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Bunuel
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Only C suggests the right comparison. I find C best.

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+1 for C.

(A) earlier decades did
(B) earlier decades
(C) in earlier decades --> Correct, Compares similar entity
(D) earlier decades have
(E) that in earlier decades

Hence, C.
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vineethk929
Why is option E wrong..

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vineethk929

For example :
1) Population is more now than in 1950.
2) Population is more now than that in 1950 -> Meaning -> Population is more now than population in 1950

Isn't the latter use of that/population not required?

The prior point exactly conveys the same meaning and follows the construct 'More X, Than Y', in our case 'More now in US, Than in earlier decades'
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the answer is trying to say that " two incomes " is more than the income of the past year.

can you please help with this chetan2u
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chetan2u
Bunuel
The Census Bureau reports that more than three-fifths of all married couples in the US now have two incomes, significantly more than earlier decades did.

(A) earlier decades did
(B) earlier decades
(C) in earlier decades
(D) earlier decades have
(E) that in earlier decades


rahulkashyap
The significantly more is NOT income but number of married couple in different times..

Census Bureau reports that more than three-fifths of all married couples in the US now have two incomes, significantly more than earlier decades did.

The comparisons are" married couples IN US now " with " married couples IN earlier decades.."
C is correct

what sort of phrase would you title "significantly more" as and if possible could you let me know the rules?
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Bunuel
The Census Bureau reports that more than three-fifths of all married couples in the US now have two incomes, significantly more than earlier decades did.

The comparison can be understood to be between two things:

1. more than three-fifths of all married couples in the US now have two incomes vs. YYYY married couples in earlier decades having two incomes

2. more than three-fifths of all married couples in the US now have 2 incomes vs. more than three-fifths of all married couples in the US now have XXX incomes


The former is the logical comparison as per the meaning of the sentence and hence the comparison should be option c

significantly more than (the ratio of married couples) in earlier decades
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Bunuel
The Census Bureau reports that more than three-fifths of all married couples in the US now have two incomes, significantly more than earlier decades did.

(A) earlier decades did
(B) earlier decades
(C) in earlier decades
(D) earlier decades have
(E) that in earlier decades

Got the correct answer but for my understanding?

1) Please explain the use of "that" in a sentence and its usage if we want to compare things ?
2) why option E is wrong ?
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arichinna
suelahmed
Bunuel
The Census Bureau reports that more than three-fifths of all married couples in the US now have two incomes, significantly more than earlier decades did.

(A) earlier decades did
(B) earlier decades
(C) in earlier decades
(D) earlier decades have
(E) that in earlier decades

Got the correct answer but for my understanding?

1) Please explain the use of "that" in a sentence and its usage if we want to compare things ?
2) why option E is wrong ?

"That", the relative pronoun will try to modify the nearest noun "incomes" and as per option E, the comparison will be between
a. more than three-fifths of all married couples in the US now have two incomes and
b. more than three-fifths of all married couples have XXX incomes in the earlier decades

whereas the comparison should be between
a. more than three-fifths of all married couples in the US now and
b. YYY married couples in the earlier decades
in having two incomes

and hence, option C
The Census Bureau reports that more than three-fifths of all married couples in the US now have two incomes, significantly more than (YYY married couples) in the earlier decades.

Thanks a lot arichinna.

Can you give me one more example other than this question where THAT is used to compare two or more things or situations ?
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suelahmed
Thanks a lot arichinna.

Can you give me one more example other than this question where THAT is used to compare two or more things or situations ?

That can be used to refer to inanimate things during comparisons. Below are few examples from GMAT:
1. The quality of care at university hospitals is lower than that at other kinds of hospitals.
"that" refers back to quality.
2. Courses offered online tend to deal with subject matter that is less challenging than that of classroom-based courses
"that" refers back to subject matter

"That" can be both singular and plural during comparison. It takes the number from the antecedent which it refers to. Also, it has to refer to the closest noun without ambiguity.

In the current example, "that" CANNOT refer back to people - "married couples" or the "three-fifths".
But, the example can be re-written as
A decent number of all married couples in the US now, significantly more than that in the earlier decades, have two incomes.
Here, "that" will refer to the "number"
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arichinna
suelahmed
Thanks a lot arichinna.

Can you give me one more example other than this question where THAT is used to compare two or more things or situations ?

That can be used to refer to inanimate things during comparisons. Below are few examples from GMAT:
1. The quality of care at university hospitals is lower than that at other kinds of hospitals.
"that" refers back to quality.
2. Courses offered online tend to deal with subject matter that is less challenging than that of classroom-based courses
"that" refers back to subject matter

"That" can be both singular and plural during comparison. It takes the number from the antecedent which it refers to. Also, it has to refer to the closest noun without ambiguity.

In the current example, "that" CANNOT refer back to people - "married couples" or the "three-fifths".
But, the example can be re-written as
A decent number of all married couples in the US now, significantly more than that in the earlier decades, have two incomes.
Here, "that" will refer to the "number"

Thanks a lot.. you are the greatest.. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:
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Hi chetan2u
Need help here.

The Census Bureau reports that more than three-fifths of all married couples in the US now have two incomes, significantly more than earlier decades did.

here "significantly" is adverb which should modify incomes. So whole phrase "significantly more than earlier decades did" should modify incomes.
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guptakashish02
Hi chetan2u
Need help here.

The Census Bureau reports that more than three-fifths of all married couples in the US now have two incomes, significantly more than earlier decades did.

here "significantly" is adverb which should modify incomes. So whole phrase "significantly more than earlier decades did" should modify incomes.


Hi guptakashish02

Hope these links will help you out

about comparisons in the SC https://gmatclub.com/forum/sentence-correction-revision-comparisons-193764.html
about subject verb agreement in the SC https://gmatclub.com/forum/subject-verb-agreement-pronouns-159965.html


All the best
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guptakashish02
Hi chetan2u
Need help here.

The Census Bureau reports that more than three-fifths of all married couples in the US now have two incomes, significantly more than earlier decades did.

here "significantly" is adverb which should modify incomes. So whole phrase "significantly more than earlier decades did" should modify incomes.


Yes, you are correct that significantly is an adverb, and an adverb modifies adjective or a verb or another adverb but income is anoun, so a noun requires an adjective..
Here 'significantly' is modifying 'more' and entire phrase is an adjective phrase modifying married couples... in the US NOW Vs in the earlier decades..
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guptakashish02
Hi chetan2u
Need help here.

The Census Bureau reports that more than three-fifths of all married couples in the US now have two incomes, significantly more than earlier decades did.

here "significantly" is adverb which should modify incomes. So whole phrase "significantly more than earlier decades did" should modify incomes.


Yes, you are correct that significantly is an adverb, and an adverb modifies adjective or a verb or another adverb but income is anoun, so a noun requires an adjective..
Here 'significantly' is modifying 'more' and entire phrase is an adjective phrase modifying married couples... in the US NOW Vs in the earlier decades..

chetan2u

thanks for explaining :)
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Only C compares the married couples in the US now, to the married couples in the previous decades, as the sentence is supposed to do.

C is right.
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chetan2u
Bunuel
The Census Bureau reports that more than three-fifths of all married couples in the US now have two incomes, significantly more than earlier decades did.

(A) earlier decades did
(B) earlier decades
(C) in earlier decades
(D) earlier decades have
(E) that in earlier decades


rahulkashyap
The significantly more is NOT income but number of married couple in different times..

Census Bureau reports that more than three-fifths of all married couples in the US now have two incomes, significantly more than earlier decades did.

The comparisons are" married couples IN US now " with " married couples IN earlier decades.."
C is correct




please clarify how E is wrong? .. and what 'THAT' means in this context
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guptakashish02
Hi chetan2u
Need help here.

The Census Bureau reports that more than three-fifths of all married couples in the US now have two incomes, significantly more than earlier decades did.

here "significantly" is adverb which should modify incomes. So whole phrase "significantly more than earlier decades did" should modify incomes.


Yes, you are correct that significantly is an adverb, and an adverb modifies adjective or a verb or another adverb but income is anoun, so a noun requires an adjective..
Here 'significantly' is modifying 'more' and entire phrase is an adjective phrase modifying married couples... in the US NOW Vs in the earlier decades..


Sir can you please explain why B is wrong??

Does C mean" significantly more married couples( having 2 incomes) than married couples( having 2 incomes) in earlier decades".........which sound pretty right comparison wise......
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