Last visit was: 14 Jul 2025, 18:03 It is currently 14 Jul 2025, 18:03
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
User avatar
avohden
Joined: 09 Jul 2013
Last visit: 14 Mar 2015
Posts: 406
Own Kudos:
3,113
 [35]
Given Kudos: 630
Status:1,750 Q's attempted and counting
Affiliations: University of Florida
Location: United States (FL)
GMAT 1: 570 Q42 V28
GMAT 2: 610 Q44 V30
GMAT 3: 600 Q45 V29
GMAT 4: 590 Q35 V35
GPA: 3.45
WE:Accounting (Accounting)
GMAT 4: 590 Q35 V35
Posts: 406
Kudos: 3,113
 [35]
Kudos
Add Kudos
35
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Most Helpful Reply
User avatar
mikemcgarry
User avatar
Magoosh GMAT Instructor
Joined: 28 Dec 2011
Last visit: 06 Aug 2018
Posts: 4,480
Own Kudos:
30,116
 [26]
Given Kudos: 130
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 4,480
Kudos: 30,116
 [26]
17
Kudos
Add Kudos
9
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
General Discussion
User avatar
carcass
User avatar
Board of Directors
Joined: 01 Sep 2010
Last visit: 14 Jul 2025
Posts: 4,725
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 4,813
Posts: 4,725
Kudos: 36,170
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
avohden
Joined: 09 Jul 2013
Last visit: 14 Mar 2015
Posts: 406
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 630
Status:1,750 Q's attempted and counting
Affiliations: University of Florida
Location: United States (FL)
GMAT 1: 570 Q42 V28
GMAT 2: 610 Q44 V30
GMAT 3: 600 Q45 V29
GMAT 4: 590 Q35 V35
GPA: 3.45
WE:Accounting (Accounting)
GMAT 4: 590 Q35 V35
Posts: 406
Kudos: 3,113
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post

Official Explanation



This long sentence correction problem contains several issues relating to parallelism and sentence construction.

The key is to figure out from the different decision points what is supposed to be in the series. This is best accomplished with a very careful use of the “slash-and-burn” technique to simplify the choices.

Once you do that, you will see that only (C) gets the series correct: “Situated on X, surrounded by Y, and blessed with A, B, C, and D, the city….”

(A) is wrong as it says: “Situated on X and surrounded by Y, blessed with A,B,C, and D, the city”

This series has been “bungled” as there is an “and” first but then no “and” before the last element in the series.

(B) also gets it wrong: “Situated on X, surrounded by Y, blessed with Z, and A, B, as well as D” That leaves three “ed” participles linked with the noun “A”. This is not a parallel structure.

In (D) the “as well as surrounded by hills” in the middle of the series is not parallel and incorrect.

For (E) it starts off fine: “Situated on X, surrounded by Y, as well as blessed with Z” but then there are multiple “and” elements tacked on to the end that are clearly incorrect.

Only (C) contains the necessary structure linking three parallel elements and is thus correct.
User avatar
avohden
Joined: 09 Jul 2013
Last visit: 14 Mar 2015
Posts: 406
Own Kudos:
3,113
 [1]
Given Kudos: 630
Status:1,750 Q's attempted and counting
Affiliations: University of Florida
Location: United States (FL)
GMAT 1: 570 Q42 V28
GMAT 2: 610 Q44 V30
GMAT 3: 600 Q45 V29
GMAT 4: 590 Q35 V35
GPA: 3.45
WE:Accounting (Accounting)
GMAT 4: 590 Q35 V35
Posts: 406
Kudos: 3,113
 [1]
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
mr. mike - I ran across this article on the web and wanted to get your thoughts regarding the article's conclusion. Let me see if I can post the entire passage; its not long. It has to do with your statement about the faux pas of ending a sentence with a preposition. I think we all have been taught that for the longest time but in my everyday conservation, I find it difficult and awkward with not ending a sentence with a preposition if it make sense in the context of the sentence. Here's the article, link is below.

_________________________________________________________________________
Can You Start a Sentence with a Preposition? | By Mignon Fogarty, Grammar Girl | July 12, 2013

When I posted the article Can You End a Sentence with a Preposition, I was surprised by how many people asked if you can start a sentence with a preposition. Here's the answer.

Many people were taught that they shouldn't end a sentence with a preposition. Today, however, most language experts don't abide by this "rule"—it's often called a myth. (Read more at Ending a Sentence with a Preposition.)

However, after I posted the article about ending sentences with prepositions, I was surprised by how many people asked if it is OK to start a sentence with a preposition. I've never heard a rule forbidding that practice.

Prepositional Phrases at the Beginning of a Sentence

Prepositional phrases at the beginning of sentences are common and grammatically correct. Consider these examples:

On the other hand, Bobby likes strawberries.
After soccer, we go out for pizza.
By noon, all the runners should be finished.
Over spring break, Shondra broke up with Lance.

Commas After Prepositional Phrases at the Beginning of a Sentence

When you start a sentence with a prepositional phrase, it's usually a good idea to put a comma after it (as in the examples above). In general, the longer the prepositional phrase, the more you need the comma. For example, the Purdue Online Writing Lab says a comma is required after introductory prepositional phrases that are longer than four words.

https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/can-you-start-sentence-preposition
User avatar
mikemcgarry
User avatar
Magoosh GMAT Instructor
Joined: 28 Dec 2011
Last visit: 06 Aug 2018
Posts: 4,480
Own Kudos:
30,116
 [4]
Given Kudos: 130
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 4,480
Kudos: 30,116
 [4]
4
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
avohden
mr. mike - I ran across this article on the web and wanted to get your thoughts regarding the article's conclusion. Let me see if I can post the entire passage; its not long. It has to do with your statement about the faux pas of ending a sentence with a preposition. I think we all have been taught that for the longest time but in my everyday conservation, I find it difficult and awkward with not ending a sentence with a preposition if it make sense in the context of the sentence. Here's the article, link is below.
Dear avohden,
My friend, this is complicated. Some things in grammar are black/white right vs. wrong. The sentence "I are happy" is wrong, and everyone who speaks English and who has an opinion on grammar will say that it is wrong. There's no ambiguity, no discussion. It's just wrong. Period.

Other issues are more a matter of taste, and other people will disagree. These include
(a) ending a sentence with a preposition. (e.g. I found a box to put the shoes in.)
(b) split infinitives (e.g. To boldly go where no man has gone before.)
(c) using "however" as a synonym for "although, nevertheless" (e.g. I wanted to see the movie, however, closed before I was able to go.)
Folks who are grammatically conservative would say all three are not permissible. Folks who are grammatically permissive would say all three are fine. Grammar Girl is extremely intelligent, and she tends toward the more permissive side of the grammatical spectrum. I believe she allows all three --- she certainly has articles explicitly saying that the first two are fine, and I find it hard to imagine that she would have an objection to the third. The GMAT tends to be considerable more conservative. You will never see (a) or (b) as part of a correct answer on the GMAT. Personally, I am even more conservative than the GMAT --- the GMAT apparently has no problem with (c), but I don't find (a) or (b) or (c) acceptable. TS Eliot & I are way over on the arch-conservative side of these debates, and Grammar Girl is way over on the permissive side --- and in many ways, we are all correct. One can't be "wrong" in matters of taste.

Understand that grammar is not just a matter of simple right and wrong. There are also levels of formality and matters of taste. Grammar Girl is quite bright, but she doesn't know the GMAT and probably doesn't give a hoot about its standards. I know the standards of the GMAT relatively well. I can tell you that split infinitives & sentence ending in prepositions may be fine in your own writing and in writing out in the world, but they will never be part of a GMAT SC correct answer, and therefore, if a private company includes either of these in a GMAT practice question, that's a faux pas. The job of private companies writing GMAT prep questions is to model the real GMAT as accurately as possible.

Does all this make sense?
Mike :-)
User avatar
b2bt
Joined: 25 Sep 2012
Last visit: 14 Apr 2024
Posts: 200
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 242
Location: India
Concentration: Strategy, Marketing
GMAT 1: 660 Q49 V31
GMAT 2: 680 Q48 V34
Products:
GMAT 2: 680 Q48 V34
Posts: 200
Kudos: 615
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
mikemcgarry
avohden
Situated on a splendid Adriatic harbor and surrounded by hills, blessed with an average of 300 days of sunshine a year, a variety of museums, great restaurants, and a vital, multicultural population, the city has just about everything a visitor could ask for.

A. Situated on a splendid Adriatic harbor and surrounded by hills, blessed with an average of 300 days of sunshine a year, a variety of museums, great restaurants, and a vital, multicultural population

B. Situated on a splendid Adriatic harbor, surrounded by hills, blessed with an average of 300 days of sunshine a year, and a variety of museums, great restaurants, as well as a vital, multicultural population

C. Situated on a splendid Adriatic harbor, surrounded by hills, and blessed with an average of 300 days of sunshine a year, a variety of museums, great restaurants, and a vital, multicultural population

D. Situated on a splendid Adriatic harbor, as well as surrounded by hills, blessed with an average of 300 days of sunshine a year, a variety of museums, great restaurants, and a vital, multicultural population

E. Situated on a splendid Adriatic harbor, surrounded by hills, as well as blessed with an average of 300 days of sunshine a year, and a variety of museums, great restaurants, and a vital, multicultural population
Dear avohden,
I'm happy to help. :-) Usually, ...

Now, look at the three participles in parallel
P = "Situated on ..."
Q = "surrounded by hills"
R = "blessed with ..."
The only answer that has the correct structure for these three element is (C).

Now, look at the four elements with which the city is "blessed"
P = "an average of 300 days of sunshine a year"
Q = "a variety of museums"
R = "great restaurants"
S = "a vital, multicultural population"
Again, these must be in the form
P, Q, R, and S
and (C) has these correct.

Therefore, only (C) could be the answer. Does this make sense?

Mike :-)

Mike, any tips on how to find the parallel elements? Or it will come by just plain practice?
When I first solved this question, I thought the list was situated, surrounded, blessed, and a variety, a great restaurant, and a vital...
Basically, I thought there is a list of modifiers, three with past participle and other (I don't know what to call it) a list of things)

I got the question wrong but I didn't look the right answer, instead I solved it again. This time I thought that surrounded is modifying Adriatic Harbour, and mistook it as incorrect. Ended up choosing A this time.

Basically both the times I couldn't interpret the right list.
User avatar
mikemcgarry
User avatar
Magoosh GMAT Instructor
Joined: 28 Dec 2011
Last visit: 06 Aug 2018
Posts: 4,480
Own Kudos:
30,116
 [3]
Given Kudos: 130
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 4,480
Kudos: 30,116
 [3]
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
b2bt
Mike, any tips on how to find the parallel elements? Or it will come by just plain practice?
When I first solved this question, I thought the list was situated, surrounded, blessed, and a variety, a great restaurant, and a vital...
Basically, I thought there is a list of modifiers, three with past participle and other (I don't know what to call it) a list of things)

I got the question wrong but I didn't look the right answer, instead I solved it again. This time I thought that surrounded is modifying Adriatic Harbour, and mistook it as incorrect. Ended up choosing A this time.

Basically both the times I couldn't interpret the right list.
Dear b2bt,
I'm happy to respond. :-)
This question from Veritas has a particular challenging structure, because one parallel structure is nested inside another----that is particularly challenging. Nested parallel structures are one of the hardest part about GMAT SC. See:
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2014/nested-gr ... orrection/
How do you practice spotting and understanding parallelism? Well, first of all, read solutions carefully, so that you fully understand the parallelism once it is pointed out and explained. That's one important piece. Another important piece: READ. Read extensively, not just GMAT prep material but real-like news & business material. See:
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2014/how-to-im ... bal-score/
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/gmat-reading-list/
The advanced piece is spotting nested parallelism structures----you will see these in sophisticated real-world writing, and if you get used to them in that context, then understanding them on the SC will be easier.

Does all this make sense?
Mike :-)
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hi mike @veritasprep,

I have a doubt related to option E. The OE says that the initial structure, " Situated on a splendid Adriatic harbor, surrounded by hills, as well as blessed...." , is correct. I thought that since additive phrase act as a adjective it is just a fluf in the sentence, and hence we should put another AND between SITUATED and SURROUNDED. Am I wrong in this??
User avatar
mikemcgarry
User avatar
Magoosh GMAT Instructor
Joined: 28 Dec 2011
Last visit: 06 Aug 2018
Posts: 4,480
Own Kudos:
30,116
 [1]
Given Kudos: 130
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 4,480
Kudos: 30,116
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
pulkitaggi1
Hi mike,

I have a doubt related to option E. The OE says that the initial structure, " Situated on a splendid Adriatic harbor, surrounded by hills, as well as blessed...." , is correct. I thought that since additive phrase act as a adjective it is just a fluf in the sentence, and hence we should put another AND between SITUATED and SURROUNDED. Am I wrong in this??
Dear pulkitaggi1,

I'm happy to respond. :-)

If we have three elements, we know that this is correct.
P, Q, and R.
Everybody agrees on this: it is 100% correct.

The question raised by the OE concerns the following:
P, Q, as well as R
Hmmm. I would say this is in a gray zone. It's certainly something one hears in casual spoken English. It's not outright wrong. At the same time, I don't think this would pass muster on the GMAT SC: it doesn't sound high-brow and formal. It sounds a bit too casual. I don't believe the GMAT would ever have this structure in a correct answer, but I also don't think the GMAT would test the difference between these two.

Does all this make sense?
Mike :-)
User avatar
dcummins
Joined: 14 Feb 2017
Last visit: 17 Jun 2025
Posts: 1,069
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 368
Location: Australia
Concentration: Technology, Strategy
GMAT 1: 560 Q41 V26
GMAT 2: 550 Q43 V23
GMAT 3: 650 Q47 V33
GMAT 4: 650 Q44 V36
GMAT 5: 600 Q38 V35
GMAT 6: 710 Q47 V41
WE:Management Consulting (Consulting)
Products:
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Veritas Official Explanation


This long sentence correction problem contains several issues relating to parallelism and sentence construction. The key is to figure out from the different decision points what is supposed to be in the series. This is best accomplished with a very careful use of the “slash-and-burn” technique to simplify the choices.
Once you do that, you will see that only (C) gets the series correct: “Situated on X, surrounded by Y, and blessed with A, B, C, and D, the city….”
(A) is wrong as it says: “Situated on X and surrounded by Y, blessed with A,B,C, and D, the city” This series has been “bungled” as there is an “and” first but then no “and” before the last element in the series.
(B) also gets it wrong: “Situated on X, surrounded by Y, blessed with Z, and A, B, as well as D” That leaves three “ed” participles linked with the noun “A”. This is not a parallel structure.
In (D) the “as well as surrounded by hills” in the middle of the series is not parallel and incorrect.
For (E) it starts off fine: “Situated on X, surrounded by Y, as well as blessed with Z” but then there are multiple “and” elements tacked on to the end that are clearly incorrect.
Only (C) contains the necessary structure linking three parallel elements and is thus correct.
User avatar
dracarys007
Joined: 04 Jun 2020
Last visit: 24 Feb 2022
Posts: 68
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 16
Location: India
Concentration: Strategy, General Management
GPA: 3.4
WE:Engineering (Consulting)
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Situated on a splendid Adriatic harbor and surrounded by hills, blessed with an average of 300 days of sunshine a year, a variety of museums, great restaurants, and a vital, multicultural population, the city has just about everything a visitor could ask for.
There are two lists in this sentence.
Situated, surrounded and blessed ( sunshine, museums, restaurants and population)

(A) Situated on a splendid Adriatic harbor and surrounded by hills, blessed with an average of 300 days of sunshine a year, a variety of museums, great restaurants, and a vital, multicultural population

And surrounded is incorrect.
(B) Situated on a splendid Adriatic harbor, surrounded by hills, blessed with an average of 300 days of sunshine a year, and a variety of museums, great restaurants, as well as a vital, multicultural population

There is no and before blessed
(C) Situated on a splendid Adriatic harbor, surrounded by hills, and blessed with an average of 300 days of sunshine a year, a variety of museums, great restaurants, and a vital, multicultural population

This is the correct answer choice.
(D) Situated on a splendid Adriatic harbor, as well as surrounded by hills, blessed with an average of 300 days of sunshine a year, a variety of museums, great restaurants, and a vital, multicultural population
As well as is incorrect in the sentence,

(E) Situated on a splendid Adriatic harbor, surrounded by hills, as well as blessed with an average of 300 days of sunshine a year, and a variety of museums, great restaurants, and a vital, multicultural population
As well as is incorrect in the sentence,
User avatar
VerbalBot
User avatar
Non-Human User
Joined: 01 Oct 2013
Last visit: 04 Jan 2021
Posts: 18,446
Own Kudos:
Posts: 18,446
Kudos: 953
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hello from the GMAT Club VerbalBot!

Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).

Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.
Moderators:
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
7353 posts
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
235 posts