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The answer is D. It is the only one that follows the correct form of ,if (past tense)…then (past) condition.
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AjiteshArun
Can you please brief how A is correct ?
As mikemcgarry mentioned it is not official question but I didn't understand how A is correct ?
Since if I were then I would..
We need could instead of can
how can is correct ?
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teaserbae
Can you please brief how A is correct ?
The OA mentioned below the question is D. Just check whether that was the option that you went for.
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AjiteshArun
teaserbae
Can you please brief how A is correct ?
The OA mentioned below the question is D. Just check whether that was the option that you went for.

I went for D
I rejected A because can is not correct it should have been could
Is my reasoning correct ?
the other poster before mentioned can is correct too so I got confused
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JS1290
Hi GMATNinja GMATNinjaTwo VeritasKarishma,

I was wondering could you one of you please explain the underlying difference between option A and D. The tag for this question is given as a GMATPrep; however, upon doing a simple google search, I found no search results for this question except for the GMATClub. mikemcgarry mentioned this is not a good question; however, the tag for this question is listed as an official one. I am not completely sure if this question is indeed an official question but if one of you could please share your thoughts between option A and D, I would greatly appreciate it!
daagh
My first reaction is that this question may not be an official GMAT Prep question. Lately, there are plenty of questions that are doing the rounds in the garb of GMATPREP questions.
I agree with daagh here. Something seems really, really fishy with this question: it doesn't appear anywhere else online, and the non-underlined portion sounds like it was written by a non-native speaker.

So please don't waste your time on this question! I've changed the tag to "other -- please specify", but if anybody can verify that it actually comes from GMATPrep, let us know, and we'll change it back.
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bb Bunuel generis

This is a Gmatprep question, can some tag this question properly.
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Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
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hero_with_1000_faces
bb Bunuel generis

This is a Gmatprep question, can some tag this question properly.

_________________
Done. Thank you.
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I don't know what source this problem is from but I think this table will help you:

Attachment:
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If...were...then....might/would/could

EBITDA
It has often been assumed that if governments limit fishing, the numbers of fish will increase, but in the case of fish such as salmon such a recovery can come about much more readily if governments were to order the removal of the dams that limit the water-flow required by spawning fish.

(A) can come about much more readily if governments were to order the removal of the dams that limit the water-flow required by spawning fish.

(B) would come about much more readily if governments order the removal of the dams that limit the water-flow that spawning fish requires.

(C) came about much more readily if governments would order the removal of the dams that limit the water-flow required by spawning fish.

(D) might come about much more readily if governments were to order the removal of the dams that limit the water-flow required by spawning fish.

(E) would have come about much more readily if governments ordered the removal of the dams that limit the water flow that fish need in order to spawn.
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some grammar book say that "were to do" , if used in the if-clause , show an action happen after the action in the main clause. this is opposite to the normal order in which action in the if-clause happen before the action in the main clause. the following example is from the grammar book
Jone need to improve his technics if he is to win the gold medal next olympic
Jone has said that he will retired from the athletic if he win gold medal at the next olympics

but our problem is different and, contradict to the point in grammar book

we dont need to know how to use "if were to do" to solve this problem. but the point is gmatprep could be strange.

the takeaway is that "were to do" can be used in the if-clause though this phrase is future tense similar to "will do" . but "will do" can not be used in if-clause.
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EBITDA
It has often been assumed that if governments limit fishing, the numbers of fish will increase, but in the case of fish such as salmon such a recovery can come about much more readily if governments were to order the removal of the dams that limit the water-flow required by spawning fish.

(A) can come about much more readily if governments were to order the removal of the dams that limit the water-flow required by spawning fish.

(B) would come about much more readily if governments order the removal of the dams that limit the water-flow that spawning fish requires.

(C) came about much more readily if governments would order the removal of the dams that limit the water-flow required by spawning fish.

(D) might come about much more readily if governments were to order the removal of the dams that limit the water-flow required by spawning fish.

(E) would have come about much more readily if governments ordered the removal of the dams that limit the water flow that fish need in order to spawn.

GMATNinja can u help with this one? I was stuck between B and D and I chose D in the end.
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So.....

Is it a gmat prep question or not? Lol

The posts seem to yo-yo back and forth on the issue.

GMATNinja

Are we still going unofficial?

Posted from my mobile device
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babuvgmat
a) can come about much more readily if governments were to order the removal of the dams that limit the water-flow required by spawning fish.
hypothetical subjunctive for ( if i were to ...i would .. ) hold it as not sure about can

b) would come about much more readily if governments order the removal of the dams that limit the water-flow that spawning fish requires. --
if < present tense (order)> then would -- wrong

c) came about much more readily if governments would order the removal of the dams that limit the water-flow required by spawning fish.

if < would order > then came -- wrong

d) might come about much more readily if governments were to order the removal of the dams that limit the water-flow required by spawning fish.
same as A . and this option seems inferior to A .

e) would have come about much more readily if governments ordered the removal of the dams that limit the water flow that fish need in order to spawn.

if < past tense (ordered) > then only past tense or only would is allowed , but not would have -- wrong.



IMO A

Answer is D not A... can is not correct ... might is correct
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Michele4
EBITDA
It has often been assumed that if governments limit fishing, the numbers of fish will increase, but in the case of fish such as salmon such a recovery can come about much more readily if governments were to order the removal of the dams that limit the water-flow required by spawning fish.

(A) can come about much more readily if governments were to order the removal of the dams that limit the water-flow required by spawning fish.

(B) would come about much more readily if governments order the removal of the dams that limit the water-flow that spawning fish requires.

(C) came about much more readily if governments would order the removal of the dams that limit the water-flow required by spawning fish.

(D) might come about much more readily if governments were to order the removal of the dams that limit the water-flow required by spawning fish.

(E) would have come about much more readily if governments ordered the removal of the dams that limit the water flow that fish need in order to spawn.

GMATNinja can u help with this one? I was stuck between B and D and I chose D in the end.
Sure thing!

The easiest way to kill (B) is to evaluate the phrase "that spawning fish requires." Here, "fish" is plural, as it wouldn't make a whole of sense in this context to talk about just one spawning fish. Because we also need a plural verb to go with "fish," we have a subject-verb error. It should be "that spawning fish require."

Notice that (D) skirts the issue altogether by using "required" as a modifier, which is perfectly fine.

I hope that clears things up!
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babuvgmat
EBITDA
It has often been assumed that if governments limit fishing, the numbers of fish will increase, but in the case of fish such as salmon such a recovery can come about much more readily if governments were to order the removal of the dams that limit the water-flow required by spawning fish.

a) can come about much more readily if governments were to order the removal of the dams that limit the water-flow required by spawning fish.
hypothetical subjunctive for ( if i were to ...i would .. ) hold it as not sure about can

b) would come about much more readily if governments order the removal of the dams that limit the water-flow that spawning fish requires. --
if < present tense (order)> then would -- wrong

c) came about much more readily if governments would order the removal of the dams that limit the water-flow required by spawning fish.

if < would order > then came -- wrong

d) might come about much more readily if governments were to order the removal of the dams that limit the water-flow required by spawning fish.
same as A . and this option seems inferior to A .

e) would have come about much more readily if governments ordered the removal of the dams that limit the water flow that fish need in order to spawn.

if < past tense (ordered) > then only past tense or only would is allowed , but not would have -- wrong.

I think you're not totally correct here, the non-underlined part of the sentence is in past perfect tense not present tense and its absolutely fine to use would+have+verb clause to demonstrate the 'then' clause of the sentense

IMO A.
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It has often been assumed that if governments limit fishing, the numbers of fish will increase, but in the case of fish such as salmon such a recovery can come about much more readily if governments were to order the removal of the dams that limit the water-flow required by spawning fish.

(A) can come about much more readily if governments were to order the removal of the dams that limit the water-flow required by spawning fish.

If governments were (Past tense)....., such a recovery can (present tense ) . Eliminate

(B) would come about much more readily if governments order the removal of the dams that limit the water-flow that spawning fish requires.

if governments order(Present tense)....., such a recovery would(Past tense).....

(C) came about much more readily if governments would order the removal of the dams that limit the water-flow required by spawning fish.

came about . How such a recovery already came . This is a conditional statement . If ....., then ...... So, Using came here is appropriate. Eliminate

(D) might come about much more readily if governments were to order the removal of the dams that limit the water-flow required by spawning fish.
Good

(E) would have come about much more readily if governments ordered the removal of the dams that limit the water flow that fish need in order to spawn.
Good in terms of If and then. But there other issues. water flow - error, in order to spawn - meaning error. Eliminate.
D must be the OA.

#Believeinurself
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Hello team,

I got the answer but still have one query.
As first independent clause is in present tense, then is it not illogical to have second independent clause with past tense ?

Specially in this case in which both first and second clause are talking about same stuff.
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