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mikemcgarry
Rome’s great intellectual achievements laid in organizing the Empire, but Greece’s had laid in mathematical and philosophical breakthroughs.
(A) laid in organizing the Empire, but Greece’s had laid
(B) laid in the organization of the Empire, but Greece’s had lain
(C) laid in organizing the Empire, whereas Greece’s had lain
(D) lay in organizing the Empire, whereas Greece’s had lain
(E) lay in the organization of the Empire, whereas Greece’s had laid


Diction is a particularly tricky issue on the GMAT SC, and the folks who write the GMAT love it. For more on this issue, as well as an explanation of this question, see:
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2014/more-on-diction/

Mike :-)

Hi mikemcgarry,
I have confusion in split between "organization of " and "organizing"(NOUN Vs ACTION).
Can you please help
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ssriva2
mikemcgarry
Rome’s great intellectual achievements laid in organizing the Empire, but Greece’s had laid in mathematical and philosophical breakthroughs.
(A) laid in organizing the Empire, but Greece’s had laid
(B) laid in the organization of the Empire, but Greece’s had lain
(C) laid in organizing the Empire, whereas Greece’s had lain
(D) lay in organizing the Empire, whereas Greece’s had lain
(E) lay in the organization of the Empire, whereas Greece’s had laid


Diction is a particularly tricky issue on the GMAT SC, and the folks who write the GMAT love it. For more on this issue, as well as an explanation of this question, see:
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2014/more-on-diction/

Mike :-)

Hi mikemcgarry,
I have confusion in split between "organization of " and "organizing"(NOUN Vs ACTION).
Can you please help
Dear ssriva2,
I'm happy to help. :-)

See this blog:
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2013/active-verbs-on-the-gmat/
When an action is concerned, the GMAT always prefers a verb over a noun, precisely because this is the preference in the business world. Think about advertising. No ad would say:
We will help you in the organization of all the clutter in your life.
Yawn! Wordy, flaccid, and boring! Instead, an advertiser would say
We will organize all the clutter in your life!
That version is shorter and much more powerful. It's powerful in part because the principle action appears as a verb rather than as a noun. That's the substance of the split between (D) & (E) in this question. We are talking about the great achievement of the Roman Empire: in other words, the biggest thing that the Roman Empire ever did! We are taking about a huge action, so the most powerful way to discuss this action is to use a verb. Using the noun makes the sentence awkward and less direct and less powerful.

Does all this make sense?
Mike :-)
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Hi Mike,

Thank for the question. I got it correct.

But want to know the subtle difference between laid and lain. Laid can take the direct object, but lain cannot take direct object. Am I right in assuming so.


mikemcgarry
Rome’s great intellectual achievements laid in organizing the Empire, but Greece’s had laid in mathematical and philosophical breakthroughs.
(A) laid in organizing the Empire, but Greece’s had laid
(B) laid in the organization of the Empire, but Greece’s had lain
(C) laid in organizing the Empire, whereas Greece’s had lain
(D) lay in organizing the Empire, whereas Greece’s had lain
(E) lay in the organization of the Empire, whereas Greece’s had laid


Diction is a particularly tricky issue on the GMAT SC, and the folks who write the GMAT love it. For more on this issue, as well as an explanation of this question, see:
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2014/more-on-diction/

Mike :-)
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mikemcgarry
ssriva2
mikemcgarry
Rome’s great intellectual achievements laid in organizing the Empire, but Greece’s had laid in mathematical and philosophical breakthroughs.
(A) laid in organizing the Empire, but Greece’s had laid
(B) laid in the organization of the Empire, but Greece’s had lain
(C) laid in organizing the Empire, whereas Greece’s had lain
(D) lay in organizing the Empire, whereas Greece’s had lain
(E) lay in the organization of the Empire, whereas Greece’s had laid


Diction is a particularly tricky issue on the GMAT SC, and the folks who write the GMAT love it. For more on this issue, as well as an explanation of this question, see:
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2014/more-on-diction/

Mike :-)

Hi mikemcgarry,
I have confusion in split between "organization of " and "organizing"(NOUN Vs ACTION).
Can you please help
Dear ssriva2,
I'm happy to help. :-)

See this blog:
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2013/active-verbs-on-the-gmat/
When an action is concerned, the GMAT always prefers a verb over a noun, precisely because this is the preference in the business world. Think about advertising. No ad would say:
We will help you in the organization of all the clutter in your life.
Yawn! Wordy, flaccid, and boring! Instead, an advertiser would say
We will organize all the clutter in your life!
That version is shorter and much more powerful. It's powerful in part because the principle action appears as a verb rather than as a noun. That's the substance of the split between (D) & (E) in this question. We are talking about the great achievement of the Roman Empire: in other words, the biggest thing that the Roman Empire ever did! We are taking about a huge action, so the most powerful way to discuss this action is to use a verb. Using the noun makes the sentence awkward and less direct and less powerful.

Does all this make sense?
Mike :-)

Hi mikemcgarry,
Your explanation is perfect.
Still I have a doubt .
"Organize" is definitely verb but "organizing " is an action.
Please help me to understand.
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In addition to Mike's explanation, the following links might be of help in understanding the usage of lie, lay etc...
https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/educat ... versus-lie
https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/lay-versus-lie-quiz
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mikemcgarry
Rome’s great intellectual achievements laid in organizing the Empire, but Greece’s had laid in mathematical and philosophical breakthroughs.

(A) laid in organizing the Empire, but Greece’s had laid
(B) laid in the organization of the Empire, but Greece’s had lain
(C) laid in organizing the Empire, whereas Greece’s had lain
(D) lay in organizing the Empire, whereas Greece’s had lain
(E) lay in the organization of the Empire, whereas Greece’s had laid


Diction is a particularly tricky issue on the GMAT SC, and the folks who write the GMAT love it. For more on this issue, as well as an explanation of this question, see:
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2014/more-on-diction/

Mike :-)
what is the approach to choose whereas over but
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I was reading the GMAT Club Ultimate Grammar book.

lay, laid, laid are transitive verbs and should be followed by an object, lie, lay, lain are intransitive verbs and are not followed by an object.

e.g. Julie is laying the book on my desk v.s. John is lying on the floor.

so D is the correct answer.
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Hi Mike, Could you help me with a doubt?
"Rome's great intellectual achievements lay in organizing the empire". Isnt "organizing" used as a gerund here and not as a verb.
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