja   sayantanc2k   mikemcgarry

In a review of 2000 studies of human behavior that date back to the 1940's, two Swiss psychologists, declaring that since most of the studies had failed to control for such variables as social class and family size, none could be taken seriously.

Although the use of 'like' is incorrect, is there a verb tense issue as well in option D?
Since the studies failing to control variables is something that is true always (general truth), isn't it ok to use the present participle?

Please suggest.

ExpertsGlobal5 · Answer

Hello  NischalSR ,

We hope this finds you well.

To answer your query, the use of the simple present tense is incorrect here because this sentence is not referring to a statement of fact, but to an action that concluded in the past.

We hope this helps.
All the best!
Experts' Global Team

Schachfreizeit · Answer

can you explain why in b and d the use of like is wrong?

Scorpi0n · Answer

Because the correct idiom is "such ... as", not "such ... like".

In a review of 2000 studies of human behavior that date back

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GMAT Sentence Correction (SC - EA only) Questions

In a review of 2000 studies of human behavior that date back

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