OFFICIAL EXPLANATIONProject SC Butler: Sentence Correction (SC1)
THE PROMPTQuote:
Studies over the past decade indicate people working at home or outside the office as tending to work longer hours, contrary to employers’ initial fears.
• The "cleanest" and preferred way to use the verb
indicate in the context of studies is to follow
indicate with the word
that.
THE OPTIONSQuote:
A) indicate [that] people working at home or outside the office as tending to work longer hours, contrary to
• wrong meaning
→ a study could theoretically
display or
characterize people as "tending to [be the sorts of people who work," but studies usually describe, not characterize.
• wrong diction
→ in the context of studies and data, the word
indicate almost always means to
show, demonstrate, or prove—in which case
indicate is a reporting verb and should be followed by the word
thatELIMINATE A
Quote:
B) indicate [that] people who work at home or outside the office as tending to work longer hours, in contradiction of
• you will never see the phrase "in contradiction of" on GMAT
→
contradicting is possible
→
contrary to, in the other options, is better
•
indicate should be
indicate that (like option A)
• the meaning problem in option A exists in option B
ELIMINATE B
Quote:
C) indicate that people who work at home or outside the office tend to work longer hours, contrary to
• I see no errors
→ indicate is followed by
that→ the inelegant
as tending to has been switched to the solid and active verb
tend→
contrary to is idiomatic. And short.
KEEP
Quote:
D) have indicated longer hours of work by people who work at home or outside the office, contrary to
•
Nothing is wrong with have indicated. In fact, that construction in this context is common.The original OE writer is
wrong. Full stop. I would not emulate him unless you know why you are doing so.
• Strange meaning. Maybe garbled meaning.
→ Can a study "indicate" longer hours of work by people who work at home?
• Not as strong as C.
→ This phrasing is passive (work BY people) (indicate ... longer hours of work by people . . .) whereas (C)'s construction is in active voice (S/V: people tend)
ELIMINATE D
Quote:
E) indicate that people who work at home or outside the office had tended to work longer hours, contrary to
•
had tended is not as effective a verb choice as the simple "tend"
→ almost always,
had tended (past perfect) is for the earlier of two events that both ended in the past.
→ no reason exists for the verb tense shift
ELIMINATE E
The best answer is C.
NOTES
I like explanation a lot more than I like assertion.
I'm seeing a little too much assertion. Just a heads up.
My typically strict standards are relaxed: if you have the correct OA with some explanation, you get kudos.
COMMENTSGood job, everyone, for continuing to work during a hellish-but-not-permanent time.
Well done. Stay safe!