Once the computer generates the financial reports, they are

I have a doubt.
D. Once the financial reports are generated by the computer, it is then used to program a company-wide balance sheet

In option D, both parts of main clause and subordinate clause are in passive voice, but subjects are not comparable.
As per my observation, subjects in subordinate clause and main clause must be comparable.

If sentence had been written as following it would have been much better.

Once the computer is used to generate financial reports, it is then used to program a company-wide balance sheet.

I am not 100% sure that construction as in D is acceptable in official answers. Kindly help understand whether gmat is strict with comparable subject rule.

Note that "financial reports" cannot program (a verb) a balance sheet. They can be used by a computer while it is programming a balance sheet.
Hence, "financial reports" cannot be used to program a balance sheet.

These are accuracy in meaning errors. Harder to catch but tested a lot in GMAT nowadays.

There really isn't. If you are able to understand what is being referred to then it is fine.

Consider another example: Once the computer generates a balance sheet, it is then used to forecast the company revenue for next year.

Now, what does 'it' refer to? We are not sure. Either could be used to forecast the numbers. Though we might lean toward 'the computer' since 'it' is the subject too. But some clarity would be better.

Look at option (D):

D. Once the financial reports are generated by the computer, it is then used to program a company-wide balance sheet, so named because it demonstrates the balance of every department’s accounting elements.

it - computer
'so named' is modifying 'company-wide balance sheet.' The 'because clause' after it tells us why it is so named. Hence, 'it' clearly refers to 'balance sheet.'

Try to put 'the computer' in its place:

Once the financial reports are generated by the computer, it is then used to program a company-wide balance sheet, so named because the computer demonstrates the balance of every department’s accounting elements.

This says that the balance sheet is called a balance sheet because the computer demonstrates the balance of every department’s accounting elements.
Does it make any sense? No.

Hence, there is no ambiguity here. The point of the language is to communicate intent. If your sentence is communicating the intent clearly, it is not ambiguous.

tinbq

Hi refer following questions :
mgmat:
rather-than-accept-the-conventional-wisdom-that-the-earth-54231.html
OG 11 Q86:
although-early-soap-operas-were-first-aired-on-evening-radio-19819.html

In these questions voice parallelism is the main reason that makes one choice acceptable to others.

In MGMAT SC chapter 7, Page 116, it is mentioned not to worry about active passive parallelism through out a sentence, but provided example describes 2 ICs connected with coordinating conjunction. Thus, for ICs connected with CC I can confirm not to worry about active passive parallelism, but it is required for sentence connected with subordinate conjunction. I am not a native and so I am not 100% sure how far we can stretch this rule. Sometimes back I asked Mike to help on this, but I forgot to followup further: refer following thread. I will PM him to explain this concept and exceptions on following thread.

inertia-gravity-waves-cause-characteristic-stripy-patterns-167234.html

Often, subject of subordinate clause is the same as the subject of the main clause, but that is only because both usually talk about the same person/thing. It is not necessary for the two subjects to be the same. Check simple sentences:
I will go shopping unless it rains.
Don't leave before he comes.

The subjects are not the same but the sentences are correct.

Your sentence is better but that is the thing about SC - you will not always get what you want. If the answer is very obvious, then what will make it a difficult question? At higher levels, GMAT could play with correct but infrequently used structures and false beliefs of people such as 'passive voice is always wrong'.

It's only in verbal section that I get pissed off.
I read wrong explanation for the correct answer.
Financial report is generated and CAN BE USED to program balance sheet. Bringing extraneous meaning to disprove the grammar is really funny.
So named is right. Named Such is wrong.
I don't know why nobody pointed that out.
I've quickly noticed that SC tests your grammar more than it tests anything else.
If you doubted that financial reports are used to programme balance sheet, then why would you believe that the computer is used?
Actually it is Programming Language that is used to programme things not the computer. or you can try to use your PC to programme without BASIC or C++ or ORACLE. Now that's wrong again. it is the programmer that programmes not the Language.
MY POINT: Look at the grammar rules not the critical reasoning. SC is a quite diff from CR. "Named such" ruled E out.
Would be hard to find such a clumsy statement as the correct answer in GMAT SC.
When it gets tough, start eliminating.
Thank you guys.
The answer is D.

Nej
Hi
I appreciate your point of view although I may have to differ from you. You seem to imply that Veritas is wrong in its interpretation that computer generates the reports saying that it is the programmer who does the job. Absolutely no issue about it.

But to say that In SC, we can relegate meaning behind grammar is untenable. Because you see, the meaning analysis is a recent insertion in SC before which probably GMAT was content with just grammar. Then why has GMAT brought this meaning factor into the picture and lately been giving equal weight or even more, to meaning? GMAT has made it clear that between two choices that may be grammatically correct, it is the ‘better – meaning’ one that wins the context. So you can see why meaning is indispensable and not subordinate to grammar in GMAT.

SC is not just mechanical but reasoning too IMO. In a similar argument, can we dispense with the reasoning in RC, because RC is about Comprehension?
The point of GMAT is not to look at things in disparate modules but take an integrated outlook.

This is just my philosophy although it is no reflection on your thesis. I do appreciate your point of view nevertheless, I repeat.

Here u go again. I did not say we can relegate meaning over grammar. I said "SC tests your grammar more than it tests anything else".
You are disproving your "perception" not what I said. read my lips.
Sentence correction primarily remains SC. "Oh mountain! come to the rivers" remains more correct than "Mr John come Oh! to me".

But the right one is meaningless.
Though meaningful in the context of the lexis n grammar.

A"I did say such cos such matters that I say such"
or
B " I did say that and it matters"

The first has more meaning but redundant and heavy.
the second has less meaning.
which is your answer in a GMAT SC?

my point: meaning is important and less confusing statements matter.
But which is the big guy in SC?
your confusion or the grammar?

dddmatsu I will go with separate logic, but I am sure this will work as feasible as other will.

A. Once the computer generates the financial reports, they are then used to program a company-wide balance sheet, so named because it demonstrates that every department’s accounting elements balance.

B. Once the computer generates the financial reports, it is then used to program a company-wide balance sheet, named such because it demonstrated the balance of every department’s accounting elements.

C. Once the computer generates the financial reports they are then used to program a company-wide balance sheet, which demonstrates the balance of every department’s accounting elements.

D. Once the financial reports are generated by the computer, it is then used to program a company-wide balance sheet, so named because it demonstrates the balance of every department’s accounting elements.

E. Once the financial reports are generated by the computer, they are then used to program a company-wide balance sheet, named such because it demonstrates that every department’s accounting elements are in balance.

So, among options after first Clause it is/ they pronoun are been used. Let's see what the clause states, ____ is then used to program a company-wide balance sheet. Reports can't be used to program its a machine thing or specifically a computer thing, so the pronoun antecedent here is computer(singular) not reports(plural), so A,C and E are automatically eliminated.

Among B and D,
The word demonstrated shows the past tense while the author intends to say the computer is still use to demonstrates. Hence B is eliminated.

There can be N no. Of disparity between options in SC but going after idiom can be a little tricky when there are so many to learn or understand. Hopefully this solves your query.

Posted from my mobile device

Yes you can use reports to generate balance sheet but the key word is program here, how can you program the balace sheet in printed paper? You must be needing any gadget to program it. The antecedent of it/they are two in first clause, either computer or reports.
If it was given, ____ is then used to make company wide balance sheet, then the sentence would have become ambiguous. We know the programming is done through any technological gadget hence it has to signifies computer as reports (printed papers) can't program.

Answering to the other part, there is no such difference between two, "So named Because", is an active voice because it acted on verb demonstrates first handedly.

"Named such because" Is a passive voice because it's already been named because it demonstrates something.

Active voice is preferred over passive voice but you don't actually have to indulge in the difference till you have other error spots to locate on. Because none of the two idiom is wrong, it might create confusion at the D-Day, so it's better to check for other errors.

Posted from my mobile device

I have taken this question in detail here:
https://www.gmatclub.com/forum/veritas-prep-resource-links-no-longer-available-399979.html#/2014/1 ... -sc-myths/
The post discusses why "it" makes sense.

"so named" is the correct idiomatic usage.

I chose D because it was the best among the not so good answer choices...could you elaborate a bit more on what the rule is for main clause and sub ordinate clause...is it from MGMAT sc book??

I got the split between "they" and "it" wrong and so I eliminated options with "it"

My logic was that "financial reports" can be used to program a balance sheet. I did not want to change the original intent of the sentence and pick an option that states that "computer is used to program a company-wide balance sheet".''

I am assuming that below statement is correct
Financial reports are used to program a company-wide balance sheet.

I know I am wrong and the OA does not have "they" in the sentence. If someone can help me understand why my logic in the above highlighted section is incorrect, it would help me avoid using such faulty logic in other sentences

Here u go again. I did not say we can relegate meaning over grammar. I said "SC tests your grammar more than it tests anything else".
You are disproving your "perception" not what I said. read my leaps.
Sentence correction primarily remains SC. "Oh mountain! come to the rivers" remains more correct than "Mr John come Oh! to me".

But the right one is meaningless.
Though meaningful in the context of the lexis n grammar.

A"I did say such cos such matters that I say such"
or
B " I did say that and it matters"

The first has more meaning but redundant and heavy.
the second has less meaning.
which is your answer in a GMAT SC?

my point: meaning is important and less confusing statements matter.
But which is the big guy in SC?
your confusion or the grammar?

Mr. Nez,
If you thought so, be that as it may. But your confirmation that D is the correct answer in spite of it being the wrong meaning points to your altered intention. In any case, why did you have to repeat your last message twice? Are you confused?

You presume a knowledge of the author's knowledge.
How do you know which has the wrong meaning?
*laughing*
in your question.
certainly I'm not. But I would have asked same of me if I were you. you threw the coin back to me:
believe me it's a good thing to do sometimes.
ensures some balance.
The repetition anyway suggests confusion really.
But if you look deeper you are certain to find there was a correction in the post.
I thought you are great critical thinker. sorry, I mean to say "I'm sure" not "think".
In veritas: I cannot say they are wrong. no way. they probably have insider in GMAC or Pearson. who knows.
But if you follow strict GMAT grammar lexis rules you'd be an SC assassin. but that's the hardest part really.
we try to boycott it with presumptuous understanding of the author's intention. but sometimes, it fails.. though it seems easier to do.
P.S. I haven't implied anyone is wrong pls. in fact sir you are more right than me.

OK; Cool; I understand; I appreciate you thinking.