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Roy867 wrote:
Q. The much debated position on the relationship between the GDP and the industrial revolution claims that the acceleration of the GDP that begun 300 years ago with the advent of the industrial revolution, and continued since then.
A. that begun 300 years ago with the advent of industrial revolution and
B. began 300 years ago with the advent of industrial revolution and has
C. that had begun 300 years ago with the advent of industrial revolution and has
D. and the advent of industrial revolution began 300 years ago and
E. began 300 years ago with the advent of industrial revolution and
Meaning is crucial to solving this problem:Understanding the intended meaning is key to solving this question; the intended meaning of the crucial part of this sentence is that the acceleration of the GDP
began 300 years ago with the advent of the industrial revolution and has continued since then.
Concepts tested here: Meaning + Grammatical Construction + Tenses• The present perfect tense (marked by the use of the helping verb “has/have”) is used to describe events that concluded in the past but continue to affect the present.
• The simple past tense is used to refer to events that concluded in the past.
A: This answer choice fails to form a complete sentence; as "begun" and "continued" are both parts of a noun modifier phrase, there is no active verb to act upon the subject "acceleration of the GDP".
B: Correct. This answer choice acts upon the independent noun phrase "acceleration of the GDP" with the active verbs "began" and "has continued" to form a complete thought, leading to a complete sentence. Further, Option B uses the phrase "with the advent of the industrial revolution", conveying the intended meaning - that the acceleration of the GDP began 300 years ago
when the advent of the industrial revolution occurred, and
only the acceleration has continued since then. Additionally, Option B correctly uses the present perfect tense verb "has continued" to refer to an action that concluded in the past but continues to affect the present.
C: This answer choice fails to form a complete sentence; as "begun" and "continued" are both parts of a noun modifier phrase, there is no active verb to act upon the subject "acceleration of the GDP".
D: This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "and the advent of the industrial revolution began 300 years ago"; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that both the acceleration of the GDP
and the advent of the industrial revolution began 300 years ago, and
both have continued since then; the intended meaning is that the acceleration of the GDP began 300 years ago
when the advent of the industrial revolution occurred, and
only the acceleration has continued since then. Further, Option D incorrectly uses the simple past tense verb "continued" to refer to an action that concluded in the past but continues to affect the present; please remember, the present perfect tense (marked by the use of the helping verb “has/have”) is used to describe events that concluded in the past but continue to affect the present, and the simple past tense is only used to refer to events that concluded in the past.
E: Trap. This answer choice incorrectly uses the simple past tense verb "continued" to refer to an action that concluded in the past but continues to affect the present; please remember, the present perfect tense (marked by the use of the helping verb “has/have”) is used to describe events that concluded in the past but continue to affect the present, and the simple past tense is only used to refer to events that concluded in the past.
Hence, B is the best answer choice.To understand the concept of "Present Perfect Tense" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~2 minutes):
To understand the concept of "Simple Tenses" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~1 minute):
All the best!
Experts' Global Team
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