Last visit was: 20 Nov 2025, 06:32 It is currently 20 Nov 2025, 06:32
Home
GMAT
Messages
Tests
Schools
Events
Rewards
Chat
My Profile
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Go to My Error Log Learn more
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
Back to Forum
Create Topic
   1   2   3 
605-655 Level|   Comparisons|      
User avatar
ExpertsGlobal5
User avatar
Experts' Global Representative
Joined: 10 Jul 2017
Last visit: 20 Nov 2025
Posts: 5,198
Own Kudos:
4,771
 [1]
Given Kudos: 43
Location: India
GMAT Date: 11-01-2019
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 5,198
Kudos: 4,771
 [1]
Many airline carriers are attempting to increase profitability while 28 Dec 2021, 07:19
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Roonsta
Can somebody help explain why A isn't correct? Is it really just the fact that we are comparing AMOUNT vs. NUMBER? Nothing pertaining to doing so by?

A sounded so good to me (Despite the amount vs. number thing, which admittedly im not the sharpest on) - and I haven't seen a whole lot of explanation on this. I almost picked D but the but seemed so awkward... I want to make sure I dont make this mistake again!
Show more

Hello Roonsta,

We hope this finds you well.

Having gone through the question and your query, we believe we can resolve your doubt.

Option A is incorrect because of the use of "amount" for the countable noun "flights". Additionally, Option D is superior to Option A due to its use of "but"; "but" better conveys the sense of contrast - between offering the same number of flights and "using larger planes that fly more efficiently" - needed to convey the intended meaning.

We hope this helps.
All the best!
Experts' Global Team
User avatar
GMATNinja
User avatar
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
Joined: 13 Aug 2009
Last visit: 19 Nov 2025
Posts: 7,443
Own Kudos:
69,788
Given Kudos: 2,060
Status: GMAT/GRE/LSAT tutors
Location: United States (CO)
GMAT 1: 780 Q51 V46
GMAT 2: 800 Q51 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V170
GRE 2: Q170 V170
Products:
GMAT Club Tests Forum Quiz
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT 2: 800 Q51 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V170
GRE 2: Q170 V170
Posts: 7,443
Kudos: 69,788
Many airline carriers are attempting to increase profitability while 31 Dec 2021, 10:31
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Roonsta
Can somebody help explain why A isn't correct? Is it really just the fact that we are comparing AMOUNT vs. NUMBER? Nothing pertaining to doing so by?

A sounded so good to me (Despite the amount vs. number thing, which admittedly im not the sharpest on) - and I haven't seen a whole lot of explanation on this. I almost picked D but the but seemed so awkward... I want to make sure I dont make this mistake again!
Show more
In addition to the "amount" vs "number" stuff, (A) has a couple of meaning issues.

First, the "doing so by" suggests that "using larger planes that fly more efficiently" is how the airline carriers are offering an equal amount of flights, and that doesn't make any sense. The carriers aren't using larger planes to offer an equal amount of flights.

Also, it sounds as though "offering an equal amount of flights" is the way they are going to increase profitability while keeping overhead low. But why would offering an EQUAL amount of flights change profitability?

In other words, (A) suggests that the strategy for increasing profitability is simply offering an equal amount of flights. And how are they going to offer an equal amount of flights? By using larger planes that fly more efficiently. Neither of those things makes sense.

As explained in this post, offering the same number of flights only helps if they use larger planes that fly more efficiently. That meaning is clearer in (D).

I hope that helps!
User avatar
vshr
User avatar
Joined: 17 Feb 2018
Last visit: 26 May 2023
Posts: 17
Own Kudos:
4
Given Kudos: 35
GMAT 1: 730 Q50 V39
GPA: 4
Products:
My Reviews
GMAT 1: 730 Q50 V39
Posts: 17
Kudos: 4
Many airline carriers are attempting to increase profitability while 12 May 2022, 14:56
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hey MartyTargetTestPrep,

Could you please help me with this question?

My thought on choice D is that it has an illogical comparison. It seems to indicate that we are comparing 'the number' with 'last year'. Similarly, there is another official question that is similarly confusing as the OA (choice A) looks like another illogical comparison:

Heating-oil prices are expected to be higher this year than last because refiners are paying about $5 a barrel more for crude oil than they were last year.

(A) Heating-oil prices are expected to be higher this year than last because refiners are paying about $5 a barrel more for crude oil than they were
[Heating price > another price and not year?]

My question is how do we decide when the comparison is illogical and when it is not? Is there a trick to see some verbs or modifiers or something? I am really lost with this one :)

Thanks,
Vyom
User avatar
MartyTargetTestPrep
User avatar
Target Test Prep Representative
Joined: 24 Nov 2014
Last visit: 11 Aug 2023
Posts: 3,476
Own Kudos:
5,580
 [2]
Given Kudos: 1,430
Status:Chief Curriculum and Content Architect
Affiliations: Target Test Prep
GMAT 1: 800 Q51 V51
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT 1: 800 Q51 V51
Posts: 3,476
Kudos: 5,580
 [2]
Many airline carriers are attempting to increase profitability while 16 May 2022, 23:12
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
vshr
Hey MartyTargetTestPrep,

Could you please help me with this question?

My thought on choice D is that it has an illogical comparison. It seems to indicate that we are comparing 'the number' with 'last year'. Similarly, there is another official question that is similarly confusing as the OA (choice A) looks like another illogical comparison:

Heating-oil prices are expected to be higher this year than last because refiners are paying about $5 a barrel more for crude oil than they were last year.

(A) Heating-oil prices are expected to be higher this year than last because refiners are paying about $5 a barrel more for crude oil than they were
[Heating price > another price and not year?]

My question is how do we decide when the comparison is illogical and when it is not? Is there a trick to see some verbs or modifiers or something? I am really lost with this one :)

Thanks,
Vyom
Show more
I personally have seen that the GMAT plays pretty fast and loose with comparisons. So, I look for the best one rather than for a good one.

In the case of this question, all choices but (D) clearly say something illogical because of what they INCLUDE.

On the other hand, the (D) version simply OMITS wording that would make it more logical. In other words, by understanding certain words to be included, we can read (D) logically, whereas because of what's included in other versions, there is no way to read them logically.

So, the (D) version is the only version that can be read logically at all.

Also, from what I've seen, the GMAT is OK with eliding many words when an adverbial modifier is used in a comparison. In this case, "last year" is an adverbial modifier. So, while the (D) version appears to compare "the same number" with "last year," the GMAT, along with many people, does not consider this comparison illogical because it's clear that "last year" is an adverbial modifier and thus that "the same number" is not being compared with "last year."

So, we can go with (D) as the correct answer.

Also, notice that this same approach can be used to choose the credited answer to the question about heating oil prices that you mentioned above: the "correct answer" produces the best comparison, the other versions are clearly illogical, and the GMAT seems to find it clear that a noun, "heating oil prices," is not being compared with an adverbial modifier, "last (year)."

All that said, both of these questions are old SC questions that appear to be from the time before GMAC switched to a new SC provider that provides higher quality SC questions than the previous provider provided. So, it's quite likely that you won't have to deal with such comparisons questions on today's GMAT.
User avatar
marcoplebs
User avatar
Joined: 12 Dec 2022
Last visit: 25 May 2023
Posts: 8
Given Kudos: 3
Location: Italy
GMAT 1: 730 Q50 V39
GMAT 1: 730 Q50 V39
Posts: 8
Kudos: 0
Many airline carriers are attempting to increase profitability while 28 Apr 2023, 09:55
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hi guys,
Sorry to pick up an old question. I have a doubt about the correct choice D.

Many airline carriers are attempting to increase profitability while keeping overhead low by offering, in terms of flights, the same number as last year but using larger planes that fly more efficiently.

Can someone explain why this is not a run-on sentence? I figured a comma was needed before but, as in:

Many airline carriers are attempting to increase profitability while keeping overhead low by offering, in terms of flights, the same number as last year, but using larger planes that fly more efficiently.

Thank you!
User avatar
GMATNinja
User avatar
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
Joined: 13 Aug 2009
Last visit: 19 Nov 2025
Posts: 7,443
Own Kudos:
69,788
Given Kudos: 2,060
Status: GMAT/GRE/LSAT tutors
Location: United States (CO)
GMAT 1: 780 Q51 V46
GMAT 2: 800 Q51 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V170
GRE 2: Q170 V170
Products:
GMAT Club Tests Forum Quiz
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT 2: 800 Q51 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V170
GRE 2: Q170 V170
Posts: 7,443
Kudos: 69,788
Many airline carriers are attempting to increase profitability while 03 May 2023, 09:38
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
marcoplebs
Hi guys,

Sorry to pick up an old question. I have a doubt about the correct choice D.

Many airline carriers are attempting to increase profitability while keeping overhead low by offering, in terms of flights, the same number as last year but using larger planes that fly more efficiently.

Can someone explain why this is not a run-on sentence? I figured a comma was needed before but, as in:

Many airline carriers are attempting to increase profitability while keeping overhead low by offering, in terms of flights, the same number as last year, but using larger planes that fly more efficiently.

Thank you!
Show more
The phrase "using larger planes that fly more efficiently" isn't an independent clause, so the comma isn't necessary.

As explained in this post, the word "but" gives us a parallel construction in (D): "Many airline carriers are attempting to increase profitability by offering {...} but using {...}.

I hope that helps a bit!
User avatar
Fdambro294
User avatar
Joined: 10 Jul 2019
Last visit: 20 Aug 2025
Posts: 1,350
Own Kudos:
742
Given Kudos: 1,656
Posts: 1,350
Kudos: 742
Many airline carriers are attempting to increase profitability while 22 Jun 2023, 00:34
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
marcoplebs
Hi guys,
Sorry to pick up an old question. I have a doubt about the correct choice D.

Many airline carriers are attempting to increase profitability while keeping overhead low by offering, in terms of flights, the same number as last year but using larger planes that fly more efficiently.

Can someone explain why this is not a run-on sentence? I figured a comma was needed before but, as in:

Many airline carriers are attempting to increase profitability while keeping overhead low by offering, in terms of flights, the same number as last year, but using larger planes that fly more efficiently.

Thank you!
Show more

Comma inclusion is an issue of style.

By choosing to exclude the comma, the author makes clear that the airline is attempting to increase profitability by engaging in one, overall “plan.”

That plan is “offering the same number of fights as last year but using larger planes that fly more efficiently.”

A comma inserted before “but” doesn’t quite imply the exact same meaning.

In the end, it’s mainly an issue of style, and thus unimportant. The main thing is that the conjunction “but” helps to convey the correct meaning and provide the necessary marker for the parallel structure (as stated above by gmatninja).

Posted from my mobile device
User avatar
Raman109
User avatar
Joined: 17 Aug 2009
Last visit: 28 Jul 2025
Posts: 805
Own Kudos:
170
Given Kudos: 33
Posts: 805
Kudos: 170
Many airline carriers are attempting to increase profitability while 21 Oct 2023, 13:24
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Many airline carriers are attempting to increase profitability while keeping overhead low by offering, in terms of flights, an equal amount as last year, doing so by using larger planes that fly more efficiently.

Option elimination -

(A) an equal amount as last year, doing so by - "amount" for a countable number is wrong. Also, there is a weird meaning as well. Take, for instance, "....by offering an equal amount as last year, doing so ....meaning they are achieving an equal amount of flights by using larger planes. This is ridiculous.

(B) the same number offered last year - ING without comma modifies the noun before it. so "using" modifies "year." Did the year use large planes? No.

(C) an equal amount offered last year and - "amount" for a countable number is wrong. Moreover, "and" implies they did two actions independently. They offered an equal amount last year and used larger planes. The contrast here is missing.

(D) the same number as last year but - perfect. ...offering the same number as last year but using ....it conveys the contrast that while they are using the same number, they are using bigger efficient planes.

(E) an equal number as were offered last year, - an equal number is singular. E.g., An equal number of students and teachers attended the event. That number is one fixed number say earlier they had 300 planes, and now they have the same number. And using "were" for singular is wrong. Moreover, the contrast that was best conveyed in D is missing.
   1   2   3 
Moderators:
GMATNinja
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
7443 posts
GMATNinjaTwo
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
231 posts
miag
189 posts