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Here is a detailed explanation to this question-
age wrote:
The state has proposed new rules that would set minimum staffing levels for nurses, rules intended to ensure that at least one nurse is assigned for every four patients put through triage in a hospital emergency room.
(A) rules intended to ensure that at least one nurse is assigned for every four patients put through triage in a hospital emergency room
(B) rules with the intent of ensuring one nurse at least to be assigned for every four patients to be put through triage in a hospital emergency room
(C) rules intending to ensure at least one nurse is assigned for every four patients in a hospital emergency room put through triage
(D) with the intent of ensuring that at least one nurse should be assigned for every four patients in a hospital emergency room that are put through triage
(E) and this is intended to ensure one nurse at least to be assigned for every four patients put through triage in a hospital emergency room
Source : GMATPrep Default Exam Pack
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 rules are intended to ensure that at least one nurse is assigned for every four patients put through triage in a hospital emergency room.
Concepts tested here: Meaning + Pronouns + Verb Forms + Awkwardness/Redundancy• Habitual actions are best conveyed through the simple present tense.
• The simple past tense is used to refer to actions that concluded in the past.
• "should" is used to convey a sense of desirability/necessity.
A: Correct. This answer choice avoids the pronoun errors seen in Options D and E, as it uses no pronouns. Further, Option A uses the phrase "patients put through triage in a hospital emergency room", conveying the intended meaning - that
the patients are put through triage. Additionally, Option A correctly uses the simple present tense verb "is assigned" to refer to habitual action. Option A also correctly uses the past participle ("intended" in this case) to refer to an action that concluded in the past. Besides, Option A is free of any awkwardness or redundancy.
B: This answer choice incorrectly uses the infinitive verb form ("to + base form of verb" - "to + be assigned") to refer to a habitual action; remember, habitual actions are best conveyed through the simple present tense. Further, Option B uses the needlessly wordy construction "with the intent of ensuring", leading to awkwardness and redundancy.
C: This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "every four patients in a hospital emergency room put through triage"; the construction of this phrase illogically implies that
the hospital emergency room is put through triage; the intended meaning is that
the patients are put through triage. Further, Option C incorrectly uses the present participle ("verb+ing" - "intending" in this sentence) to refer to an action that concluded in the past; remember, the simple past tense is used to refer to actions that concluded in the past.
D: This answer choice incorrectly refers to the noun "patients" with the pronoun "that"; remember, "that" cannot be used to refer to human beings. Further, Option D redundantly uses "should" alongside "ensuring"; remember, "should" is used to convey a sense of desirability/necessity. Additionally, Option D uses the needlessly wordy construction "with the intent of ensuring", leading to awkwardness and redundancy.
E: This answer choice incorrectly refers to the plural noun "rules" with the singular pronoun "this". Further, Option E alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "every four patients in a hospital emergency room put through triage"; the construction of this phrase illogically implies that
the hospital emergency room is put through triage; the intended meaning is that
the patients are put through triage. Additionally, Option E uses the infinitive verb form ("to + base form of verb" - "to + be assigned") to refer to a habitual action; remember, habitual actions are best conveyed through the simple present tense.
Hence, A is the best answer choice.To understand the concept of "Simple Tenses" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~2 minutes):
All the best!
Experts' Global Team
Is it - "is" or "is assigned". If "is assigned" isn't it passive?
Also, I am cognizant of the fact that simple present tense conveys habitual action, use of helping verb "is" make the tense no longer simple present tense, then how is this explanation (highlighted) correct?