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14 Nov 2022, 06:53
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Unsold Goods
(A) Verb (is slowed)
(B) CORRECT
(C) Verb (had piled up); Modifier (with X)
(D) Modifier (with X)
(E) Verb (has slowed)
First glance
Three of the answer choices begin with unsold goods, while two begin with consumer spending. Whenever answer choices move parts of the sentence around, consider Structure and Modifiers.
Issues
(1) Verb: is slowed / has slowed / slowed / had piled
In all of the answer choices except for (C), slow appears as a verb, and each one is in a different tense. When faced with a verb tense split, eliminate any answers in which the verb tense doesn’t match the intended timeline of the sentence.
Before the underline, the sentence states that business were expanding their production, using the past progressive tense. While this happened, the actions in the underlined section happened. Therefore, the underlined section should also be one of the past tenses.
Answer (A) uses the present tense is slowed, and answer (E) uses the present perfect has slowed. Eliminate answers (A) and (E) for faulty tenses.
Answer choice (C), had piled, uses the past perfect tense. This verb tense is used to indicate that one action in the past happened prior to another action but, in this sentence, the two actions occurred at the same time (while). Eliminate answer (C).
(2) Modifier: with X
Answers (A) and (B) use the word "As" to join the two ideas of goods piling up and consumer spending slowing. Answers (C), (D), and (E) use the word with instead.
"As" can be correctly used as a conjunction to join two independent clauses. This is the case in answers (A) and (B).
The lack of a comma before with in answer choice (C) indicates that the modifier will modify a noun. However, with a sharp slowing of consumer spending does not logically modify any of the nearby nouns, such as shelves or unsold goods. Eliminate answer (C).
In answer (D), the modifier is with the piling up of unsold goods. When a with modifier is structured as with the [-ing word] of [noun], the With modifier generally describes the cause of the clause it’s attached to. For instance, the following is correct:
With the slowing of consumer spending, unsold goods piled up on store shelves.
The "With Clause" is the reason for the why the main clause is occuring.
However, in (D), because the piling up of goods did not cause the slowing of spending, the with modifier is used incorrectly in answer (D).
Note: In answer (E), the modifier is with unsold goods piling up on store shelves. When a with modifier is structured as with [noun] [-ing word], there does not need to be a causal relationship between the modifier and its clause. Therefore, the with modifier in answer (E) is acceptable.
The Correct Answer
Correct answer (B) properly clarifies the relationship between goods piling up and consumer spending slowed by using the conjunction as. It also correctly places the action in the past using the verb were piling up.
(A) Verb (is slowed)
(B) CORRECT
(C) Verb (had piled up); Modifier (with X)
(D) Modifier (with X)
(E) Verb (has slowed)
First glance
Three of the answer choices begin with unsold goods, while two begin with consumer spending. Whenever answer choices move parts of the sentence around, consider Structure and Modifiers.
Issues
(1) Verb: is slowed / has slowed / slowed / had piled
In all of the answer choices except for (C), slow appears as a verb, and each one is in a different tense. When faced with a verb tense split, eliminate any answers in which the verb tense doesn’t match the intended timeline of the sentence.
Before the underline, the sentence states that business were expanding their production, using the past progressive tense. While this happened, the actions in the underlined section happened. Therefore, the underlined section should also be one of the past tenses.
Answer (A) uses the present tense is slowed, and answer (E) uses the present perfect has slowed. Eliminate answers (A) and (E) for faulty tenses.
Answer choice (C), had piled, uses the past perfect tense. This verb tense is used to indicate that one action in the past happened prior to another action but, in this sentence, the two actions occurred at the same time (while). Eliminate answer (C).
(2) Modifier: with X
Answers (A) and (B) use the word "As" to join the two ideas of goods piling up and consumer spending slowing. Answers (C), (D), and (E) use the word with instead.
"As" can be correctly used as a conjunction to join two independent clauses. This is the case in answers (A) and (B).
The lack of a comma before with in answer choice (C) indicates that the modifier will modify a noun. However, with a sharp slowing of consumer spending does not logically modify any of the nearby nouns, such as shelves or unsold goods. Eliminate answer (C).
In answer (D), the modifier is with the piling up of unsold goods. When a with modifier is structured as with the [-ing word] of [noun], the With modifier generally describes the cause of the clause it’s attached to. For instance, the following is correct:
With the slowing of consumer spending, unsold goods piled up on store shelves.
The "With Clause" is the reason for the why the main clause is occuring.
However, in (D), because the piling up of goods did not cause the slowing of spending, the with modifier is used incorrectly in answer (D).
Note: In answer (E), the modifier is with unsold goods piling up on store shelves. When a with modifier is structured as with [noun] [-ing word], there does not need to be a causal relationship between the modifier and its clause. Therefore, the with modifier in answer (E) is acceptable.
The Correct Answer
Correct answer (B) properly clarifies the relationship between goods piling up and consumer spending slowed by using the conjunction as. It also correctly places the action in the past using the verb were piling up.
01 Dec 2022, 23:08
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egmat, is there any article/ blog which i can read to solidify my understanding of the usage of 'with' ? I've seen another question where the usage of 'with' is correct so its confusing a lot of times. for example this question - https://gmatclub.com/forum/og-2016-with-corn-soybean-and-wheat-reserves-204264.html?fl=notifications#p3109714
now i understand that 'with' is used to modify a noun or a clause.
But where i get confused is when 'with' is used with comma like a modifier present before or end of the main clause.
For example the in the link above, 'comma+with' describes a situation
Similary in the following question, is the usage of 'with' in options D/E correct because they are describing a situation?
https://gmatclub.com/forum/because-the-collagen-fibers-in-skin-line-up-in-the-direction-of-207796.html
Request you to please shed some light, or share any blog/article/link if possible!
Thanks in advance
now i understand that 'with' is used to modify a noun or a clause.
But where i get confused is when 'with' is used with comma like a modifier present before or end of the main clause.
For example the in the link above, 'comma+with' describes a situation
Similary in the following question, is the usage of 'with' in options D/E correct because they are describing a situation?
https://gmatclub.com/forum/because-the-collagen-fibers-in-skin-line-up-in-the-direction-of-207796.html
Request you to please shed some light, or share any blog/article/link if possible!
Thanks in advance
02 Dec 2022, 02:52
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Taulark1
Hey Taulark1
Happy to help you with this interesting question. Here is all the information you need on the "with" preposition!
A "with-phrase" (a prepositional phrase) can modify an action, a noun, or even a clause. What it modifies depends on the context of the sentence and the wording of the modifier itself. For a basic overview, please go through all the meanings and their respective examples here.
Now that we have a basic understanding of "with", let's take a look at its usage in the context of GMAT SC.
Official Example 1: Click here to first solve the question.
- The following sentence gives us a scenario in which the "with-phrase" modifies the preceding noun.
- Bihar is India's poorest state, with an annual per capita income of $111, lower than that of the most impoverished countries of the world.
In the above sentence, the "with-phrase" modifies the preceding noun "India's poorest state" (Bihar). The "with-phrase" in this sentence conveys the following meaning: which has an annual per capita income of $111. Notice how "with" conveys the same meaning as "which has".
Official Example 2: Click here to first solve this official GMAT Prep question.
- The following sentence gives us a scenario in which the "with-phrase" modifies the preceding verb-ing modifier. You can find the detailed solution of this question at this link.
- Visitors to the park have often looked up into the leafy canopy and seen monkeys sleeping on the branches, with arms and legs hanging like socks on a clothesline.
The highlighted "with-phrase" above modifies the preceding verb-ing modifier "sleeping". The "with-phrase" explains how these monkeys do the action of sleeping on the branches. They hang their arms and legs from the branches like socks on a clothesline.
Official Example 3: Click here to first solve this official question.
- Starfish, with anywhere from five to eight arms, have a strong regenerative ability, and if one arm is lost it is quickly replaced, with the animal sometimes overcompensating and growing an extra one or two.
In this official sentence, the first "with-phrase" modifies the preceding noun "Starfish" because the modifier presents additional information/physical description of the animal.
The second "with-phrase" relates the two facts: the replacement of a lost arm and the overcompensation and growing of a extra arm or two. In the action of replacing the lost arm, the animal sometimes overcompensates and grows an extra arm. So the second "with-phrase" adds on to the replacement of the lost arm by explaining what happens sometimes during the process.
This usage of "with" has been explained in meaning #8 on the Oxford Dictionary Page shared at the start of this response.
Official Example 4: Click here to first solve the official question.
- With corn, soybean, and wheat reserves so low that a poor harvest would send prices skyrocketing, grain futures brokers and their clients are especially interested in weather that could affect crops.
Here as well, the "with-phrase" relates two facts: the extremely low reserves and brokers' and clients' interest in adverse weather conditions. This is yet another example of meaning #8 on the Oxford Dictionary Page shared at the start of this response.
Official Example 5: Click here to first solve this official question.
- The honeybee’s stinger is heavily barbed and stays where it is inserted, with the result that the act of stinging causes the bee to sustain a fatal injury.
In the above sentence, the "with-phrase" appears to indicate the result or consequence of another event. However, the truth here is that "with the result that" is an idiom which means "causing as an outcome or result". Reference.
Example 6:
- Finally, a "with-phrase" can also be used to introduced a contrasting fact.
- With all her I faults, I still love her.
Here, "with" means "despite". I haven't found an official question with this usage yet, but I'm pretty certain this is correct usage.
Takeaway: Since "with-phrases" are versatile, we must rely on understanding the meaning of the sentence and ensure that it fits into one of these roles properly.
Coming to your second question on this official question:
- D: With the collagen fibers in skin lining up in the direction of tension, surgical cuts made along these so-called Langer’s lines sever less fibers and is less likely to leave an unsightly scar.
Yes, the usage of a "with-phrase" to indicate the reason for the idea in the main clause is correct. However, choice D has worse errors.
- a. The use of "lining" changes this modifier from a fact about skin cells to something that's currently happening by virtue of the verb-ing modifier "lining".
b. We need the modifier "fewer" for the countable noun "fibers".
c. The final verb "is" does not agree with the plural subject "cuts".
Choice E has similar errors. This is why both D and E get eliminated with ease.
I hope this helps improve your understanding.
Happy Learning!
Abhishek
