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705-805 Level|   Comparisons|      
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The country’s Commerce secretary says that spending on fuel subsidies 16 Apr 2017, 07:47
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puto
The comparison is done between two values of spending or between the spending of year 2013 and $20 billion.
I am of the opinion that option C compares 'spending' with '$20 billion' which is corrected in Option D with the addition of 'reached in'.
What am I missing?
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Both C and D compare $40 billion dollars with $20 billion dollars correctly. The part "reached in" is unnecessary in option D - the same idea is expressed using fewer no. of words in option C. Hence C is better than D.
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The country’s Commerce secretary says that spending on fuel subsidies 08 Aug 2017, 06:33
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gmat2805
The country’s Commerce secretary says that spending on fuel subsidies could reach $40 billion dollars in 2013, compared to about $20 billion in last year.

A)that spending on fuel subsidies could reach $40 billion dollars in 2013, compared with about $20 billion in last year
B)that spending on fuel subsidies could reach $40 billion dollars in 2013, and that is compared to about $20 billion last year
C)spending on fuel subsidies could reach $40 billion dollars in 2013, compared with about $20 billion last year
D)spending on fuel subsidies could reach $40 billion dollars in 2013, compared with about $20 billion reached in last year
E)spending on fuel subsidies could reach $40 billion dollars in 2013, and that is compared to about $20 billion reached last year


My doubt :- How can the option without "that" be correct ?

Show Spoiler
OA : C
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What does compared to modify here?
Could you explain in on the context of ed modifier here?
I thought ed modifier after comma modifies the closest noun.
Please help egmat
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The country’s Commerce secretary says that spending on fuel subsidies 25 Oct 2017, 11:46
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Hi, please explain in brief about the redundancy of the word 'in' in option C. How is option C better than option A
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The country’s Commerce secretary says that spending on fuel subsidies 09 Nov 2017, 01:47
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So the right option definitely won't contain a "that" as its beginning.

Although GMAT always puts "that" after a verb to introduce an objective clause, there may be one or two times when GMAT choose to omit "that" after the verb "say".

Hopes this helps.

Hi dhler.

Your answer is correct. This question does not require "that". However, I want to elaborate a bit. (It may help those who are still wondering about "that")

(1) "Say + That" vs "Say + That"

* Optional That
The word that is usually optional when it comes after the following verbs: verb, tell, think, believe

Let see examples:
Erica said that she was coming over after work
--OR--
Erica said she was coming over after work
Both are correct. However, the latter is better because it's more concise.

*Obligatory That
The word that is usually obligatory after the following verbs when introducing another clause: mention, declare, report, state (the most common verb we see on GMAT is "report")

(2) Concision in GMAT
If two sentences are correct in terms of grammars, meaning, GMAT chooses the shorter one.
Back to this question. If A were correct, GMAT would have chosen C (say + that) because C is more concise.

Hope it helps.


Source: Gmat Club Ultimate Grammar
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Hi,
Can you kindly explain the redundancy of the word 'in' in option A. Had the sentence be that spending on fuel subsidies could reach $40 billion dollars in 2013, compared with about $20 billion in 2012, would that be correct.
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The country’s Commerce secretary says that spending on fuel subsidies 09 Nov 2017, 05:55
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pqhai
dhler
So the right option definitely won't contain a "that" as its beginning.

Although GMAT always puts "that" after a verb to introduce an objective clause, there may be one or two times when GMAT choose to omit "that" after the verb "say".

Hopes this helps.

Hi dhler.

Your answer is correct. This question does not require "that". However, I want to elaborate a bit. (It may help those who are still wondering about "that")

(1) "Say + That" vs "Say + That"

* Optional That
The word that is usually optional when it comes after the following verbs: verb, tell, think, believe

Let see examples:
Erica said that she was coming over after work
--OR--
Erica said she was coming over after work
Both are correct. However, the latter is better because it's more concise.

*Obligatory That
The word that is usually obligatory after the following verbs when introducing another clause: mention, declare, report, state (the most common verb we see on GMAT is "report")

(2) Concision in GMAT
If two sentences are correct in terms of grammars, meaning, GMAT chooses the shorter one.
Back to this question. If A were correct, GMAT would have chosen C (say + that) because C is more concise.

Hope it helps.


Source: Gmat Club Ultimate Grammar

Hi,
Can you kindly explain the redundancy of the word 'in' in option A. Had the sentence be that spending on fuel subsidies could reach $40 billion dollars in 2013, compared with about $20 billion in 2012, would that be correct.
Show more

Yes, it would be correct - it is not about redundancy, but about the standard practice of NOT using "in" with "last year" / "next year".

I went there last year... correct
I went there in 2016... correct
I went there in last year... wrong
I went there 2016... wrong
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The country’s Commerce secretary says that spending on fuel subsidies 15 Mar 2018, 01:34
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gmat2805
The country’s Commerce secretary says that spending on fuel subsidies could reach $40 billion dollars in 2013, compared to about $20 billion in last year.

(A) that spending on fuel subsidies could reach $40 billion dollars in 2013, compared with about $20 billion in last year

(B) that spending on fuel subsidies could reach $40 billion dollars in 2013, and that is compared to about $20 billion last year

(C) spending on fuel subsidies could reach $40 billion dollars in 2013, compared with about $20 billion last year

(D) spending on fuel subsidies could reach $40 billion dollars in 2013, compared with about $20 billion reached in last year

(E) spending on fuel subsidies could reach $40 billion dollars in 2013, and that is compared to about $20 billion reached last year
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Hii, Can somebody post the officia solution by Veritas because it will help to better analyze errors
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The country’s Commerce secretary says that spending on fuel subsidies 27 Apr 2018, 23:11
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gmat2805
The country’s Commerce secretary says that spending on fuel subsidies could reach $40 billion dollars in 2013, compared to about $20 billion in last year.

(A) that spending on fuel subsidies could reach $40 billion dollars in 2013, compared with about $20 billion in last year

(B) that spending on fuel subsidies could reach $40 billion dollars in 2013, and that is compared to about $20 billion last year

(C) spending on fuel subsidies could reach $40 billion dollars in 2013, compared with about $20 billion last year

(D) spending on fuel subsidies could reach $40 billion dollars in 2013, compared with about $20 billion reached in last year

(E) spending on fuel subsidies could reach $40 billion dollars in 2013, and that is compared to about $20 billion reached last year
Hii, Can somebody post the officia solution by Veritas because it will help to better analyze errors
Show more


Solution: C

Explanation: In this problem, the choice between “compared with” and “compared to” may stick out, but it is not the type of decision point that you should focus on. Typically, “compared with” is used to show differences (as in this case) and “compared to” is used to emphasize similarities. More importantly, you need to focus on whether the comparison is logical and structurally correct. The goal is simply to compare the amount in 2013 with the amount last year. First, you cannot say “$20 billion in last year” in (A) and (D) as that is illogical and should be “$20 billion last year”. In (B) and (E) there is a reference error with “that” – what is the “that” referring to – it is not clear and creates an imprecise and illogical comparison. Answer is (C).
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The country’s Commerce secretary says that spending on fuel subsidies 28 Apr 2018, 02:33
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A simple way to quickly answer this question correctly:

'Compared with' is used to compare things similar to each other - Money compared with money
'Compared to' is used to compare things that are different to each other

Posted from my mobile device
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The country’s Commerce secretary says that spending on fuel subsidies 10 May 2018, 10:10
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Hii Experts,
As I have seen wordiness is very rare reason to eliminate answer choice.It is mostly logical or grammatical error. I am not able to eliminate option A() and (C). There is extra in A. I don't understand why c is better than a
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The country’s Commerce secretary says that spending on fuel subsidies 22 Oct 2018, 09:46
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gmat2805
The country’s Commerce secretary says that spending on fuel subsidies could reach $40 billion dollars in 2013, compared to about $20 billion in last year.

(A) that spending on fuel subsidies could reach $40 billion dollars in 2013, compared with about $20 billion in last year

(B) that spending on fuel subsidies could reach $40 billion dollars in 2013, and that is compared to about $20 billion last year

(C) spending on fuel subsidies could reach $40 billion dollars in 2013, compared with about $20 billion last year

(D) spending on fuel subsidies could reach $40 billion dollars in 2013, compared with about $20 billion reached in last year

(E) spending on fuel subsidies could reach $40 billion dollars in 2013, and that is compared to about $20 billion reached last year

Show Spoiler
https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/03/business/global/03iht-subsidy03.html

The country’s Finance Ministry says spending on fuel subsidies could reach $23 billion in 2013, compared with about $20 billion last year.

Solution: C

Explanation: In this problem, the choice between “compared with” and “compared to” may stick out, but it is not the type of decision point that you should focus on.

Typically, “compared with” is used to show differences (as in this case) and “compared to” is used to emphasize similarities.

More importantly, you need to focus on whether the comparison is logical and structurally correct.

The goal is simply to compare the amount in 2013 with the amount last year.

First, you cannot say “$20 billion in last year” in (A) and (D) as that is illogical and should be “$20 billion last year”.

In (B) and (E) there is a reference error with “that” – what is the “that” referring to – it is not clear and creates an imprecise and illogical comparison.

Answer is (C).
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Bunuel

pls change option A.
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The country’s Commerce secretary says that spending on fuel subsidies 22 Oct 2018, 09:49
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Bismarck
gmat2805
The country’s Commerce secretary says that spending on fuel subsidies could reach $40 billion dollars in 2013, compared to about $20 billion in last year.

(A) that spending on fuel subsidies could reach $40 billion dollars in 2013, compared with about $20 billion in last year

(B) that spending on fuel subsidies could reach $40 billion dollars in 2013, and that is compared to about $20 billion last year

(C) spending on fuel subsidies could reach $40 billion dollars in 2013, compared with about $20 billion last year

(D) spending on fuel subsidies could reach $40 billion dollars in 2013, compared with about $20 billion reached in last year

(E) spending on fuel subsidies could reach $40 billion dollars in 2013, and that is compared to about $20 billion reached last year

Show Spoiler
https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/03/business/global/03iht-subsidy03.html

The country’s Finance Ministry says spending on fuel subsidies could reach $23 billion in 2013, compared with about $20 billion last year.

Solution: C

Explanation: In this problem, the choice between “compared with” and “compared to” may stick out, but it is not the type of decision point that you should focus on.

Typically, “compared with” is used to show differences (as in this case) and “compared to” is used to emphasize similarities.

More importantly, you need to focus on whether the comparison is logical and structurally correct.

The goal is simply to compare the amount in 2013 with the amount last year.

First, you cannot say “$20 billion in last year” in (A) and (D) as that is illogical and should be “$20 billion last year”.

In (B) and (E) there is a reference error with “that” – what is the “that” referring to – it is not clear and creates an imprecise and illogical comparison.

Answer is (C).

Bunuel

pls change option A.
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_____________________
Fixed that. Thank you.
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The country’s Commerce secretary says that spending on fuel subsidies 24 Oct 2018, 07:23
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Comparison is between 40 billion and 20 billion
C is more crisp in providing intended meaning using few words as compared to D
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The country’s Commerce secretary says that spending on fuel subsidies 24 Oct 2018, 07:50
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How do we know when to use "compare to" vs "compare with"
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The country’s Commerce secretary says that spending on fuel subsidies 24 Oct 2018, 19:56
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bpdulog
How do we know when to use "compare to" vs "compare with"
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When Similar things are compared we use Compare with
When unlike things are compared we use compare to

Here we r comparing billion dollars with billion dollars so used compare with
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The country’s Commerce secretary says that spending on fuel subsidies 10 Mar 2019, 03:32
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A and B should not have included ‘that’ , as they are using ‘spending’ as a noun, not verb.

In D ‘reached in last year’ is missing a ‘the’ after ‘in’. Soits wrong

‘and that is’ is not right in this context, so E is wrong.



This leaves us with C as the right answer.
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The country’s Commerce secretary says that spending on fuel subsidies 01 Sep 2019, 20:39
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veritas offer many good questions and is now going to the top of quality. but I dont like this question. concison is seldom the only reason to eliminate a choice
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The country’s Commerce secretary says that spending on fuel subsidies 04 Dec 2019, 10:32
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Official explanation
Solution: C
Explanation: In this problem, the choice between “compared with” and “compared to” may stick out, but it is not the type of decision point that you should focus on. Typically, “compared with” is used to show differences (as in this case) and “compared to” is used to emphasize similarities. More importantly, you need to focus on whether the comparison is logical and structurally correct. The goal is simply to compare the amount in 2013 with the amount last year. First, you cannot say “$20 billion in last year” in (A) and (D) as that is illogical and should be “$20 billion last year”. In (B) and (E) there is a reference error with “that” – what is the “that” referring to – it is not clear and creates an imprecise and illogical comparison. Answer is (C).
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The country’s Commerce secretary says that spending on fuel subsidies 03 Jul 2020, 07:09
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In option C, can someone please tell me if the line 'compared with about $20 billion last year' is correct in terms of the meaning?

What does 'last year' refer to? Shouldn't there be a preposition between '$20 billion' and 'last year'? Say for example - Compared with about $20 billion that was reached last year
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The country’s Commerce secretary says that spending on fuel subsidies 06 Dec 2020, 18:41
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It's between A and C.

A has "$20 billion in last year." The 'in' is unidiomatic.

C is the better choice. However, I think 'that' should have been included in choice C.

Can experts opine?
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The country’s Commerce secretary says that spending on fuel subsidies 06 Dec 2020, 19:19
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basshead
It's between A and C.

A has "$20 billion in last year." The 'in' is unidiomatic.

C is the better choice. However, I think 'that' should have been included in choice C.

Can experts opine?
Show more

It would be better to have 'THAT' after 'SAYS'. The GMAT usually prefers to have a 'THAT'.

But it is not wrong or unidiomatic to drop the 'THAT'. It's just more informal.

As you said, 'IN LAST YEAR' is definitely wrong: unidiomatic, non-standard, ungrammatical, ...

Hope that helps

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