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Retail stores of the same type often succeed despite the fact that they are clustered next to each other; one reason is suggested by the behavior of consumers, who would rather shop in an area in which comparisons between products can be made at several stores than in an area in which comparisons can be made at only one or two stores.

A. Retail stores of the same type often succeed despite the fact that they are clustered next to each other; one reason is suggested by the behavior of consumers, who would rather shop in an area in which comparisons between products can be made at several stores than in an area in which comparisons can be made at only one or two stores.
B. If clustered next to each other, one reason that retail stores of the same type succeed is suggested by the behavior of consumers, who would rather shop in an area in which comparisons between products can be made at several stores than in an area in which comparisons can be made at only one or two stores.
C. If clustered next to each other, one reason that retail stores of the same type succeed is suggested by consumers who would rather shop in an area in which comparisons between products can be made at several stores than those who would rather shop in an area in which comparisons can be made at only one or two stores.
D. The fact that there are consumers who would rather shop in an area in which comparisons between products can be made at several stores than in an area in which comparisons can be made at only one or two stores is suggestive of one reason, if clustered next to each other, retail stores can succeed.
E. The fact that there are consumers who would rather shop in an area in which comparisons between products can be made at several stores than in an area in which comparisons can be made at only one or two stores suggests one reason retail stores can succeed despite being clustered next to each other.

C can be eliminated because it changes the meaning: ...stores than those who would rather shop in an area in which comparisons can be made at only one or two stores. Changes the behaviour of the consumers.

D and E have to be eliminated right away

Between A and B: In B one reason that retail, THAT is too much, so out.

Hence A
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Retail stores of the same type often succeed despite the fact that they are clustered next to each other;one reason is suggested by the behavoius of consumers, who would rather shop in an area in which comparisons between products can be made at several stores than in an area in which comparisons can be made at only one or two stores.
(A)Retail stores of the same type often succeed despite the fact that they are clustered next to each other;one reason is suggested by the behavoius of consumers, who would rather shop in an area in which comparisons between products can be made at several stores than in an area in which comparisons can be made at only one or two stores
(B)If clustered next to each other, one reason that retail stores of the same type succeed is suggested by the behavior of consumers, who would rather shop in an rea in which comparisons between products can be made at several stores than in an area in which comparisons can be made at only one or two stores
(C)If clustered next to each other, one reason that retail stores of the same type succeed is suggested by the consumers who would rather shop in an area in which comparisons between products can be made at several stores than those who would rather shop in an area in which comparisons can be made at only one or two stores
(D)In fact that there are consumers who would rather shop in an area in which comparisons between products can be made at several stores than in an area in which comparisons can be made at only one or two stores is suggestive of one reason, if clustered next to each other, retail stores can succeed.
(E)In fact that there are consumers who would rather shop in an area in which comparisons between products can be made at several stores than in an area in which comparisons can be made at only one or two stores suggests one reason retail stores can succeed despite being clustered next to each other

Can anyone please explain, why the answer for the question above, 'between' is not followed with 'and'
and also could you please help me distinguish when to use idiom between x and y and when not to use it
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nitinneha
Retail stores of the same type often succeed despite the fact that they are clustered next to each other;one reason is suggested by the behavoius of consumers, who would rather shop in an area in which comparisons between products can be made at several stores than in an area in which comparisons can be made at only one or two stores.
(A)Retail stores of the same type often succeed despite the fact that they are clustered next to each other;one reason is suggested by the behavoius of consumers, who would rather shop in an area in which comparisons between products can be made at several stores than in an area in which comparisons can be made at only one or two stores
(B)If clustered next to each other, one reason that retail stores of the same type succeed is suggested by the behavior of consumers, who would rather shop in an rea in which comparisons between products can be made at several stores than in an area in which comparisons can be made at only one or two stores
(C)If clustered next to each other, one reason that retail stores of the same type succeed is suggested by the consumers who would rather shop in an area in which comparisons between products can be made at several stores than those who would rather shop in an area in which comparisons can be made at only one or two stores
(D)In fact that there are consumers who would rather shop in an area in which comparisons between products can be made at several stores than in an area in which comparisons can be made at only one or two stores is suggestive of one reason, if clustered next to each other, retail stores can succeed.
(E)In fact that there are consumers who would rather shop in an area in which comparisons between products can be made at several stores than in an area in which comparisons can be made at only one or two stores suggests one reason retail stores can succeed despite being clustered next to each other

Can anyone please explain, why the answer for the question above, 'between' is not followed with 'and'
and also could you please help me distinguish when to use idiom between x and y and when not to use it

Use BETWEEN: when selecting from two OR more distinct items.
Use AMONG: when selecting from a group.

Correct: I must choose between red and blue... (selecting from distinct items - red and blue)
Correct: I must choose among these colours... (selecting from a group)

A common conceptual mistake is that "between" is to be used when selecting from 2 items and "among" when selecting from more than two.

However, "between" can be used even for selecting from more than two objects , if they are distinct.

Correct: I must choose between red, blue, yellow and green.
Wrong: I must choose among red, blue, yellow and green.

I would say the original sentence should have used "among products" instead of "between products" since "products" is a group, not distinct items. The following constructions would be correct:

"comparison among products"... correct
"comparison between product X and product Y"... correct
"comparison between products"... wrong
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while A is better amongst the rest. A states that 'one reason is suggested by the behavior of consumers'

it reads as if behaviour is suggesting one reason.

how is that correct? am I missing a certain usage of 'suggest'?

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radheykulkarni
while A is better amongst the rest. A states that 'one reason is suggested by the behavior of consumers'

it reads as if behaviour is suggesting one reason.

how is that correct? am I missing a certain usage of 'suggest'?
Possibly. This is not the ~"say" meaning of suggest. This suggest is more like ~"points to". So X suggests Y means "X makes us think Y".
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What exactly wrong in option C and E ?
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What exactly wrong in option C and E ?
Hello again, Harsh2111s. Option (C) is the easier to eliminate, in my mind, simply because of a clear grammatical issue. Option (E) is not necessarily incorrect, but it is sub-optimal for reasons I will outline below. Let us have a look at the two sentences:

qweert

C. If clustered next to each other, one reason that retail stores of the same type succeed is suggested by consumers who would rather shop in an area in which comparisons between products can be made at several stores than those who would rather shop in an area in which comparisons can be made at only one or two stores.
Analysis: You have to ask yourself what is clustered next to each other. You would expect the answer, retail stores, to be directly across the comma, but instead we get one reason, and that does not make sense. One reason can be clustered next to each other? I did not bother reading beyond that part.

qweert

E. The fact that there are consumers who would rather shop in an area in which comparisons between products can be made at several stores than in an area in which comparisons can be made at only one or two stores suggests one reason retail stores can succeed despite being clustered next to each other.
Analysis: I have taken the liberty of drawing attention to the subject and verb of the sentence: The fact... suggests.... There is no hard and fast rule about how far removed from the subject of the sentence the verb may be, nor is there anything that prohibits what are known as left-branching sentences in English grammar, sentences that place modifiers at the beginning of the sentence and delay the main clause. However, GMAT™ grammar prefers clarity of meaning and a tight sentence structure whenever possible, and this sentence, with all that information that falls between the subject and verb, is more difficult to follow than the right-branching sentence in option (A), both of whose independent clauses place the subject first and the verb soon after: Retail stores... succeed...; one reason is....

I hope that helps. If you have further questions, feel free to ask.

- Andrew
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qweert
Retail stores of the same type often succeed despite the fact that they are clustered next to each other; one reason is suggested by the behavior of consumers, who would rather shop in an area in which comparisons between products can be made at several stores than in an area in which comparisons can be made at only one or two stores.


A. Retail stores of the same type often succeed despite the fact that they are clustered next to each other; one reason is suggested by the behavior of consumers, who would rather shop in an area in which comparisons between products can be made at several stores than in an area in which comparisons can be made at only one or two stores.

B. If clustered next to each other, one reason that retail stores of the same type succeed is suggested by the behavior of consumers, who would rather shop in an area in which comparisons between products can be made at several stores than in an area in which comparisons can be made at only one or two stores.

C. If clustered next to each other, one reason that retail stores of the same type succeed is suggested by consumers who would rather shop in an area in which comparisons between products can be made at several stores than those who would rather shop in an area in which comparisons can be made at only one or two stores.

D. The fact that there are consumers who would rather shop in an area in which comparisons between products can be made at several stores than in an area in which comparisons can be made at only one or two stores is suggestive of one reason, if clustered next to each other, retail stores can succeed.

E. The fact that there are consumers who would rather shop in an area in which comparisons between products can be made at several stores than in an area in which comparisons can be made at only one or two stores suggests one reason retail stores can succeed despite being clustered next to each other.

This question is based on Construction.

Options B and C contain a modifier error. The modifier “If clustered next to each other” is followed by the noun “one reason”. This placement conveys the meaning that it is reasons that are clustered next to each other.
Option C also leaves out the phrase “behavior of the consumers” and states that “consumers” suggest one reason that retail stores of the same type succeed…….
So, Options B and C can be eliminated.


The construction of Options D and E is as follows – noun + subordinate clause + subordinate clause + subordinate clause + verb + predicate. As can be seen from the construction, the subject and verb are separated by a number of clauses in between. While there is nothing wrong with the construction as such, these options are not as clear as the more straightforward Option A.
Furthermore, in Option D, the modifier “if clustered next to each other” has again been placed after the subject “reason”, which is illogical.
So, Options D and e can also be eliminated.

Option A is clear. It contains the subject – retail stores of the same type – and the verb – succeed – at the beginning of the sentence followed by the rest of the information.
The semi-colon also adds to the clarity of the sentence.
Therefore, A is the most appropriate option.


Jayanthi Kumar.
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If we were to interpret the clunky "one reason is suggested by" in A as meaning 'points to' as others have suggested, then what makes E wrong?
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