Last visit was: 19 Nov 2025, 15:40 It is currently 19 Nov 2025, 15:40
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
bsd_lover
Joined: 17 May 2007
Last visit: 15 Mar 2020
Posts: 2,432
Own Kudos:
1,735
 [39]
Given Kudos: 210
Posts: 2,432
Kudos: 1,735
 [39]
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
36
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Most Helpful Reply
User avatar
bsd_lover
Joined: 17 May 2007
Last visit: 15 Mar 2020
Posts: 2,432
Own Kudos:
1,735
 [5]
Given Kudos: 210
Posts: 2,432
Kudos: 1,735
 [5]
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
3
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
General Discussion
User avatar
sondenso
Joined: 04 May 2006
Last visit: 04 Dec 2018
Posts: 858
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 1
Concentration: Finance
Schools:CBS, Kellogg
Posts: 858
Kudos: 7,460
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
yavasani
Joined: 28 Apr 2008
Last visit: 12 Jan 2009
Posts: 66
Own Kudos:
813
 [1]
Posts: 66
Kudos: 813
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Can someone disect answer choice D, and comment on why it is good or bad. I think D is fine as is.
B suggests that they derived their name from bowers, which is incorrect.

Is Having acting as an adjective describing "bowers" or is it a verb ?

d) the fact that the males build elaborate bowers of sticks and twigs, having decorated them with flowers and other vegetation, to attract females
User avatar
getafixdruid
Joined: 22 Dec 2007
Last visit: 07 Sep 2008
Posts: 69
Own Kudos:
14
 [2]
Posts: 69
Kudos: 14
 [2]
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post

b) the elaborate bowers of sticks and twigs that the males build and decorate with flowers and other vegetation in order to attract females


e) the elaborate bowers of sticks and twigs that are built by the males and decorated with flowers and other vegetation to attract females

Boils down to B vs E but E uses passive voice. So I choose B.
User avatar
mymba99
Joined: 06 Jan 2008
Last visit: 25 Sep 2015
Posts: 297
Own Kudos:
4,498
 [2]
Given Kudos: 2
Posts: 297
Kudos: 4,498
 [2]
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
bsd_lover can you plz post OE.
I am stuck between B and C. Thanks
User avatar
FN
User avatar
Current Student
Joined: 28 Dec 2004
Last visit: 07 May 2012
Posts: 1,576
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 2
Location: New York City
Concentration: Social Enterprise
Schools:Wharton'11 HBS'12
Posts: 1,576
Kudos: 675
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
i am going with B too on this..

in A..the problem is "them" seems to modifying females..not the bowers..
User avatar
FN
User avatar
Current Student
Joined: 28 Dec 2004
Last visit: 07 May 2012
Posts: 1,576
Own Kudos:
675
 [3]
Given Kudos: 2
Location: New York City
Concentration: Social Enterprise
Schools:Wharton'11 HBS'12
Posts: 1,576
Kudos: 675
 [3]
3
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
saravalli
bsd_lover can you plz post OE.
I am stuck between B and C. Thanks


I think C is wrong..cause it implies as if the bowers are created by themselves and that the males only use flowers and vegetation to attract the females..

B is best..
User avatar
mymba99
Joined: 06 Jan 2008
Last visit: 25 Sep 2015
Posts: 297
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 2
Posts: 297
Kudos: 4,498
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
fresinha12
saravalli
bsd_lover can you plz post OE.
I am stuck between B and C. Thanks


I think C is wrong..cause it implies as if the bowers are created by themselves and that the males only use flowers and vegetation to attract the females..

B is best..
I am not able to decide to what does 'that' in B pointing to. (bowers or twigs) why?
Thanks
User avatar
bhatiagp
Joined: 01 Jan 2008
Last visit: 06 Jan 2021
Posts: 371
Own Kudos:
Concentration: General Management , Strategy
Products:
Posts: 371
Kudos: 116
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
B seems best for me, C has a modifier error. It looks like flowers and vegetations is used to attract females, where as the twigs are used to attract them. Hence the meaning changes.

In D , bower birds dont derive their name from the "fact " . It is wordy...

In E , attract females in a display of courtship.. changes the meaning.
User avatar
calreg11
Joined: 27 Oct 2011
Last visit: 07 Mar 2013
Posts: 84
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 4
Location: United States
Concentration: Finance, Strategy
GPA: 3.7
WE:Account Management (Consumer Packaged Goods)
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
IMO B. I thought it was E but it uses a passive voice that the GMAT does not prefer.
User avatar
StrangeWind
Joined: 08 Jul 2008
Last visit: 10 Nov 2013
Posts: 56
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 1
Posts: 56
Kudos: 4
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
+1 B. Is this from the GMAT practice test ?
User avatar
anilisanil
Joined: 18 Aug 2006
Last visit: 04 May 2016
Posts: 75
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 43
Location: United States
WE:Consulting (Telecommunications)
Posts: 75
Kudos: 179
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
the elaborate bowers of sticks and twigs that the males build and decorate with flowers and other vegetation.....

I am confused here, though I chose the right answer in the test(MGMAT), while reviewing it I am not convinced that this option is parallel, kindly explain if parallelism applies here?
avatar
domfrancondumas
Joined: 11 Jul 2013
Last visit: 19 Nov 2013
Posts: 28
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 92
Posts: 28
Kudos: 32
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
bsd_lover
The bowerbirds of Australia derive their name from the fact that the males build elaborate bowers of sticks and twigs to attract females, decorating them with flowers and other vegetation in a display of courtship.

a) the fact that the males build elaborate bowers of sticks and twigs to attract females, decorating them with flowers and other vegetation

b) the elaborate bowers of sticks and twigs that the males build and decorate with flowers and other vegetation in order to attract females

c) the elaborate bowers of sticks and twigs, decorated with flowers and other vegetation that the males use to attract females

d) the fact that the males build elaborate bowers of sticks and twigs, having decorated them with flowers and other vegetation, to attract females

e) the elaborate bowers of sticks and twigs that are built by the males and decorated with flowers and other vegetation to attract females


Cd somebody explain the question? I can't understand the OA?
User avatar
earnit
Joined: 06 Mar 2014
Last visit: 21 Dec 2016
Posts: 164
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 84
Location: India
GMAT Date: 04-30-2015
Products:
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
B) the elaborate bowers of sticks and twigs that the males build and decorate with flowers and other vegetation in order to attract females

I have no queries with regard to the question as clearly option B is the best of the lot.

I really hope if someone could help me with understanding this meaning error with respect to option B.

the elaborate bowers of sticks and twigs that the males build and decorate with flowers and other vegetation in order to attract females.

In the first read, i rejected this option primarily because i read it like Bold face and then the highlighted part which implies that the bowers and twigs males build and decorated.............with flowers and vegetation.
That changed the meaning for me.

I would be grateful, if someone could clear that out for me.
User avatar
dinesh86
Joined: 06 Nov 2012
Last visit: 31 Mar 2017
Posts: 100
Own Kudos:
463
 [2]
Given Kudos: 111
Status:Manager
Affiliations: Manager
Location: India
Concentration: Entrepreneurship, Sustainability
GMAT 1: 650 Q49 V29
GMAT 2: 680 Q49 V33
GPA: 3
WE:Supply Chain Management (Energy)
GMAT 2: 680 Q49 V33
Posts: 100
Kudos: 463
 [2]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
The bowerbirds of Australia derive their name from the fact that the males build elaborate bowers of sticks and twigs to attract females, decorating them with flowers and other vegetation in a display of courtship.

a) the fact that the males build elaborate bowers of sticks and twigs to attract females, decorating them with flowers and other vegetation – ‘Them’ is ambiguous here, it has no clear referent. Verb+ing modifier ‘Decorating’ is actually modifying preceding clause i. e. the fact that…….

b) the elaborate bowers of sticks and twigs that the males build and decorate with flowers and other vegetation in order to attract females – Concise, Parallel, and in-order-to is correctly placed.

c) the elaborate bowers of sticks and twigs, decorated with flowers and other vegetation that the males use to attract females – ‘That’ modifies vegetation and not bowers.

d) the fact that the males build elaborate bowers of sticks and twigs, having decorated them with flowers and other vegetation, to attract females – ‘Having’ makes a sentence passive and passive constructions are generally not desirable on GMAT. Also -ing are not favorite to GMAT.

e) the elaborate bowers of sticks and twigs that are built by the males and decorated with flowers and other vegetation to attract females – Passive construction. Who is doing ‘Decorating’ ?

Experts please correct or add if something wrong or missing.
avatar
rsaahil90
Joined: 28 Nov 2012
Last visit: 24 Nov 2016
Posts: 23
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 25
Schools: NUS '20
Schools: NUS '20
Posts: 23
Kudos: 19
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hello

I do not fully align with B here, though we cannot find a better option. The problem I see in B is the use of "That" which reflects back on sticks and twigs. Ideally it should be used in replacement for bowers.

Please correct me if I am wrong.


bsd_lover
OA is B

The original sentence contains the pronoun "them" but it is not grammatically clear whether the pronoun's antecedent is "bowers of sticks and twigs" or "females." Logically, we know that the antecedent is "bowers", so we need to find a replacement that makes this clear. Moreover, the bowerbird does not derive its name from the fact that it builds bowers, but from the bowers themselves.

(A) This choice is incorrect as it is the same as the original sentence.

(B) CORRECT. This choice rewrites the sentence to make it clear that the name derives from the bowers and not from the fact of building them, and it also eliminates the pronoun "them" and instead refers to "structures" to make the relationship clear.

(C) This choice does not make it clear that the males build the bowers and decorate them. Instead, it seems to suggest that the bowers exist on their own and that the male uses only the flowers and vegetation to attract females.

(D) This choice uses the phrase "having decorated them" improperly. It is not necessary to use "having" in this context because the sentence describes an ongoing event, not one that occurred in the past.

(E) This choice is in the passive voice, which is not preferable to active voice when a grammatical active version (such as B) is also offered. Moreover, the choice implies that the males only build the bowers. Since the original sentence clearly indicates that the males also decorate the bowers, this choice changes the meaning unacceptably.
User avatar
sowragu
Joined: 25 Dec 2012
Last visit: 26 Apr 2016
Posts: 103
Own Kudos:
127
 [1]
Given Kudos: 148
Posts: 103
Kudos: 127
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
rsaahil90
Hello

I do not fully align with B here, though we cannot find a better option. The problem I see in B is the use of "That" which reflects back on sticks and twigs. Ideally it should be used in replacement for bowers.

Please correct me if I am wrong.


bsd_lover
The bowerbirds of Australia derive their name from the fact that the males build elaborate bowers of sticks and twigs to attract females, decorating them with flowers and other vegetation in a display of courtship.

b) the elaborate bowers of sticks and twigs that the males build and decorate with flowers and other vegetation in order to attract females


Here "THAT" acts as a relative pronoun. A pronoun can refer to NOUN PHRASE also.

Here "That" refers to "Bowers of sticks and twigs".

and "THAT" is acting as the object of the sentence.

"Male birds build and decorate bowers of sticks and twigs with flowers in order to attract female" -- this is the meaning here.

"THAT" can be a subordinate conjunction when two ideas can stand alone on its own. But here since we are talking about the prolonged idea ("THAT" act as an object here), "THAT" act as a relative pronoun in this example.
User avatar
sayantanc2k
Joined: 14 Dec 2013
Last visit: 09 Dec 2022
Posts: 2,393
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 26
Location: Germany
Schools:
GMAT 1: 780 Q50 V47
WE:Corporate Finance (Pharmaceuticals and Biotech)
Expert
Expert reply
Schools:
GMAT 1: 780 Q50 V47
Posts: 2,393
Kudos: 15,523
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
rsaahil90
Hello

I do not fully align with B here, though we cannot find a better option. The problem I see in B is the use of "That" which reflects back on sticks and twigs. Ideally it should be used in replacement for bowers.

Please correct me if I am wrong.


bsd_lover
OA is B

The original sentence contains the pronoun "them" but it is not grammatically clear whether the pronoun's antecedent is "bowers of sticks and twigs" or "females." Logically, we know that the antecedent is "bowers", so we need to find a replacement that makes this clear. Moreover, the bowerbird does not derive its name from the fact that it builds bowers, but from the bowers themselves.

(A) This choice is incorrect as it is the same as the original sentence.

(B) CORRECT. This choice rewrites the sentence to make it clear that the name derives from the bowers and not from the fact of building them, and it also eliminates the pronoun "them" and instead refers to "structures" to make the relationship clear.

(C) This choice does not make it clear that the males build the bowers and decorate them. Instead, it seems to suggest that the bowers exist on their own and that the male uses only the flowers and vegetation to attract females.

(D) This choice uses the phrase "having decorated them" improperly. It is not necessary to use "having" in this context because the sentence describes an ongoing event, not one that occurred in the past.

(E) This choice is in the passive voice, which is not preferable to active voice when a grammatical active version (such as B) is also offered. Moreover, the choice implies that the males only build the bowers. Since the original sentence clearly indicates that the males also decorate the bowers, this choice changes the meaning unacceptably.

The modifier touch rule may have some exceptions. One of the exceptions is that a mission critical prepositional phrase comes in between the modifier and the noun it modifies. This is such a case:

....bowers of sticks and twigs that.....: it would be very difficult to place the mission critical prepositional phrase of sticks and twigs somewhere else in the sentence - hence such usage is generally accepted.
User avatar
daagh
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 19 Feb 2007
Last visit: 16 Oct 2020
Posts: 5,264
Own Kudos:
42,419
 [1]
Given Kudos: 422
Status: enjoying
Location: India
WE:Education (Education)
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 5,264
Kudos: 42,419
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
One can find a good explanation for the correct use of ‘that and which’ in EducationAisle’s book "Nirvana", which has a chapter on those pronouns.
 1   2   3   
Moderators:
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
7443 posts
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
231 posts
189 posts