Galileo did not invent the telescope, but on hearing, in 1609, that su

Hi all.

Galileo did not invent the telescope, but on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made, he quickly built his own device from an organ pipe and spectacle lenses.

Since it is not difficult to understand the meaning of this sentence, let’s quickly get into the error analysis:

1. Use of past perfect tense is correct because 1609, the telescope had been already made and after that Galileo made his own version of the instrument. So there are two past events and “had been” correctly denotes that telescope was first made and then Galileo came up with his own version.
2. “but” correctly presents the contrast.
3. No errors.

PoE:

a) Galileo did not invent the telescope, but on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made, he: Correct for reasons stated above.

b) Galileo had not invented the telescope, but when he heard, in 1609, of such an optical instrument having been made, Incorrect.
1. Use of “had not invented” is incorrect because the sentence here just presents a general fact that should be written in simple past tense.
2. Use of “having been made” is also incorrect in this choice.
3. This choice also misses the subject “he” for the verb “built”.

c) Galileo, even though he had not invented the telescope, on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made, he: Incorrect.
1. Same verb tense error as in Choice B.
2. Use of pronoun “he” after “even though” is incorrect because Galileo has already been mentioned in the beginning of the sentence. This construction makes Galileo hanging without a verb.
3. Use of “even though” is incorrect. This expression is used to present contrast in that it denotes two opposite situations. For example:
Even though he is poor, he has managed to go to a good B school.
However, this choice does not present opposite situations. It simply says that Galileo did not invent telescope but he later developed one. There is co opposite things going on in here.

d) Even though Galileo did not invent the telescope, on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made,: Incorrect.
1. Use of “even though” is incorrect as in Choice C.
2. Absence of “he” before “built” leaves this verb without any subject.

e) Even though Galileo did not invent the telescope, but when he heard, in 1609, of such an optical instrument being made, he: Incorrect.
1. Use of “even though” is incorrect.
2. Use of “but” is redundant because “even though” already presents the contrast.

Hope this helps.
Thanks.
Shraddha

Galileo did not invent the telescope, but on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made, he quickly built his own device from an organ pipe and spectacle lenses.


(A) Galileo did not invent the telescope, but on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made, he

(B) Galileo had not invented the telescope, but when he heard, in 1609, of such an optical instrument having been made,

(C) Galileo, even though he had not invented the telescope, on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made, he

(D) Even though Galileo did not invent the telescope, on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made,

(E) Even though Galileo did not invent the telescope, but when he heard, in 1609, of such an optical instrument being made, he


Source : GMATPrep Default Exam Pack

Hi all.

Galileo did not invent the telescope, but on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made, he quickly built his own device from an organ pipe and spectacle lenses.

Since it is not difficult to understand the meaning of this sentence, let’s quickly get into the error analysis:

1. Use of past perfect tense is correct because 1609, the telescope had been already made and after that Galileo made his own version of the instrument. So there are two past events and “had been” correctly denotes that telescope was first made and then Galileo came up with his own version.
2. “but” correctly presents the contrast.
3. No errors.

PoE:

a) Galileo did not invent the telescope, but on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made, he: Correct for reasons stated above.

b) Galileo had not invented the telescope, but when he heard, in 1609, of such an optical instrument having been made, Incorrect.
1. Use of “had not invented” is incorrect because the sentence here just presents a general fact that should be written in simple past tense.
2. Use of “having been made” is also incorrect in this choice.
3. This choice also misses the subject “he” for the verb “built”.

c) Galileo, even though he had not invented the telescope, on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made, he: Incorrect.
1. Same verb tense error as in Choice B.
2. Use of pronoun “he” after “even though” is incorrect because Galileo has already been mentioned in the beginning of the sentence. This construction makes Galileo hanging without a verb.
3. Use of “even though” is incorrect. This expression is used to present contrast in that it denotes two opposite situations. For example:
Even though he is poor, he has managed to go to a good B school.
However, this choice does not present opposite situations. It simply says that Galileo did not invent telescope but he later developed one. There is co opposite things going on in here.

d) Even though Galileo did not invent the telescope, on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made,: Incorrect.
1. Use of “even though” is incorrect as in Choice C.
2. Absence of “he” before “built” leaves this verb without any subject.

e) Even though Galileo did not invent the telescope, but when he heard, in 1609, of such an optical instrument being made, he: Incorrect.
1. Use of “even though” is incorrect.
2. Use of “but” is redundant because “even though” already presents the contrast.

Hope this helps.
Thanks.
Shraddha

Hi all.

Galileo did not invent the telescope, but on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made, he quickly built his own device from an organ pipe and spectacle lenses.

Since it is not difficult to understand the meaning of this sentence, let’s quickly get into the error analysis:

1. Use of past perfect tense is correct because 1609, the telescope had been already made and after that Galileo made his own version of the instrument. So there are two past events and “had been” correctly denotes that telescope was first made and then Galileo came up with his own version.
2. “but” correctly presents the contrast.
3. No errors.

PoE:

a) Galileo did not invent the telescope, but on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made, he: Correct for reasons stated above.

b) Galileo had not invented the telescope, but when he heard, in 1609, of such an optical instrument having been made, Incorrect.
1. Use of “had not invented” is incorrect because the sentence here just presents a general fact that should be written in simple past tense.
2. Use of “having been made” is also incorrect in this choice.
3. This choice also misses the subject “he” for the verb “built”.

c) Galileo, even though he had not invented the telescope, on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made, he: Incorrect.
1. Same verb tense error as in Choice B.
2. Use of pronoun “he” after “even though” is incorrect because Galileo has already been mentioned in the beginning of the sentence. This construction makes Galileo hanging without a verb.
3. Use of “even though” is incorrect. This expression is used to present contrast in that it denotes two opposite situations. For example:
Even though he is poor, he has managed to go to a good B school.
However, this choice does not present opposite situations. It simply says that Galileo did not invent telescope but he later developed one. There is co opposite things going on in here.

d) Even though Galileo did not invent the telescope, on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made,: Incorrect.
1. Use of “even though” is incorrect as in Choice C.
2. Absence of “he” before “built” leaves this verb without any subject.

e) Even though Galileo did not invent the telescope, but when he heard, in 1609, of such an optical instrument being made, he: Incorrect.
1. Use of “even though” is incorrect.
2. Use of “but” is redundant because “even though” already presents the contrast.

Hope this helps.
Thanks.
Shraddha

Hi Experts,

Though experts have shared a fair basis of elimination, one point is not discussed so far: back-to-back modifiers.

As per reference books, the presence of back-to-back modifiers is incorrect. On the other hand, Here the correct answer contains back-to-back modifying phrases, could you please shed some light?

Hi aarkay87,

I don't know which books we're talking about here, but it is incorrect to say that multiple modifiers used close together will always be incorrect. This is something we should check on a case-by-case basis.

Hi AjiteshArun

Thanks for the quick revert!!

Reference books that I am mentioning are as follows

GMAT SC Grail, P#124: It is always incorrect to use two back-to-back modifying phrases.
This will of course only be the case when both the phrases are essential or non-essential. If one phrase is essential and the other non-essential, then the sentence is correct.

There is also a similar reference in MGMAT SC Guide 6th Ed that I am unable to locate presently.

See if you can help me out now.

Hi AjiteshArun, GMATNinja, VeritasKarishma, DmitryFarber MartyTargetTestPrep

Hope you all are doing great!

I have a doubt pertinent to option (B).
Can the subject missing in the second part of the option be counted as an error?

(B) Galileo had not invented the telescope, but when he heard, in 1609, of such an optical instrument having been made, quickly built his own device from an organ pipe and spectacle lenses.

Can we assume that the subject "Galileo" is implied in the second part of the sentence?

P.S: I am aware of the I.C + , FANBOYS + I.C rule. I just wanted to assure whether it is also true conversely.

Hi all,

What type of modifier is "on hearing......had been made? Is it Noun + Noun modifier?

Thanks

Hello aproposof,

We hope this finds you well.

To answer your query, "on hearing......had been made" is an adverbial modifier that acts upon the verb phrase "quickly built".

We hope this helps.
All the best!
Experts' Global Team

Hi!

Thanks for the response.

For the type itself, is it correct if I say that "on hearing" is a prepositional phrase? I'm having difficulty in understanding the structure of "on hearing" since it is not noun + noun (absolute phrase) nor a verb-ing modifiier.

Thanks

Hi all.

Galileo did not invent the telescope, but on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made, he quickly built his own device from an organ pipe and spectacle lenses.

Since it is not difficult to understand the meaning of this sentence, let’s quickly get into the error analysis:

1. Use of past perfect tense is correct because 1609, the telescope had been already made and after that Galileo made his own version of the instrument. So there are two past events and “had been” correctly denotes that telescope was first made and then Galileo came up with his own version.
2. “but” correctly presents the contrast.
3. No errors.

PoE:

a) Galileo did not invent the telescope, but on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made, he: Correct for reasons stated above.

b) Galileo had not invented the telescope, but when he heard, in 1609, of such an optical instrument having been made, Incorrect.
1. Use of “had not invented” is incorrect because the sentence here just presents a general fact that should be written in simple past tense.
2. Use of “having been made” is also incorrect in this choice.
3. This choice also misses the subject “he” for the verb “built”.

c) Galileo, even though he had not invented the telescope, on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made, he: Incorrect.
1. Same verb tense error as in Choice B.
2. Use of pronoun “he” after “even though” is incorrect because Galileo has already been mentioned in the beginning of the sentence. This construction makes Galileo hanging without a verb.
3. Use of “even though” is incorrect. This expression is used to present contrast in that it denotes two opposite situations. For example:
Even though he is poor, he has managed to go to a good B school.
However, this choice does not present opposite situations. It simply says that Galileo did not invent telescope but he later developed one. There is co opposite things going on in here.

d) Even though Galileo did not invent the telescope, on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made,: Incorrect.
1. Use of “even though” is incorrect as in Choice C.
2. Absence of “he” before “built” leaves this verb without any subject.

e) Even though Galileo did not invent the telescope, but when he heard, in 1609, of such an optical instrument being made, he: Incorrect.
1. Use of “even though” is incorrect.
2. Use of “but” is redundant because “even though” already presents the contrast.

Hope this helps.
Thanks.
Shraddha