Last visit was: 19 Nov 2025, 02:40 It is currently 19 Nov 2025, 02:40
Home
GMAT
Messages
Tests
Schools
Events
Rewards
Chat
My Profile
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.
Go to My Error Log Learn more
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
Back to Forum
Create Topic
   1   2 
505-555 Level|   Clauses|   Grammatical/Rhetorical Construction|   Subject Verb Agreement|                     
User avatar
chrtpmdr
User avatar
Current Student
Joined: 24 Jul 2019
Last visit: 05 Oct 2022
Posts: 202
Own Kudos:
533
Given Kudos: 161
Schools: HSG MBF "23 (A) UniBocconi MFin "23 (A)
GMAT 1: 730 Q46 V45
GPA: 3.9
Schools: HSG MBF "23 (A) UniBocconi MFin "23 (A)
GMAT 1: 730 Q46 V45
Posts: 202
Kudos: 533
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was making the case for womens equality 28 Feb 2020, 07:48
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
I arrived at (B) with POE but can someone explain to me the parallelism used in such sentences? I usually struggle with clause // clause parallelism because unlike verb // verb it sounds unnatural.

"Sor Juana found that the convent provided the perfect environment for intellectual pursuits, and she went on to achieve renown ..."

Are those both two full clauses that are Parallel? Clause 1 being: Sor Juana found that ... and Sor Juana went on to ...

Thanks!
User avatar
egmat
User avatar
e-GMAT Representative
Joined: 02 Nov 2011
Last visit: 18 Nov 2025
Posts: 5,108
Own Kudos:
32,884
 [1]
Given Kudos: 700
GMAT Date: 08-19-2020
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 5,108
Kudos: 32,884
 [1]
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was making the case for womens equality 28 Feb 2020, 11:05
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
chrtpmdr
I arrived at (B) with POE but can someone explain to me the parallelism used in such sentences? I usually struggle with clause // clause parallelism because unlike verb // verb it sounds unnatural.

"Sor Juana found that the convent provided the perfect environment for intellectual pursuits, and she went on to achieve renown ..."

Are those both two full clauses that are Parallel? Clause 1 being: Sor Juana found that ... and Sor Juana went on to ...

Thanks!
Show more


Hello chrtpmdr,
Thank you for the query. :-)


You may see these two independent clauses as parallel clauses. Or you may simply consider the comma + and connector connecting the two independent clauses.

As two parallel independent clauses, the two clauses present information about the same entity and hence are connected so.


Hope this helps. :-)
Thanks.
Shraddha
User avatar
GmatKnightTutor
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 31 Jan 2020
Last visit: 01 Nov 2025
Posts: 5,228
Own Kudos:
1,568
Given Kudos: 18
Posts: 5,228
Kudos: 1,568
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was making the case for womens equality 19 Mar 2020, 07:52
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
If you get confused by semi-colons, it's probably a good idea to look over some correct answer choices with them.
avatar
Hit05
avatar
Joined: 09 Mar 2020
Last visit: 27 Apr 2021
Posts: 1
Given Kudos: 80
GPA: 3.75
WE:Business Development (Consumer Packaged Goods)
Posts: 1
Kudos: 0
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was making the case for womens equality 19 Mar 2020, 14:42
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Gmat700Knight
If you get confused by semi-colons, it's probably a good idea to look over some correct answer choices with them.
Show more

I am not confused about semi colon. I wanted to check if Choice D had Verb-ing after common, then it would have been acceptable choice. In that case, we have a Verb ing modifier providing results of the previous clause.

In B, we have two clause joined by and.
User avatar
daagh
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 19 Feb 2007
Last visit: 16 Oct 2020
Posts: 5,264
Own Kudos:
42,418
 [1]
Given Kudos: 422
Status: enjoying
Location: India
WE:Education (Education)
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 5,264
Kudos: 42,418
 [1]
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was making the case for womens equality 19 Mar 2020, 23:11
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hit05

Quote:
(D) Sor Juana found that the convent provided the perfect environment for intellectual pursuits, achieving..renown as a mathematician, poet, philosopher, and playwright.
I wanted to check if Choice D had Verb-ing after common, then it would have been acceptable choice. In that case, we have a Verb ing modifier providing results of the previous clause.
Show more

You meant a ‘comma’ and not’ common’ I suppose. I had to search for some time for the word ‘common’ to suppose that.

But even then it wouldn’t be correct because you seem to be mistaking what the previous clause is. The previous clause is – that the convent provided the perfect environment for intellectual pursuits, achieving – Please do not mistake the previous clause for ---- Sor Juana found that the convent provided the perfect environment for intellectual pursuits, achieving …

If you put a comma before achieving, the participle will modify the convent and not Sor Juana as you might be thinking. The convent achieving something is absurd a serious logic error.

HTH
User avatar
DmitryFarber
User avatar
Manhattan Prep Instructor
Joined: 22 Mar 2011
Last visit: 08 Nov 2025
Posts: 3,020
Own Kudos:
8,563
 [4]
Given Kudos: 57
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT Focus 1: 745 Q86 V90 DI85
Posts: 3,020
Kudos: 8,563
 [4]
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was making the case for womens equality 29 Nov 2020, 12:35
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
3
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Genoa2000
We sometimes say that idea or institutions are "born," but this is only a metaphor, and we usually use it when talking about the influences or struggles that led to that thing's creation. I don't think we'd ever say a building was "born." In any case, if we're in doubt, we should definitely assume that the intent is to talk about a person.

In this case, it also makes more sense meaning-wise to apply "born" to Sor Juana. The intended meaning is that since Sor Juana was born before the fight for women's equality had begun, the convent provided her with a useful refuge. So the initial modifier ("Born . . . ") adds clarity to the clause that follows. It's *because* she was born in the 17th c. that the convent was perfect for her. We can't do the same if we're talking about the building. Knowing that the building itself dated to the mid-seventeenth century would not tell us why it was a perfect environment for Sor Juana.
User avatar
RohitSaluja
User avatar
Joined: 02 Aug 2020
Last visit: 21 Sep 2024
Posts: 213
Own Kudos:
92
Given Kudos: 254
Location: India
Concentration: General Management, Healthcare
Schools: HEC'22 (J)
GMAT 1: 720 Q49 V40
GPA: 3.8
WE:Consulting (Healthcare/Pharmaceuticals)
Products:
My Reviews
Schools: HEC'22 (J)
GMAT 1: 720 Q49 V40
Posts: 213
Kudos: 92
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was making the case for womens equality 27 Oct 2021, 03:36
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Gnpth
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was making the case for women’s equality long before the cause had a name: Born in the mid-seventeenth century in San Miguel Nepantla, Mexico, the convent was the perfect environment for Sor Juana to pursue intellectual pursuits, achieving renown as a mathematician, poet, philosopher, and playwright.

(A) the convent was the perfect environment for Sor Juana to pursue intellectual pursuits, achieving

(B) Sor Juana found that the convent provided the perfect environment for intellectual pursuits, and she went on to achieve

(C) the convent provided the perfect environment for intellectual pursuits for Sor Juana; going on to achieve

(D) Sor Juana found that the convent provided the perfect environment for intellectual pursuits; achieving

(E) the convent was, Sor Juana found, the perfect environment for intellectual pursuits, and she went on to achieve

Show Spoiler
https://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/02/arts/design/17thcentury-sisterhood-is-powerful.html

MEXICAN nuns are seldom thought of as feminist pioneers, but Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was making the case for women's equality long before the cause had a name. Born about 1651 in a village called Nepantla, Sor Juana entered a convent to escape marriage. She devoted herself to study, and achieved renown as a mathematician, poet, philosopher and playwright.
Show more

Hi gmatwhiz I have been using your course for verbal and in the course, we talk about deriving the intended meaning from the sentence. Now in the original sentence, there is no indication that Sor Juana found herself something, which option B indicates, So I eliminated option B directly because it changed the intended meaning. I want to check how should we pursue such questions?
User avatar
ExpertsGlobal5
User avatar
Experts' Global Representative
Joined: 10 Jul 2017
Last visit: 18 Nov 2025
Posts: 5,195
Own Kudos:
4,763
 [1]
Given Kudos: 43
Location: India
GMAT Date: 11-01-2019
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 5,195
Kudos: 4,763
 [1]
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was making the case for womens equality 27 Oct 2021, 06:19
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
RohitSaluja
Gnpth
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was making the case for women’s equality long before the cause had a name: Born in the mid-seventeenth century in San Miguel Nepantla, Mexico, the convent was the perfect environment for Sor Juana to pursue intellectual pursuits, achieving renown as a mathematician, poet, philosopher, and playwright.

(A) the convent was the perfect environment for Sor Juana to pursue intellectual pursuits, achieving

(B) Sor Juana found that the convent provided the perfect environment for intellectual pursuits, and she went on to achieve

(C) the convent provided the perfect environment for intellectual pursuits for Sor Juana; going on to achieve

(D) Sor Juana found that the convent provided the perfect environment for intellectual pursuits; achieving

(E) the convent was, Sor Juana found, the perfect environment for intellectual pursuits, and she went on to achieve

Show Spoiler
https://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/02/arts/design/17thcentury-sisterhood-is-powerful.html

MEXICAN nuns are seldom thought of as feminist pioneers, but Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was making the case for women's equality long before the cause had a name. Born about 1651 in a village called Nepantla, Sor Juana entered a convent to escape marriage. She devoted herself to study, and achieved renown as a mathematician, poet, philosopher and playwright.

Hi gmatwhiz I have been using your course for verbal and in the course, we talk about deriving the intended meaning from the sentence. Now in the original sentence, there is no indication that Sor Juana found herself something, which option B indicates, So I eliminated option B directly because it changed the intended meaning. I want to check how should we pursue such questions?
Show more

Hello RohitSaluja,

We hope this finds you well.

Having gone through the question and your query, we believe that we can help resolve your doubt.

On GMATsentence correction, the intended meaning of the sentence is typically understood to be that of the original sentence, or that produced through the application of Option A. However, this principle does not hold if the meaning produced by Option A is illogical or incoherent. Here, in Option A you can see that the phrase "Born in the mid-seventeenth century in San Miguel Nepantla, Mexico" incorrectly modifies the noun "the convent", illogically implying that the convent was "born" in the mid-seventeenth century in San Miguel Nepantla, Mexico; please remember, in the “phrase + comma + noun” and “noun + comma + phrase” constructions, the phrase must correctly modify the noun; this is one of the most frequently tested concepts on GMAT sentence correction. As a building cannot be said to have been "born", we can conclude that Option A does not convey the intended meaning of the sentence.

To understand the concept of "Phrase Comma Subject" and "Subject Comma Phrase" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~1minute):



All the best!
Experts' Global Team
User avatar
Dinesh654
User avatar
Joined: 08 Jun 2021
Last visit: 11 Aug 2024
Posts: 155
Own Kudos:
9
Given Kudos: 217
Status:In learning mode...
Location: India
GMAT 1: 600 Q46 V27
Products:
My Reviews
GMAT 1: 600 Q46 V27
Posts: 155
Kudos: 9
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was making the case for womens equality 11 May 2022, 05:31
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hello experts,
there is a new concept for me to learn here,
First there was an IC "was making" and then there was another IC Sor juana found.
They are only connected by punctuation (:),
but two ICs are seperated by either ; or ,conjuction.

1. so we can say there is a third case as well?
2.whats the meaning here, why the sentence is using :?
3.D is wrong just because of ; ?
avatar
ynan456
avatar
Joined: 07 Sep 2021
Last visit: 15 Nov 2025
Posts: 3
Given Kudos: 18
Location: India
Posts: 3
Kudos: 0
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was making the case for womens equality 13 May 2022, 01:00
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hi, in this question in option B, it seems that Sor Juana herself found the environment, should the sentence not mean that she grew up in such an environment and did not find it herself?
User avatar
ExpertsGlobal5
User avatar
Experts' Global Representative
Joined: 10 Jul 2017
Last visit: 18 Nov 2025
Posts: 5,195
Own Kudos:
4,763
Given Kudos: 43
Location: India
GMAT Date: 11-01-2019
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 5,195
Kudos: 4,763
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was making the case for womens equality 13 May 2022, 05:28
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
ynan456
Hi, in this question in option B, it seems that Sor Juana herself found the environment, should the sentence not mean that she grew up in such an environment and did not find it herself?
Show more

Hello ynan456,

We hope this finds you well.

To answer your query, in this context "found" serves as a synonym for "discovered" or "realized"; the meaning is that Sor Juana discovered certain information - the fact that the convent provided the perfect environment for intellectual pursuits.

We hope this helps.
All the best!
Experts' Global Team
User avatar
krndatta
User avatar
Joined: 09 Feb 2020
Last visit: 17 Oct 2024
Posts: 383
Own Kudos:
44
Given Kudos: 433
Location: India
Posts: 383
Kudos: 44
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was making the case for womens equality 26 May 2022, 19:20
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
AndrewN
Based on your analysis above, I came up with my reasoning.
Take a glance please.

Option A:-
1. Modifer Error. The convent can't be born in the mid seventeenth century.
2. Comma+verb-ing error. The convent cannot achieve renown as a mathematician.....

Option B:- This is the correct answer choice.

Option C:-
1. Error No.1 of option A.
2. We need an independent clause after a semi-colon. Who is going on to achieve renown? This part is not clear.

Option D:-
1. We need an independent clause after a semi-colon.
2. Who is achieving renown? This part is not clear.

Option E:-
1. Opening Modifier Error.
avatar
AndrewN
avatar
Volunteer Expert
Joined: 16 May 2019
Last visit: 29 Mar 2025
Posts: 3,502
Own Kudos:
7,511
 [1]
Given Kudos: 500
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 3,502
Kudos: 7,511
 [1]
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was making the case for womens equality 27 May 2022, 05:18
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
krndatta
AndrewN
Based on your analysis above, I came up with my reasoning.
Take a glance please.

Option A:-
1. Modifer Error. The convent can't be born in the mid seventeenth century.
2. Comma+verb-ing error. The convent cannot achieve renown as a mathematician.....

Option B:- This is the correct answer choice.

Option C:-
1. Error No.1 of option A.
2. We need an independent clause after a semi-colon. Who is going on to achieve renown? This part is not clear.

Option D:-
1. We need an independent clause after a semi-colon.
2. Who is achieving renown? This part is not clear.

Option E:-
1. Opening Modifier Error.
Show more
Yes, krndatta. I agree with your analysis in its entirety. Just to be on the safe side, keep in mind that a semicolon can also be used to separate items in a list when any item within that list contains an internal comma. To illustrate the point, I use the following sentence with my students:

I went to the store to buy a few items: kale, my favorite, cabbage, and carrots.

Now, if we were speaking, my inflection would make it clear whether kale or cabbage was my favorite vegetable, but in writing, we lean on punctuation besides a comma to do the job:

1) I went to the store to buy a few items: kale, my favorite; cabbage; and carrots. (Kale is my favorite vegetable.)

2) I went to the store to buy a few items: kale; my favorite, cabbage; and carrots. (Cabbage is my favorite vegetable.)

3) I went to the store to buy a few items: kale (my favorite), cabbage, and carrots. (Kale is my favorite vegetable.)

Oddly enough, we would not want a parenthetical ahead of cabbage:

4) I went to the store to buy a few items: kale, (my favorite) cabbage, and carrots.

Now, it sounds as though I went to the store to pick out my favorite cabbage from among different varieties of cabbage. The semicolon in sentence 2 above would be more appropriate to indicate that cabbage in general was my favorite vegetable, or, alternatively, we could move the parenthetical and place it after cabbage.

Thank you for thinking to ask me about this one. Good luck with your studies.

- Andrew
User avatar
happypuppy
User avatar
Joined: 29 Mar 2020
Last visit: 03 Dec 2023
Posts: 207
Own Kudos:
437
Given Kudos: 238
Location: India
Concentration: Entrepreneurship, Technology
Schools: Stanford '25 (S) Booth '25 (S) Wharton '25 (S) ISB '24 (A) HBS '25 (D)
GMAT 1: 720 Q50 V38 (Online)
GPA: 3.5
Products:
My Reviews
Schools: Stanford '25 (S) Booth '25 (S) Wharton '25 (S) ISB '24 (A) HBS '25 (D)
GMAT 1: 720 Q50 V38 (Online)
Posts: 207
Kudos: 437
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was making the case for womens equality 30 Jun 2022, 08:49
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
shonakshi
Y is option D wrong ...?
Can sum1 explain how achieving is different from aim to achieve in this ques?
Show more


D is wrong because after the semicolon, there is not Independent Clause.

;achieving renown as a mathematician, poet, philosopher, and playwright. - is not independent.
User avatar
NakulDiwakar10
User avatar
Joined: 14 Jun 2021
Last visit: 16 Nov 2025
Posts: 141
Own Kudos:
33
Given Kudos: 65
Location: India
Products:
My Reviews
Posts: 141
Kudos: 33
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was making the case for womens equality 15 Jun 2023, 22:19
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
correct answer is b)
a) c) e) are out because of modifier error. The convent is not born
d) the semi colon before achieving denotes the start of an Independent clause which isn't there
User avatar
SKGM
User avatar
Joined: 27 Jun 2022
Last visit: 17 Sep 2024
Posts: 20
Own Kudos:
10
Given Kudos: 34
Location: India
GMAT 1: 570 Q40 V28
GMAT 1: 570 Q40 V28
Posts: 20
Kudos: 10
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was making the case for womens equality 17 Jun 2023, 05:16
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Dinesh654
Hello experts,
there is a new concept for me to learn here,
First there was an IC "was making" and then there was another IC Sor juana found.
They are only connected by punctuation (:),
but two ICs are seperated by either ; or ,conjuction.

1. so we can say there is a third case as well?
2.whats the meaning here, why the sentence is using :?
3.D is wrong just because of ; ?
Show more

I am not expert, and hope you do not mind.

The semicolon(;) connects two related independent cluse. That's why Option D is wrong.

Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was making the case for women’s equality long before the cause had a name: Born in the mid-seventeenth century in San Miguel Nepantla, Mexico, Sor Juana found that the convent provided the perfect environment for intellectual pursuits, and she went on to achieve renown as a mathematician, poet, philosopher, and playwright.

Before colon (:), the sentence must be a stand alone sentence. Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was making the case for women’s equality long before the cause had a name - is a stande alone sentence. After colon, what comes may not be stand alone sentence.
ex. I like rock music: namely Black is Black, Already gone, and Night Moves.

If you add main clause after colon, then this second clause must explain preceding cluase. Like in this sentence, before colon, one clause; after colon another clause explaining role of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz.
The structure of this sentence: IC +colon+ modifier + IC + COMMA AND + IC

Hope it helps.
   1   2 
Moderators:
GMATNinja
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
7445 posts
GMATNinjaTwo
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
234 posts
miag
188 posts