Most of the homes that were destroyed in last summers brush

Question

Most of the homes that were destroyed in last summer’s brush fires were built with wood-shake
roofs.
(A) Most of the homes that were destroyed in last summer’s brush fires were
(B) Last summer, brush fires destroyed most of the homes that were
(C) Most of the homes that were destroyed in last summer’s brush fires had been
(D) Most of the homes that the brush fires destroyed last summer’s have been
(E) Most of the homes destroyed in last summer’s brush fires were being

What do you think is the answer, and why?

seekmba · Answer

I was torn between A and B. But would pick (B).

Most of the homes that were destroyed in last summer’s brush fires were built with wood-shake
roofs.

(A) Most of the homes that were destroyed in last summer’s  brush fires were 
(B) Last summer, brush fires destroyed most of the  homes that were 
(C) Most of the homes that were destroyed in last summer’s brush fires  had been 
(D) Most of the homes that the brush fires destroyed  last summer’s   have been 
(E) Most of the homes destroyed in last summer’s brush fires  were being

gmatbull · Answer

But what's wrong with option C? The homes were destroyed by the brush fire that occurred last summer. Right?
Before the fire incidence, they (the homes) had been built with wood-shake roofs.

So, to indicate the sequence of events, option C say's "...the homes that were destroyed in last summer's brush fire had been built with ..."

I'd love your feedback on this.

prabir2001 · Answer

(A) Looks Correct- keep as a contender.
(B) Changes the meaning of original Sentance- discard.
(C) Looks Correct, Grammatically Logical, no new error introduced - Keep as a contender.
(D) Incorrect 'Present Perferct' tense - Discard.
(E) Incorrect 'Past Continuous' tense - Discard.

I would pick (A) over (C) as Simple Past conveys the intended meaning . Any comments ?

What's the OA ? Source Please if possible.

-Prabir
Kudos Welcome!!!

seekmba · Answer

Between A, B, and C ===> A and C do not convey yhe meaning properly.

A and C conveys that "brush fires were built with wood-shake roofs" OR "brush fires had been built with wood-shake roofs"

B says that "most of the homes that were built with wood-shake roofs"

(A) Most of the homes that were destroyed in last summer’s brush fires were built with wood-shake
roofs.
(B) Last summer, brush fires destroyed most of the homes that were built with wood-shake roofs.
(C) Most of the homes that were destroyed in last summer’s brush fires had been built with wood-shake
roofs.

Hope this helps.

gurpreetsingh · Answer

IMO C

we have to use PAST perfect ==> had ,as the verb "built" happened before "destroyed"

mokri · Answer

IMO: C is the correct answer...btw, what is the OA?

bakfed · Answer

(C) for me as well. I feel the need to use Past Perfect to indicate the two past events in this sentence (had been built was the first past event, followed by "destroyed" - the second past event)

RaviChandra · Answer

it requires a Past perfect tense...
C should be the answer

AtifS · Answer

Tough call between A, B, and C.
It makes sense that Past Perfect should be used but what about modification? What is being modified? What were built?
"Homes" were built not the "Brush Fire"-->B right
Past perfect be used as an event happened before another incident-->C goes with it
As mentioned in MGMAT SC Chapter about Pronoun that Possessive Pronoun should be avoided (there are always some exceptions) and also Active voice should be preferred (of course there are some exceptions) over passive voice.
Keeping all of above in mind, I am leaning towards B. Also B is less wordy & awkward.
So for me it is "B".
Any expert here?
And what's the OA?

P.S. Shouldn't it be "Bush Fire" instead of "Brush Fire"?

aiming4mba · Answer

I go with C too. The past perfect tense "had been" should be used to indicate the past before the past.
Eg. I had been reading in the cafe when she walked in.

Event 1 in the past - Had been reading 
Event 2 in the past - She walked in

So, in our question

Event 1 in the past - Homes had been built will wood-shake roofs
Event 2 in the past - Bush fires destroyed most of the homes last summer.

Indien · Answer

Interesting indeed

It is similar to this question sc-tense-92367.html#p711263 But here I would steer clear of past perfect, because I don't see the continuation of a past action i.e. "built." The house was built and that's it. So, no C. Not B, because it delegates the action "were built with wood-shake roofs" and "brush fires destroyed" becomes the main clause. I think the emphasis should be on house building. In that case, A is the better answer. Good one.

shridhard · Answer

I think that A is correct because, the event "brushing" happened after the event "building", this sequence is obvious. Use Participles only when necessary.

gmatbull · Answer

Source is NOVA. Below is the Official Explanation.

The answer is (C).
Choice (A) is incorrect because the simple past were does not express the fact that the homes
had been built before the fire destroyed them.
Choice (B) merely rearranges the wording while retaining the simple past were.
Choice (C) is the correct answer because it uses the past perfect had been to indicate that the
homes were completely built before they were destroyed by the fires.
Choice (D) is incorrect because it uses the present perfect have been, which implies that the
homes were destroyed before being built.
Choice (E) is incorrect. Although dropping the phrase that were makes the sentence more
concise, the past progressive were being implies that the homes were destroyed while being built.

nusmavrik · Answer

C changed the game :-)

there is tense issue.

onedayill · Answer

I think option B changes meaning.

Option B Means:
That almost all of the homes built with woodshake roofs were destroyed.

Option C Means:
That of the total homes destroyed most of them were built with woodshake roofs.

Hence i choose C.

What's the OA?

gauravnagpal · Answer

i agre with u ...option chanes the meaning ....moreover..OA is C ..(mentioned in the post above )

Most of the homes that were destroyed in last summers brush

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