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Rockets, like the airplane and the jet, were rapidly improved during World War II.
(A) Rockets, like the airplane and the jet, were - Like the airplane and jet is not in parallel woth Rockets.
(B) The rocket, like airplanes and jets, was - Same as A
(C) Rockets, like airplanes and jets, was - Rockets is plural . Was is wrong here.
(D) The rocket, like the airplane and the jet, were - Plural verb were is wrong here.
(E) The rocket, like the airplane and the jet, was - Left with nothing else . hence this :)
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Rockets, like the airplane and the jet, were rapidly improved during World War II.
(A) Rockets, like the airplane and the jet, were
(B) The rocket, like airplanes and jets, was
(C) Rockets, like airplanes and jets, was
(D) The rocket, like the airplane and the jet, were
(E) The rocket, like the airplane and the jet, was


Hi fellow students and experts,

I correctly chose E, however, I do not see why B is incorrect.
The OA states that "Now, that modifying phrase, which begins with “like,” is one of comparison, and things being compared should be parallel. That is, we can't compare the plural “rockets”with the singular the “airplane and the jet,” in (A); nor can we compare the singular “the rocket” with the plural “airplanes and jets,” in (B)."
Could anyone please validate the OA? I thought that comparison may be used between singular and plural objects.

Thanks in advance!
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reddevil00
Rockets, like the airplane and the jet, were rapidly improved during World War II.
(A) Rockets, like the airplane and the jet, were
(B) The rocket, like airplanes and jets, was
(C) Rockets, like airplanes and jets, was
(D) The rocket, like the airplane and the jet, were
(E) The rocket, like the airplane and the jet, was


Hi fellow students and experts,

I correctly chose E, however, I do not see why B is incorrect.
The OA states that "Now, that modifying phrase, which begins with “like,” is one of comparison, and things being compared should be parallel. That is, we can't compare the plural “rockets”with the singular the “airplane and the jet,” in (A); nor can we compare the singular “the rocket” with the plural “airplanes and jets,” in (B)."
Could anyone please validate the OA? I thought that comparison may be used between singular and plural objects.

Thanks in advance!

Do you know the parallel markers...
And, both And, or neither nor, not but, not only, but also, from to, rather than and the comparison markers as, like, more than less than...when ever you see these markers do check that the items being compared are parallel and comparable. On the similar lines you can't compare singular with plural items or vice-versa.
Hope this clarifies your doubt.
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GMATNinja, VeritasPrepKarishma
Please explain whether we can compare singular to plural or vice-versa

Unlike other scholars, the eminent mythologist has concluded that the stories of
Gilgamesh and Osiris record the transition from the age of matriarchal religious authority
to that of patriarchal political power.
(A) Unlike other scholars, the eminent mythologist has concluded
(B) Unlike other scholars, the eminent mythologist’s conclusion
(C) Unlike other scholars, the eminent mythologist’s conclusion is
(D) Unlike those of other scholars, the eminent mythologist’s conclusions are
(E) The eminent mythologists, unlike those of other scholars, has concluded


https://gmatclub.com/forum/unlike-other-scholars-the-eminent-mythologist-has-concluded-137339.html


davidfrank
reddevil00
Rockets, like the airplane and the jet, were rapidly improved during World War II.
(A) Rockets, like the airplane and the jet, were
(B) The rocket, like airplanes and jets, was
(C) Rockets, like airplanes and jets, was
(D) The rocket, like the airplane and the jet, were
(E) The rocket, like the airplane and the jet, was


Hi fellow students and experts,

I correctly chose E, however, I do not see why B is incorrect.
The OA states that "Now, that modifying phrase, which begins with “like,” is one of comparison, and things being compared should be parallel. That is, we can't compare the plural “rockets”with the singular the “airplane and the jet,” in (A); nor can we compare the singular “the rocket” with the plural “airplanes and jets,” in (B)."
Could anyone please validate the OA? I thought that comparison may be used between singular and plural objects.

Thanks in advance!

Do you know the parallel markers...
And, both And, or neither nor, not but, not only, but also, from to, rather than and the comparison markers as, like, more than less than...when ever you see these markers do check that the items being compared are parallel and comparable. On the similar lines you can't compare singular with plural items or vice-versa.
Hope this clarifies your doubt.
Lets Kudos.
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gmatbusters
GMATNinja, VeritasPrepKarishma
Please explain whether we can compare singular to plural or vice-versa

Unlike other scholars, the eminent mythologist has concluded that the stories of
Gilgamesh and Osiris record the transition from the age of matriarchal religious authority
to that of patriarchal political power.
Yup, it's completely fine to compare singular and plural nouns, as long as the two nouns are logically comparable. We do this CONSTANTLY in real life:

  • "Unlike other presidents, Donald Trump has curiously orange hair." --> No problem, since we can logically compare Trump to other presidents.
  • "In contrast to most professional basketball players, JR Smith apparently has no brain." --> No problem, since we can logically compare JR Smith to "most professional basketball players." (souvik101990, get the reference? :))

So don't worry about this at all on the GMAT, either: comparing singular and plural nouns is absolutely fair game.

I hope this helps!
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dc1509
Rockets, like the airplane and the jet, were rapidly improved during World War II.


(A) Rockets, like the airplane and the jet, were

(B) The rocket, like airplanes and jets, was

(C) Rockets, like airplanes and jets, was

(D) The rocket, like the airplane and the jet, were

(E) The rocket, like the airplane and the jet, was

KAPLAN OFFICIAL EXPLANATION:



E

Here, a modifying phrase comes between the subject and the verb, so you should know to start by checking for subject-verb agreement. “Rockets were” and “the rocket was” are right, and “rockets was” and “the rock- et were”are wrong, so you can cross out (C) and (D). Now, that modifying phrase, which begins with “like,” is one of comparison, and things being compared should be parallel. That is, we can't compare the plur- al “rockets”with the singular the “airplane and the jet,” in (A); nor can we compare the singular “the rocket” with the plural “airplanes and jets,” in (B).
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GMATNinja, can you please advise, if we can compare singular noun to plural nouns, then is this question addressing wrong explanation? Thanks
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twister68
GMATNinja, can you please advise, if we can compare singular noun to plural nouns, then is this question addressing wrong explanation? Thanks

I have the same question. For parallelism, does it have to be singular-singular and plural-plural in the comparison?
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