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Independent contractors pay higher taxes and paid less consistently

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Mavisdu1017

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09 Apr 2022, 04:07

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rvgmat12

OE:

The sentence describes several differences between the situation of independent contractors and that of statutory employees. The first two observations depict the situation of independent contractors as less favorable than that of statutory employees, but the reverse is true of the final observation; therefore, the sentence must properly express the contrast between the first two observations and the last one. Additionally, the first two observations—each of which describes a relative disadvantage faced by independent contractors—should be written in parallel.

(A) And links the constructions pay... and paid... These constructions are not parallel: the first is a verb phrase, but the second is a participial modifier. The helping verb to be (appearing here as are) cannot be used to stand for an action verb, so the construction are statutory employees is not parallel to pay higher taxes. The adverb freely is incorrectly placed; it is intended to describe the act of performing similar work for other companies, but, in its current location, it illogically modifies "allowed". Finally, the modifier unlike statutory employees is used to modify a pronoun (they) rather than a noun, resulting in an awkward and unacceptable construction.

(B) CORRECT. The two disadvantages faced by independent contractors are properly represented by two parallel verbs (pay... and are paid...), and the transition though is appropriately used to describe the contrast between the first two observations and the last.

(C) This construction contains a list of three constructions (pay..., are paid..., and they may freely...) that is incorrect in terms of both meaning and grammar. The construction x, y, and z makes no sense here, since the last observation contrasts with the first two; the same list is also grammatically nonparallel, since pay and paid are verbs but they may... is a full clause with a subject and a verb.

(D) The transition in addition implies that the following statement reinforces the idea(s) stated earlier; in this sentence, the last observation contrasts with the first two, so in addition is inappropriate.

(E) And links the constructions pay... and paid... These constructions are not parallel: the first is a verb phrase, but the second is a participial modifier. The helping verb to be (appearing here as are) cannot be used to stand for an action verb, so the construction are statutory employees is not parallel to pay higher taxes. Finally, the transition moreover implies that the following statement reinforces the idea(s) stated earlier; in this sentence, the last observation contrasts with the first two, so moreover is inappropriate.

I went with D too but I second the OE on D. There is no error in the comparison, but the logic meaning is the key.

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18 Apr 2022, 09:15

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Hi AjiteshArun EducationAisle

Can we use "unlike" and "though" in the same sentence? Isn't there a redundancy issue ?

EducationAisle

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18 Apr 2022, 09:25

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Namangupta1997

Hi AjiteshArun EducationAisle

Can we use "unlike" and "though" in the same sentence? Isn't there a redundancy issue ?

"though" is used to depict "however" here. "unlike" is obviously used to show "contrast".

Hence, there is no redundancy issue here Naman.

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18 Apr 2022, 20:36

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Namangupta1997

Hi AjiteshArun EducationAisle

Can we use "unlike" and "though" in the same sentence? Isn't there a redundancy issue ?

Hi Namangupta1997,

As EducationAisle points out, though can also be used to mean ~however. That meaning is possible when though is used as a conjunction, but it's also possible when though is used as an adverb. Keeping that in mind, look at the sentence like this:

1. ABC; however, DEF. ← Replacing though with however and moving it to the front of the second clause makes the sentence easier to read. The important point is that the contrast is between ABC and DEF.

Now, within DEF, we see this structure:

2. Unlike X, Y ← Unlike is not for ABC and DEF. Instead, it's for statutory employees (which is followed by independent contractors).

Putting (1) and (2) together, we get:

3. {ABC}; however, {unlike X, Y}.

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19 Apr 2022, 05:41

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Namangupta1997

Hi AjiteshArun EducationAisle

Can we use "unlike" and "though" in the same sentence? Isn't there a redundancy issue ?

Hello Namangupta1997,

We hope this finds you well.

As other experts have pointed out, the use of "unlike" alongside "though" in this sentence does not lead to a redundancy issue.

We would like to raise an additional point: redundancy is a demerit in GMAT, but it is not a valid basis for disqualifying an answer choice; an answer choice may feature redundancy but still be correct; redundancy should only be taken into consideration when there are multiple error-free answer choices.

We hope this helps.
All the best!
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15 Nov 2022, 11:24

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in C] how to correctly use the expression- '' than are statutory employees''

what is wrong with 'are' above

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16 Nov 2022, 05:44

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mansianand1234

in C] how to correctly use the expression- '' than are statutory employees''

what is wrong with 'are' above

Hello mansianand1234,

We hope this finds you well.

To answer your query, the "are" needs to come before "paid"; the contractors are the object of the action "paid", meaning the verb is in the passive form; thus, "paid" is the past participle form of "pay" and must be paired with an active verb, such as "is", "are", "were", etc.

We hope this helps.
All the best!
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18 Nov 2022, 10:05

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GMATNinja - I am really seeking your answer on this one. I have wrapped my head around a lot. but not sure how to differentiate between B and D? Is the verb comparison in D not correct?

To simplify - which of the two constructions below are correct:
- A pays more than B
- A pay more than B does

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20 Nov 2022, 06:12

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kittle

Hello kittle,

We hope this finds you well.

To answer your query, the error in Option D is the use of "in addition"; the ideas presented in the two clauses contrast one another - the first points out a disadvantage independent contractors face and the second points out an advantage; thus, we need a conjunction that conveys contrast, such as "though" on Option B.

We hope this helps.
All the best!
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22 Nov 2022, 08:00

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kittle

It looks like the parallelism is the kicker here:

pay higher taxes

are paid less consistently

If we try to match up "pay higher taxes" with the "than" part, we get, "Independent contractors pay higher taxes than ARE statutory employees..." That doesn't work. We need, "Independent contractors pay higher taxes THAN statutory employees," and that's exactly what we get in (B).

You might be asking yourself, "Well, why does the 'than' part have to go with the first item in the list?" Without it, we have, "Independent contractors pay higher taxes," and that doesn't work by itself because it leaves us wondering, "higher taxes than what or who?"

It's an unofficial question, so please don't stress over it too much!

jim441

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Updated on: 24 Nov 2022, 07:30

Originally posted by jim441 on 23 Nov 2022, 05:44.
Last edited by jim441 on 24 Nov 2022, 07:30, edited 1 time in total.

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I narrowed it down to B & D. Howerev, I couldn't choose between them now as it feels like there is no major flaw in D.
Pls Help.

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23 Nov 2022, 22:36

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jim441

I narrowed it down to B & D. Howerev, I can't choose between them now as it feels like there is no major flaw in D.
Pls Help.

There are many things off in option (D).

Independent contractors pay higher taxes and are paid less consistently than are statutory employees; in addition, unlike statutory employees, independent contractors can freely perform the same type of work for multiple businesses.

'and' joins 'pay higher taxes' and 'are paid less consistently'

Independent contractors pay higher taxes than are statutory employees. (Incorrect)
Independent contractors are paid less consistently than are statutory employees. (Ok)
The two don't work with the rest of the sentence.

In option (B), both work properly.

The use of 'though' is far better than the use of 'in addition' because we are showing a contrast. The cons of being an independent contractor versus the pros of being one.

Also, I dislike the use of 'freely' here.
These are different sentences:
Now you can freely perform (the dance in a free manner, say).
Now you are free to perform (no constraints on what you are allowed to do and what not).
The intent is to give the second meaning. So option (B) is better.

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24 Nov 2022, 05:44

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jim441

I narrowed it down to B & D. Howerev, I can't choose between them now as it feels like there is no major flaw in D.
Pls Help.

Hello jim441,

We hope this finds you well.

To answer your query, the primary error in Option D is the use of "in addition"; the ideas presented in the two clauses contrast one another - the first points out a disadvantage independent contractors face and the second points out an advantage; thus, we need a conjunction that conveys contrast, such as "though" on Option B.

We hope this helps.
All the best!
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In option D and E, doesnt unlike by itself showcases contrast? Cause I used this logic to eliminate B due to redundancy issue (option B includes both unlike and though)

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15 May 2023, 06:17

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ShaunakSawant

In option D and E, doesnt unlike by itself showcases contrast? Cause I used this logic to eliminate B due to redundancy issue (option B includes both unlike and though)

Hello ShaunakSawant,

We hope this finds you well.

To answer your query, "unlike" is not sufficient to convey the necessary sense of contrast in Options D and E, as the sentence needs to draw contrast at two separate points: it needs to draw a contrast between independent contractors and statutory employees, and it needs to draw a contrast between the conditions of the two. One part of the intended meaning is the comparison between the advantages and disadvantages that independent contractors and statutory employees have.

We hope this helps.
All the best!
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Independent contractors pay higher taxes, are paid less consistently than statutory employees, and, unlike statutory employees, they may freely perform the same type of work for multiple businesses.

(A) taxes, are paid less consistently than statutory employees, and, unlike statutory employees, they may freely

parallelism error. "pay higher taxes" is parallel to "are paid less" but not parallel to "they may". Also, the use of "and" doesn't bring out the contrast evident in the sentence

(B) taxes and are paid less consistently than statutory employees; unlike statutory employees, though, independent contractors are free to

bingo! correct. contrast word - "though" brings out the intended contrast. comparison between nouns is concise.

(C) taxes and paid less consistently than are statutory employees, but they, unlike statutory employees, are freely allowed to

no verb before paid results in an SV-error.

(D) taxes and are paid less consistently than are statutory employees; in addition, unlike statutory employees, independent contractors can freely

The only problem I see in this option is the use of "in addition". The sentence requires a contrast word - independent contractors pay higher taxes, get paid inconsistently, BUT can freely perform same type of work for different businesses.

The use of "are" before statutory employees is unnecessary, but it isn't wrong.
IC are paid less than Y - comparison between two nouns.
IC are paid less than are (paid) SE - comparison between actions (but since both are in the same tense, the use of "are" is unnecessary)

(E) taxes and paid less consistently than are statutory employees; moreover, unlike statutory employees, they are allowed to

no verb before paid results in an SV-error.

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