In the seventh century B.C., the Roman alphabet was adapted from the

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Here is a detailed explanation to this question-
Meaning is crucial to solving this problem:
Understanding the intended meaning is key to solving this question; the intended core meaning of this sentence is that the Roman alphabet was adapted from the Etruscan alphabet; the Etruscan alphabet had been adapted in the 6th century from a western Greek alphabet, and this western Greek alphabet had been adapted earlier in the 6th century from the Phoenician alphabet.

Concepts tested here: Meaning + Verb Forms + Awkwardness/Redundancy

. The introduction of present participle ("verb+ing") after comma generally leads to a cause-effect relationship.
. “being” is only to be used when it is part of a noun phrase or represents the passive continuous verb tense; the use of passive continuous must be justified in the context.
. If a sentence contains multiple past actions, the past perfect tense (marked by the use of the helping verb “had”) is used to refer to all but the most recent action; the simple past tense is used to refer to the most recent action.

A: Correct. This answer choice modifies the noun phrase "a western Greek alphabet" with the phrase "which itself had been adapted"; thus, Option A avoids the meaning error seen in Options B and D, conveying the intended meaning - that the Etruscan alphabet was adapted in the 6th century from a western Greek alphabet, and in a separate action, this western Greek alphabet had been adapted earlier from the Phoenician alphabet. Further, Option A correctly uses the past perfect tense verb "had been adapted" to refer to the earliest of three actions that concluded in the past - the Roman alphabet being adapted from the Etruscan alphabet, the Etruscan alphabet being adapted from a western Greek alphabet, and this western Greek Alphabet being adapted from the Phonecian alphabet. Additionally, Option A is free of any awkwardness or redundancy.

B: This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "adapting itself earlier"; the use of the "comma + present participle ("verb+ing" - "adapting" in this sentence) illogically implies that the Etruscan alphabet was adapted in the 6th century from a western Greek alphabet because the Etruscan alphabet had adapted itself from the Phonecian alphabet; the intended meaning is that the Etruscan alphabet was adapted in the 6th century from a western Greek alphabet, and in a separate action, this western Greek alphabet had been adapted earlier from the Phoenician alphabet; remember, the introduction of present participle ("verb+ing"- “adapting” in this case) after comma generally leads to a cause-effect relationship.

C: This answer choice incorrectly uses the word "being", leading to awkwardness and redundancy; remember, “being” is only to be used when it is part of a noun phrase or represents the passive continuous verb tense; the use of passive continuous must be justified in the context.

D: This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "having been earlier adapted itself"; the use of the "comma + present participle ("verb+ing" - "having" in this sentence) illogically implies that the Etruscan alphabet was adapted in the 6th century from a western Greek alphabet because the Etruscan alphabet had been adapted the Phonecian alphabet; the intended meaning is that the Etruscan alphabet was adapted in the 6th century from a western Greek alphabet, and in a separate action, this western Greek alphabet had been adapted earlier from the Phoenician alphabet; remember, the introduction of present participle ("verb+ing"- “adapting” in this case) after comma generally leads to a cause-effect relationship. Further, Option D incorrectly uses the participle construction "having been...adapted" to refer to the earliest of three actions that concluded in the past - the Roman alphabet being adapted from the Etruscan alphabet, the Etruscan alphabet being adapted from a western Greek alphabet, and this western Greek Alphabet being adapted from the Phonecian alphabet; remember, if a sentence contains multiple past actions, the past perfect tense (marked by the use of the helping verb “had”) is used to refer to all but the most recent action; the simple past tense is used to refer to the most recent action. Additionally, Option D uses the passive voice construction "having been earlier adapted", leading to awkwardness and redundancy.

E: This answer choice incorrectly uses the participle construction "having been adapted" to refer to the earliest of three actions that concluded in the past - the Roman alphabet being adapted from the Etruscan alphabet, the Etruscan alphabet being adapted from a western Greek alphabet, and this western Greek Alphabet being adapted from the Phonecian alphabet; remember, if a sentence contains multiple past actions, the past perfect tense (marked by the use of the helping verb “had”) is used to refer to all but the most recent action; the simple past tense is used to refer to the most recent action. Further, Option E uses the passive voice construction "having been adapted", leading to awkwardness and redundancy.

Hence, A is the best answer choice.

To understand the concept of "Past Perfect Tense" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~2 minutes):



To understand the use of "Being" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~2 minutes):



To understand the concept of "Comma + Present Participle for Cause-Effect Relationships" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~3 minutes):



All the best!
Experts' Global Team

In the seventh century B.C., the Roman alphabet was adapted from the Etruscan alphabet, which in turn had been adapted in the previous century from a western Greek alphabet, which itself had been adapted earlier in the same century from the Phoenician alphabet.

A. which itself had been adapted earlier
B. adapting itself earlier
C. itself being adapted earlier
D. having been earlier adapted itself
E. earlier itself having been adapted

Since the adaption event happened way back in the past, there is no place for present or present continuous or present perfect tense.
only A satisfies the criteria of past perfect tense.

there are 2 "had done" and 1 "did"

this is the pattern to learn though gmat will not test us

Hi!
Experts, kindly jump in for the review and analysis please.
chetan4u , egmat, magoosh , daagh
between A & B
I picked B solely avoiding A because A was having WHICH... again refeerring to that alphabet.. and I assumed needed some ING modifier.
Thanks

I hardly expect such grammar structure will appear in real gmat. Fortunately, there is a key word here; that is, "earlier" indicates a past perfect tense. Nevertheless, I have a question. The time sequel is clear "1 century earlier", so past tense can be used? Here, there is no past tense among options.

I have a question. The time sequel is clear "1 century earlier", so past tense can be used? Here, there is no past tense among options.

In general, you'll want the verb tenses to reflect the timeline of the actions in the sentence. And in this case, notice that there IS simple past tense in the non-underlined portion of the sentence: "the Roman alphabet was adapted from the Etruscan alphabet."

The other actions in the sentence all happened even earlier than that -- so it's a whole lot clearer if those other actions are in past perfect tense, as others here have suggested.

Sequence of Events

1. In the past, something happened ===========================> Simple Past Tense =====> "-ed" form of the verb

2. Before the above event, something had happened ==============> Past Perfect Tense =====> "had" + been + "-ed" form of the verb

3. Again, before the above event, something had happened ==========> Past perfect Tense =====> "had" + been + "-ed" form of the verb

As per the above sequencing logic, option A is correct.

If this question is from OG sources, then it might appear someday, even if it has not appeared so far; maybe this is GMAT's way of evaluating responses by floating the questions in the OG. One day it might help posterity.
With reference to the use of past perfect, the takeaway is that GMAT couldn't care less about it, because in the very prior part it has accepted the use of past perfect without underlining, in spite of the use of the word 'previous" to pinpoint a deeper past.
It will be worthwhile to consider this topic ignoring the past perfect aspect, in which case, A is acceptable.

The answer is A
The first thing that strike me first was the clause western alphabet is essential modifier .
So we need relative pronoun to refer to the noun it is modifying.
Only A makes sense
B, C , D are out they suggest that the alphabet itself evolved .
E is wrong because of earlier and wrong usage of present perfect continuous tense.

I used too much of mind to eliminate option A

which itself had been adapted earlier

My thought process was as we are already using "had", so timeline is already defined therefore use of "earlier" is redundant.

Was I completely wrong folks ? and what is wrong with option "C".

GMATNinja sayantanc2k mikemcgarry
egmat

B to E, can be eliminated, as the language cannot adapt itself.
and having etc, sounds outright stupid.

daagh

Can you please elaborate what's wrong in D and E
I have understand the OA is A
But I was pondering why D and E are wrong.

D. having been earlier adapted itself

- If you want -ing to modify NOUN in the end of the sentence, you set right after NOUN without comma. Otherwise (if you have a comma), the -ing modifies the whole preceding clause or subject+verb. As per this option

Etruscan alphabet, which in turn had been adapted... having been earlier adapted itself. But you need a modifier that would refer to Greek alphabet

E. earlier itself having been adapted

- Again it's adverbal phrase that can modify many, many thing: action(verb) of the clause, subject, object...


So you need some "modest" modifier that would touch Greek alphabet and follow the line of tenses (have to have past perfect in it)
A. which itself had been adapted earlier - makes this job perfectly

The answer choice is A, but I still feel "earlier" in A to be redundant.

i think in option D and E

(correct me if i am wrong,) its not past tense, its perfect continuous tense, and adapted is not verb, it is past participle