Last visit was: 20 Nov 2025, 08:39 It is currently 20 Nov 2025, 08:39
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|   Conjunctions (FANBOYS)|                           
User avatar
EducationAisle
User avatar
Joined: 27 Mar 2010
Last visit: 20 Nov 2025
Posts: 3,891
Own Kudos:
3,579
 [1]
Given Kudos: 159
Location: India
Schools: ISB
GPA: 3.31
Expert
Expert reply
Schools: ISB
Posts: 3,891
Kudos: 3,579
 [1]
The Baldrick Manufacturing Company has for several years followed a 17 Dec 2020, 23:07
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
sssanskaar2

2. improving the efficiency of its distribution system. (this IS DEFINATELY a verb.)
Show more
Hi sssanskaar2, sorry which is the verb here? Are you referring to improving? "improving" is used as a Gerund here. The issue at hand is not between gerund and verb (neither improving nor decreasing is a verb); the issue is to decide whether these words are used as participles or gerunds.

Quote:
Although i was inclined towards option A, I ultimately chose E because it sounded to me that a gerund and an action clause were being compared in the original sentence.
Show more
Well, decreasing is as much an "action" as improving is.

Quote:
I think an addition of 'the' after 'decreasing' (like 'the' after 'improving') would have made this difference clearer?
Show more
Agree with you. The thing is that grammatically, an "-ing" form of the verb after a preposition (in this case at) is always a Gerund. Hence, test makers took this call that they do not need to explicitly mention the after decreasing.

p.s. Our book EducationAisle Sentence Correction Nirvana discusses this issue of "participles" vs "gerunds", its application and examples in significant detail. If you or someone is interested, PM me your email-id; I can mail the corresponding section.
avatar
sssanskaar2
avatar
Joined: 21 Sep 2020
Last visit: 15 Sep 2021
Posts: 16
Own Kudos:
3
Given Kudos: 110
Posts: 16
Kudos: 3
The Baldrick Manufacturing Company has for several years followed a Updated on: 18 Dec 2020, 00:04
Originally posted by sssanskaar2 on 18 Dec 2020, 00:01.
Last edited by sssanskaar2 on 18 Dec 2020, 00:04, edited 1 time in total.
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
EducationAisle
sssanskaar2

2. improving the efficiency of its distribution system. (this IS DEFINATELY a verb.)
Hi sssanskaar2, sorry which is the verb here? Are you referring to improving? "improving" is used as a Gerund here. The issue at hand is not between gerund and verb (neither improving nor decreasing is a verb); the issue is to decide whether these words are used as participles or gerunds.

Quote:
Although i was inclined towards option A, I ultimately chose E because it sounded to me that a gerund and an action clause were being compared in the original sentence.
Well, decreasing is as much an "action" as improving is.

Quote:
I think an addition of 'the' after 'decreasing' (like 'the' after 'improving') would have made this difference clearer?
Agree with you. The thing is that grammatically, an "-ing" form of the verb after a preposition (in this case at) is always a Gerund. Hence, test makers took this call that they do not need to explicitly mention the after decreasing.

p.s. Our book EducationAisle Sentence Correction Nirvana discusses this issue of "participles" vs "gerunds", its application and examples in significant detail. If you or someone is interested, PM me your email-id; I can mail the corresponding section.
Show more

thanks EducationAisle for the explanation.

In the first part you wrote that -
Quote:
Are you referring to improving? "improving" is used as a Gerund here.
Show more
I think here lies the problem with my understanding. I am not able to grasp that 'improving' is a gerund (noun) here.

The Baldrick Manufacturing Company has for several years followed a policy aimed at decreasing operating costs and improving the efficiency of its distribution system.

Something is aimed at improving the XYZ. - Will all my humbleness, I can not see how 'improving' is used as a gerund in this case. :(

Had it been -

The Baldrick Manufacturing Company has for several years followed a policy aimed at decreasing operating costs and improving the efficiency of its distribution system. - then i think that I would have agreed with you that 'improving' is acting as a gerund in this case.

Can you please explain/elaborate this point? I think my actual query will be cleared after this. :please:
User avatar
EducationAisle
User avatar
Joined: 27 Mar 2010
Last visit: 20 Nov 2025
Posts: 3,891
Own Kudos:
3,579
 [2]
Given Kudos: 159
Location: India
Schools: ISB
GPA: 3.31
Expert
Expert reply
Schools: ISB
Posts: 3,891
Kudos: 3,579
 [2]
The Baldrick Manufacturing Company has for several years followed a 18 Dec 2020, 00:04
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
sssanskaar2
Something is aimed at improving the XYZ. - Will all my humbleness, I can not see how 'improving' is used as a gerund in this case
Show more
As I mentioned in my previous post, any "-ing" form of the verb used after a preposition (at in this case) will always be a gerund.
User avatar
AnirudhaS
User avatar
LBS Moderator
Joined: 30 Oct 2019
Last visit: 25 Jun 2024
Posts: 811
Own Kudos:
872
Given Kudos: 1,575
Posts: 811
Kudos: 872
The Baldrick Manufacturing Company has for several years followed a 12 Jun 2021, 13:29
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
OE:
Parallelism; Rhetorical construction
This correct sentence uses the grammatically parallel elements
decreasing and improving to describe the two aims of the company’s
policy.
A. Correct. Decreasing and improving are grammatically parallel;
aimed at is a correct and concise expression.
B. The decreasing and to improve are not parallel.
C. Using the before decreasing creates a gerund, which is not parallel
to the participle improving.
D. The aim of which is awkward and wordy; the decreasing is not
parallel to improving.
E. With the aim to is not the correct idiom; the correct idiom is with
the aim of followed by an ing verb form such as decreasing.
The correct answer is A.
avatar
Foi2Evei2
avatar
Joined: 21 Aug 2018
Last visit: 06 May 2022
Posts: 22
Own Kudos:
1
Given Kudos: 57
Posts: 22
Kudos: 1
The Baldrick Manufacturing Company has for several years followed a 20 Jun 2021, 04:08
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
shikhar
The Baldrick Manufacturing Company has for several years followed a policy aimed at decreasing operating costs and improving the efficiency of its distribution system.

(A) aimed at decreasing operating costs and improving

(B) aimed at the decreasing of operating costs and to improve

(C) aiming at the decreasing of operating costs and improving

(D) the aim of which is the decreasing of operating costs and improving

(E) with the aim to decrease operating costs and to improve
Show more
Hi experts GMATNinja egmat AndrewN

For option (A), "...a policy aimed at...." comes from "...a policy that is aimed at..." correct? So I am not sure that a policy can be 'aimed' at something (passive form)?

In this case, option (E) would be better or not to express the meaning that A has followed a policy with the aim to....

Thanks!
avatar
AndrewN
avatar
Volunteer Expert
Joined: 16 May 2019
Last visit: 29 Mar 2025
Posts: 3,502
Own Kudos:
7,512
 [1]
Given Kudos: 500
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 3,502
Kudos: 7,512
 [1]
The Baldrick Manufacturing Company has for several years followed a 21 Jun 2021, 04:33
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Foi2Evei2
shikhar
The Baldrick Manufacturing Company has for several years followed a policy aimed at decreasing operating costs and improving the efficiency of its distribution system.

(A) aimed at decreasing operating costs and improving

(B) aimed at the decreasing of operating costs and to improve

(C) aiming at the decreasing of operating costs and improving

(D) the aim of which is the decreasing of operating costs and improving

(E) with the aim to decrease operating costs and to improve
Hi experts GMATNinja egmat AndrewN

For option (A), "...a policy aimed at...." comes from "...a policy that is aimed at..." correct? So I am not sure that a policy can be 'aimed' at something (passive form)?

In this case, option (E) would be better or not to express the meaning that A has followed a policy with the aim to....

Thanks!
Show more
I understand where you are coming from, Foi2Evei2. At the same time, this is just one of those idiomatic quirks of the English language. Extensions of our minds—e.g., works of art, documentaries, writing—can be said, in certain contexts, to take on the role of something we ourselves would do: aiming to achieve something, for example. I cannot say that you are likely to see such a question, but I have come across two or three official questions that would qualify, so it is a lesson better learned sooner than later. Here, I see aimed at as something akin to designed to, even if the part that follows is conjugated a little differently.

- Andrew
User avatar
Deadpool3
User avatar
Joined: 20 Aug 2017
Last visit: 04 Apr 2022
Posts: 76
Own Kudos:
73
Given Kudos: 89
Location: India
Concentration: Technology, Strategy
Schools: Desautels (D)
WE:Information Technology (Computer Software)
Products:
My Reviews
Schools: Desautels (D)
Posts: 76
Kudos: 73
The Baldrick Manufacturing Company has for several years followed a 04 Sep 2021, 04:46
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Dear AjiteshArun, GMATNinja, GMATGuruNY, DmitryFarber MartyTargetTestPrep

Hope you all are doing great!

I have a question about option (E). I understand that "with the aim to" idiom in (E) is incorrect, hence rendering the option wrong.
I just wanted to understand, is there any other issue that makes this option wrong?

The Baldrick Manufacturing Company has for several years followed a policy with the aim to decrease operating costs and to improve the efficiency of its distribution system.

(E) with the aim to decrease operating costs and to improve
User avatar
AjiteshArun
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 15 Jul 2015
Last visit: 18 Nov 2025
Posts: 5,949
Own Kudos:
5,080
 [2]
Given Kudos: 732
Location: India
GMAT Focus 1: 715 Q83 V90 DI83
GMAT 1: 780 Q50 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V169
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT Focus 1: 715 Q83 V90 DI83
GMAT 1: 780 Q50 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V169
Posts: 5,949
Kudos: 5,080
 [2]
The Baldrick Manufacturing Company has for several years followed a 04 Sep 2021, 11:35
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Deadpool3
Dear AjiteshArun, GMATNinja, GMATGuruNY, DmitryFarber MartyTargetTestPrep

Hope you all are doing great!

I have a question about option (E). I understand that "with the aim to" idiom in (E) is incorrect, hence rendering the option wrong.
I just wanted to understand, is there any other issue that makes this option wrong?

The Baldrick Manufacturing Company has for several years followed a policy with the aim to decrease operating costs and to improve the efficiency of its distribution system.

(E) with the aim to decrease operating costs and to improve
Show more
Hi Deadpool3,

Aimed at clearly points to (and defines) policy. With the aim seems to tell us why BMC followed a policy, but this makes the sentence very vague. Did they really follow a policy ("with the aim, the BMC followed a policy")? We need some additional information about the policy there.

That said, this option is almost certainly meant to test the idiom, so don't deprioritize that call.
User avatar
Crytiocanalyst
User avatar
Joined: 16 Jun 2021
Last visit: 27 May 2023
Posts: 950
Own Kudos:
208
Given Kudos: 309
Posts: 950
Kudos: 208
The Baldrick Manufacturing Company has for several years followed a 04 Sep 2021, 23:15
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
shikhar
The Baldrick Manufacturing Company has for several years followed a policy aimed at decreasing operating costs and improving the efficiency of its distribution system.
Show more

(A) aimed at decreasing operating costs and improving
The idiomatic usage is perfect along with the meaning

(B) aimed at the decreasing of operating costs and to improve
improve isn't the right usage therefore out

(C) aiming at the decreasing of operating costs and improving
aiming is the right idiomatic usage

(D) the aim of which is the decreasing of operating costs and improving
which is creating ambiguity we don't know whether it's refering to policy or the company therefore out

(E) with the aim to decrease operating costs and to improve
with the aim isn't the right idiomatic usage therefore out

Therefore IMO A
User avatar
thangvietnam
User avatar
Joined: 29 Jun 2017
Last visit: 09 Mar 2023
Posts: 768
Own Kudos:
418
Given Kudos: 2,198
Posts: 768
Kudos: 418
The Baldrick Manufacturing Company has for several years followed a 05 Sep 2021, 03:46
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
in choice E, "with the aim..." modifies "polycy". this is not logical. the policy can not have "aim" but the policy is "aimed at something". this makes choice E wrong.

we can add a comma before "with the aim..." to make this phrase modify the subject but this is inferior because this phrase is far from the subject.
User avatar
NarayanaGupta007
User avatar
Joined: 21 Aug 2021
Last visit: 04 Sep 2025
Posts: 74
Own Kudos:
35
Given Kudos: 51
Posts: 74
Kudos: 35
The Baldrick Manufacturing Company has for several years followed a 26 May 2022, 05:20
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
shikhar
The Baldrick Manufacturing Company has for several years followed a policy aimed at decreasing operating costs and improving the efficiency of its distribution system.

(A) aimed at decreasing operating costs and improving

(B) aimed at the decreasing of operating costs and to improve

(C) aiming at the decreasing of operating costs and improving

(D) the aim of which is the decreasing of operating costs and improving

(E) with the aim to decrease operating costs and to improve
Show more

30 SEC SOL[b][/b]
aimed at id right idiom so C D E out
and we dont have to before and so we dont need it after and also therefore A is right

Don forget kudos if find useful
User avatar
tukaisg
User avatar
Joined: 29 Jul 2022
Last visit: 06 Oct 2024
Posts: 24
Own Kudos:
18
Given Kudos: 51
WE:Engineering (Telecommunications)
Posts: 24
Kudos: 18
The Baldrick Manufacturing Company has for several years followed a 23 Jul 2023, 02:12
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
shikhar
The Baldrick Manufacturing Company has for several years followed a policy aimed at decreasing operating costs and improving the efficiency of its distribution system.

(A) aimed at decreasing operating costs and improving

(B) aimed at the decreasing of operating costs and to improve

(C) aiming at the decreasing of operating costs and improving

(D) the aim of which is the decreasing of operating costs and improving

(E) with the aim to decrease operating costs and to improve
Show more

Let's go through all the options:

(A) "aimed at decreasing operating costs and improving"

This option correctly uses the phrase "aimed at" followed by gerunds ("decreasing" and "improving"), which maintains parallelism and proper grammatical structure.

(B) "aimed at the decreasing of operating costs and to improve"

This option is incorrect because it breaks parallelism. The structure after "aimed at" should be consistent, but here we have "the decreasing of operating costs" and "to improve", which do not match.

(C) "aiming at the decreasing of operating costs and improving"

This option is incorrect because it also breaks parallelism (for the same reason as option B) and changes the tense of "aimed" to "aiming," which is unnecessary.

(D) "the aim of which is the decreasing of operating costs and improving"

This option is incorrect because it uses a more awkward and convoluted structure to express the same meaning that can be more simply and directly expressed with "aimed at".

(E) "with the aim to decrease operating costs and to improve"

This option, while not grammatically incorrect, is less concise and direct than option A. Furthermore, "aimed at" is a more idiomatic expression in English than "with the aim to."

Overall, option A is the most clear, concise, and grammatically correct.
User avatar
SnorLax_7
User avatar
Joined: 19 Nov 2022
Last visit: 22 Sep 2025
Posts: 87
Own Kudos:
29
Given Kudos: 1,925
Posts: 87
Kudos: 29
The Baldrick Manufacturing Company has for several years followed a 23 Jul 2023, 09:57
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
@DmitryFarber/@EMPOWERgmatVerbal/MartyTargetTestPrep

Hi Experts, here in option A - are 'decreasing.. and improving..' is gerund (if gerund, is parallelism maintained ?) or adjectives modifying their respective nouns ?
in option E - this option is wrong just because of the idiomatic expression or are there some other splits as well ?

Kindly help
User avatar
KarishmaB
User avatar
Joined: 16 Oct 2010
Last visit: 20 Nov 2025
Posts: 16,267
Own Kudos:
77,005
 [1]
Given Kudos: 482
Location: Pune, India
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 16,267
Kudos: 77,005
 [1]
The Baldrick Manufacturing Company has for several years followed a 02 Aug 2023, 04:03
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
SnorLax_7
@DmitryFarber/@EMPOWERgmatVerbal/MartyTargetTestPrep

Hi Experts, here in option A - are 'decreasing.. and improving..' is gerund (if gerund, is parallelism maintained ?) or adjectives modifying their respective nouns ?
in option E - this option is wrong just because of the idiomatic expression or are there some other splits as well ?

Kindly help
Show more

Responding to a pm:

Here is the problem with option (E): https://gmatclub.com/forum/the-baldrick ... 29508.html

When trying to figure out the role being played by verb-ing (gerund or participle), consider whether it is acting as
- a noun - placed right after a preposition or acting as the subject etc. or
- an adjective - say with a noun placed right after or before it (which it is describing) or at the end of the main clause with a comma before it etc.

... aimed at decreasing ... and improving ...
which is...
... aimed at decreasing ... and {aimed at} improving ...

Since 'decreasing' follows a preposition 'at', it is acting as a noun i.e. a gerund. Similarly, 'improving' is also acting as a gerund and they are parallel.
   1   2 
Moderators:
GMATNinja
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
7443 posts
GMATNinjaTwo
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
231 posts
miag
189 posts