In April 1997, Hillary Rodham Clinton hosted an all-day White House

Question

In April 1997, Hillary Rodham Clinton hosted an all-day White House scientific
conference on new findings that indicates a child’s acquiring language, thinking, and
emotional skills as an active process that may be largely completed before age three.

(A) that indicates a child’s acquiring language, thinking, and emotional skills as

(B) that are indicative of a child acquiring language, thinking, and emotional skills as

(C) to indicate that when a child acquires language, thinking, and emotional skills, that it is

(D) indicating that a child’s acquisition of language, thinking, and emotional skills is

(E) indicative of a child’s acquisition of language, thinking, and emotional skills as

mikemcgarry · Accepted Answer

Ting I'm happy to help. :-)

First of all, not every modifier is set off by a comma the rest of the sentence. In fact, this gets at the heart of the issue of vital vs. non-vital modifiers. See: https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/that-vs-which-on-the-gmat/ https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/gmat-gramm ... modifiers/ The word "indicating" is not a verb --- it is a participle modifying "findings", and because it's a vital modifier, no comma is needed. BTW, here's a post on participial phrases: https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/participle ... -the-gmat/ BTW, notice on the GMAT's favorite SC patterns. In (A), "indicates" is a verb (although incorrectly singular), in (C) "to indicate", the infinitive, a verb form, appears, and in (D) "indicating" is a participle, that is, another verb form. By contrast, both (B) & (E) turn the verb into an adjective "indicative." The GMAT doesn't like that. The GMAT likes direct powerful language, and part of what this means is --- the action should be encapsulated in verbs. When you have a choice between action-as-verb vs. action-as-noun or -adjective, the former is almost always preferable to the latter. Does all this make sense? Mike :-)

lawschoolsearcher · Answer

I did some research on this particular problem and found the light on the MGMAT guide.

On their IDIOM list they listed this form as WRONG:  A report INDICATES unique bacteria AS present on our skin ... and that GMAT prefers...  A report INDICATES THAT unique bacteria LIVE on our skin

Knowing that we can easily eliminate A,B,E with the INDICATES/INDICATIVE OF... AS form
Also, "IS INDICATIVE OF" form is SUSPECT for GMAT test writers. If possible, it must be avoided.

We are now left with C and D.

C is wrong because it changes the intent of the author. It sounds like Hillary Rodman hosted the conference on new finding  to indicate ... But we are just looking for something that modifies or explain something about the new findings.

Answer by elimination is D.

daagh · Answer

A. that indicates a child’s acquiring language, thinking, and emotional skills as

-  Findings that indicates  - Serious S- V mismatch; Don’t take the argument that - indicates  - is the singular verb of conference; A conference never indicates, its discussions or findings do.

B. that are indicative of a child acquiring language, thinking, and emotional skills as

- Indicative of a child  – a circumlocutory expression – F indings that indicate or indicating  - is more forthright

C. to indicate that when a child acquires language, thinking, and emotional skills, that it is

- Findings to indicate   -is awkward and unidiomatic –

D. indicating that a child’s acquisition of language, thinking, and emotional skills is -best among the lot.
 
E. indicative of a child’s acquisition of language, thinking, and emotional skills as

As in B, - Indicative of a child  – a circumlocutory expression –  Findings that indicate or indicating  - is more forthright

D therefore is the right choice

tingting85114 · Answer

In April 1997, Hillary Rodham Clinton hosted an all-day White House scientific conference on new findings that indicates a child’s acquiring language, thinking, and emotional skills as an active process that may be largely completed before age three.

A. that indicates a child’s acquiring language, thinking, and emotional skills as
B. that are indicative of a child acquiring language, thinking, and emotional skills as
C. to indicate that when a child acquires language, thinking, and emotional skills, that it is
D. indicating that a child’s acquisition of language, thinking, and emotional skills is
E. indicative of a child’s acquisition of language, thinking, and emotional skills as

I think I am still a little bit confused about the using of the present participles :cry:

On this example, I eliminated D because I think the "indicating"can't function as a verb by itself. If it is used as a modifier to modify the whole first sentence, a "," will be needed before the "indicating".

Can someone help me, please?

On this example, I eliminated D because I think the "indicating"can't function as a verb by itself. If it is used as a modifier to modify the whole first sentence, a "," will be needed before the "indicating". Can someone help me, please?

tingting85114 · Answer

Hi Mike, Thanks for the explanation

If in (A ), "indicate" is the correct verb form, and the "skill" is followed by "is" not "as", is this sentence deemed correct? Thanks

mikemcgarry · Answer

No, that's not the only problem with (A). There's also an issue of idiom ---- Incorrect idiom : to indicate A as B Correct idiom : to indicate that A is B The word "indicate" is idiomatically followed by a full "that" clause, not by an "as" construction. Does that make sense? Mike :-)

harkabir · Answer

Hi Mike

Thanks for the explanation. Most high scoring GMAT test takers stand on the shoulders of giants and judging by your quality and level of participation I am sure you have offered your shoulders to many.

I have gone through all of the links you posted in your explanation. My understanding is :
1. The ing form as a modifier is not only acceptable but preferred to the noun forms. Can you think of any exceptions?
2. The ing form in this case  should not  (as opposed to need not) have a comma for it were to have a command and we were to remove the portion that comes after the comma the sentence would make no sense.
3. The correct idiom is indicate that x is y

Are my points 1 and 2 correct?

mikemcgarry · Answer

Dear harkabir , Thank you for your kind words. For your statement #1, I have absolutely no idea what context you intend. The noun form of what? in what context? Please be more clear. I would totally disagree with your statement #2. The entire issue of whether or not there's a comma has absolutely nothing to do with the nature of the specific modifier ("-ing" or something else) and everything to do with whether it's a vital noun modifier. I drove to the city to bid farewell to my friend leaving for Germany. No comma because the modifier " leaving for Germany " is a vital modifier --- it makes clear the identity of the "friend." When I entered the house, I heard my mother, arguing on the phone with my sister. Here we have a comma, because the the modifier " arguing on the phone with my sister " is not vital --- it is not needed to establish the identity of my mother. Does this make sense? Mike :-)

mun23 · Answer

answer is D.Here is idiomatic problem.
(A)indicates.....................as is non idiomatic
(B) that  modifies  the white house scientific conference   which is singular.so use of  are   is incorrect and  indicative of..............as  is non idiomatic
(C)It distorts the intended meaning of the sentence
(D)Correctly modifies and correctly use idiom  indicating that.................is 
(E)Again incorrect idiom  indicative of......as

If you find this post helpful then kudos plz

him1985 · Answer

In April 1997, Hillary Rodham Clinton hosted an all-day White House scientific
conference on new findings that indicates a child’s acquiring language, thinking, and
emotional skills as an active process that may be largely completed before age three.

Lets analyse the ques:
P1 : In April 1997
C1 : Hillary Rodham Clinton hosted an all-day White House scientific conference on new findings -  HR Clinton is the subject and hosted is the verb 
C2 : That  indicates  a child’s acquiring language, thinking, and emotional skills as an active process -  that is the subject referring to findings and indicates is the verb 
C3 : that may be largely completed before age three. -  That is the subject and may be completed is the verb

The problem in this sentence is subject-veb agreement.

There is split in the answer choices between as and is.

The answers that include as are incorrect. X indicates Y as Z and X is indicative of Y as Z are incorrect idioms. The correct idioms are:

X indicates that Y is Z 
X is indicative of Y (no Z)

A. that  indicates  a child’s acquiring language, thinking, and emotional skills as -  same as explained above

B. that are  indicative of a child  acquiring language, thinking, and emotional skills as -  Incorrect idiom - indicative of a child suggests that findings are indicative of a child

C.  to indicate  that when a child acquires language, thinking, and emotional skills,  that it is  -  to indicate suggest that conference was hosted to indicate something and second that is not required and it has no antecedent

D. indicating that a child’s acquisition of language, thinking, and emotional skills is  -  correct choice

E.  indicative of  a child’s acquisition of language, thinking, and emotional skills  as  -  incorrect Idiom

D is correct and more direct choice. Hope it helps

AR15J · Answer

I thought first that Choice D is correct. However, "a child???s acquisition of language, thinking, and emotional skills" should be followed by a plural verb. 
Am I incorrect?

Other choice does not seem to be correct.

sayantanc2k · Answer

"Acquisition" is the subject, which is singular. The verb "is" is alright.

anairamitch1804 · Answer

"Acquisition" is the subject, which is singular. The verb "is" is alright.
There is split in the answer choices between as and is. 
The answers that include as are incorrect. X indicates Y as Z and X is indicative of Y as Z are incorrect idioms. The correct idioms are: 
X indicates that Y is Z 
X is indicative of Y (no Z) 
X indicates that Y is Z is preferable because it's more direct. 
Eliminate A, B and E. 
In C, the pronoun it is ambiguous. 
The correct answer is D.

AkshdeepS · Answer

A. that  indicates  a child’s acquiring language, thinking, and emotional skills as

B. that are  indicative of a child  acquiring language, thinking, and emotional skills as

C.  to indicate that when  a child acquires language, thinking, and emotional skills,
that  it is

D. indicating that a child’s acquisition of language, thinking, and emotional skills is

E.  indicative of a child’s acquisition  of language, thinking, and emotional skills as

A. S V error - Findings ---- indicate is required

B. We want show the result of findings, therefore "VERB - ING" modifier is required. Also, indicative of a child is awkward.

C. "when" changes the meaning. Also, "that it is" wrong.

D. Correct

E. Same as B

Anush56 · Answer

Experts please help.
I eliminated option D thinking that it might be referring to the conference. 
Like this : Hillary hosted a conference ... indicating that .. 
I thought this distorts the meaning. By stating that maybe new findings don't indicate but the conference indicate.  mikemcgarry 
What is wrong in my understanding ?

mahantakash · Answer

Anush56
In case of Verb-ing modifiers, if there is a comma preceeding the modifier then the modifier modifies the entire clause.
But here, There is no comma after findings. Hence modifier indicating is modifying "findings".
I hope this helps.

milanrajb · Answer

(A) that indicates a child’s acquiring language, thinking, and emotional skills as
- Out
1) Indicates should be indicate
2) Usage of "as" is not proper - We use as with a noun to refer to the role or purpose of a person or thing

(B) that are indicative of a child acquiring language, thinking, and emotional skills as
- Out
1) Usage of indicative doesn't makes sense
2) usage of "as" not required

(C) to indicate that when a child acquires language, thinking, and emotional skills, that it is
- Out
1) When is used to modify timelines in GMAT
2) That it is - meaning not clear

(D) indicating that a child’s acquisition of language, thinking, and emotional skills is
- Will keep it

(E) indicative of a child’s acquisition of language, thinking, and emotional skills as
- Out
Same as B

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In April 1997, Hillary Rodham Clinton hosted an all-day White House

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In April 1997, Hillary Rodham Clinton hosted an all-day White House

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