The greatest road system built in the Americas prior to the arrival of

Dear Friends,

Here is a detailed explanation to this question-

Meaning is crucial to solving this problem:
Understanding the intended meaning is key to solving this question; the intended meaning of this sentence is that the Incan highway was the greatest road system built in the Americas prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus, and it was over 2,500 miles long because it extended from northern Ecuador through Peru to southern Chile.

Concepts tested here: Meaning + Tenses + Grammatical Construction

• The past perfect tense (marked by the use of helping verb "had") is only used when a sentence contains two actions in the past, which took place at different times; the helping verb "had" is used with the action in the "greater past".
• The introduction of the present participle ("verb+ing"- “extending” in this case) after comma generally leads to a cause-effect relationship.
• Information that is vital to the core meaning of the sentence cannot be placed between commas.

A: This answer choice fails to form a complete sentence; as "extending" is a present participle ("verb+ing") acting as a noun modifier, there is no active verb to act upon the pronoun "which", the subject of the second clause of the sentence.

B: This answer choice incorrectly uses the past perfect tense verb "had extended" to refer to one of two actions that took place simultaneously in the past - the Incan highway being the greatest road system built in the Americas prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus and the highway extending from northern Ecuador through Peru to southern Chile; please remember, the past perfect tense (marked by the use of helping verb "had") is only used when a sentence contains two actions in the past, which took place at different times; the helping verb "had" is used with the action in the "greater past". Further, Option B incorrectly places information vital to the core meaning of the sentence - the fact that the Incan highway was over 2,500 miles in length - between two commas; please remember, information vital to the core meaning of the sentence cannot be placed between commas.

C: This answer choice fails to form a complete sentence; as "was" and "extended" are both parts of a modifying phrase, there is no active verb to act upon the noun "the Incan highway".

D: This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "being over 2,500 miles in length, was extended"; the construction of this phrase reverses cause and effect, incorrectly implying that because the Incan highway was over 2,500 miles in length, someone extended it from northern Ecuador through Peru to southern Chile; the intended meaning is that the Incan highway was over 2,500 miles long because it extended from northern Ecuador through Peru to southern Chile.

E: Correct. This answer choice acts upon the subject noun "the Incan highway" with the active verb "was" to form a complete thought, leading to a complete sentence. Further, Option E uses the phrase "extending from northern Ecuador through Peru to southern Chile"; the use of the "comma + present participle (verb+ing" - "extending" in this sentence) correctly conveys the intended meaning - that the Incan highway was over 2,500 miles long because it extended from northern Ecuador through Peru to southern Chile; remember, the introduction of the present participle ("verb+ing"- “extending” in this case) after comma generally leads to a cause-effect relationship. Additionally, Option E avoids the tense error seen in Option B, as it uses the present participle ("verb+ing" - "extending" in this sentence) rather than an active verb, such as "had extended" in Option B. Besides, Option B avoids the grammatical construction error seen in Option B, as it places no information between commas.

Hence, E is the best answer choice.

To understand the concept of "Comma + Present Participle for Cause-Effect Relationship" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~3 minutes):



To understand the concept of "Extra Information Between Commas" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~1 minute):



To understand the concept of "Past Perfect Tense" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~2 minutes):



All the best!
Experts' Global Team

The greatest road system built in the Americas prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus was the Incan highway, which, over 2,500 miles long and extending from northern Ecuador through Peru to southern Chili.


C. Columbus, the Incan highway, which was over 2,500 miles in length and extended==> THIS OPTION DONT HAVE A VERB FOR THE SUBJECT..INCAN HIGH
HIGHLITED PART IS ACTING AS A MODIFIER...HENCE THIS ONE IS A FRAGMENT.

E. Columbus, the Incan Highway was over 2,500 miles long, extending==>THIS ONE HAS CLEARLY HAVE A SUB-VERB PAIR.
MOREOVER EXTENDING IS MODIFYING THE INCAN HIGHWAY..

HOPE IT HELPS

In A, the which-clause (which...Chile) lacks a verb.
Eliminate A.

In C, the Incan highway (subject) lacks a verb.
Eliminate C.

With regard to B and D: extended and extending convey different meanings.
Case 1: a highway extended implies that SOMEONE STRETCHED the highway beyond its initial length.
Case 2: a highway extending implies that the HIGHWAY ITSELF was long enough to STRETCH across the indicated distance.
The intended meaning here is Case 2.
Eliminate B and D.

The correct answer is E.

Analysis of the OA:
The greatest road system built in the Americas prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus, the Incan highway was over 2,500 miles long, extending from northern Ecuador through Peru to Southern Chile.
Here, the subject of the sentence is the Incan highway.
The greatest road system is as an APPOSITIVE serving to DEFINE the Incan highway.
The COMMA + VERBing modifier (extending from Northern Ecuador through Peru) serves an as adverb modifying the preceding clause, providing context for HOW the Incan highway WAS over 2,500 miles long.

The greatest road system built in the Americas prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus was the Incan highway, which, over 2,500 miles long and extending from northern Ecuador through Peru to southern Chili.

- Lets analyze the question- subject are highlighted in Bold and verb in italic font

Clause 1 : The greatest road system built in the Americas prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus wasthe Incan highway
Clause 2: which, over 2,500 miles long and
extending from northern Ecuador through Peru to southern Chili.

So 2nd clause do not have any verb.

A. Underlined portion
B. Columbus was the Incan highway, over 2,500 miles in length, and extended - "Comma + and" starts a new clause, which do not have any subject.

C. Columbus, the Incan highway, which was over 2,500 miles in length and extended - Clause 1 do not contain the verb and extended is a modifier, which is not parallel to was over

D. Columbus, the Incan highway, being over 2,500 miles in length, was extended - Shift the main focus of scentence and use of being is incorrect here.

E. Columbus, the Incan Highway was over 2,500 miles long, extending - extending is modifying the Greatest road system and correctly expressing intent of the sentence. This is correct answer

(A) The greatest road system built in the Americas prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus was the Incan highway, which, over 2,500 miles long and extending from northern Ecuador through Peru to southern Chile.
The part in red is supposed to be a relative clause, but it lacks a verb.
ELIMINATE A

(B) The greatest road system built in the Americas prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus was the Incan highway, (need something here to bridge HIGHWAY and the following modifiers) over 2,500 miles in length, and extended from northern Ecuador through Peru to southern Chile.
ELIMINATE B

(C) The greatest road system built in the Americas prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus, the Incan highway, which was over 2,500 miles in length and extended from northern Ecuador through Peru to southern Chile.
The crossed out blue portion of the sentence modifies SYSTEM, and the crossed out red portion modifies HIGHWAY. When we ignore the modifiers, we get "The greatest road system," which lacks a verb
ELIMINATE C

(D) The greatest road system built in the Americas prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus, the Incan highway, being over 2,500 miles in length, was extended from northern Ecuador through Peru to southern Chile.
was extended is illogical.

(E) The greatest road system built in the Americas prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus, the Incan highway was over 2,500 miles long, extending from northern Ecuador through Peru to southern Chile.

Answer: E

Cheers,
Brent

The greatest road system built in the Americas prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus was the Incan highway, which, over 2,500 miles long and extending from northern Ecuador through Peru to southern Chili.

A. Columbus was the Incan highway, which, over 2,500 miles long and extending
- "and extending" = incorrect. ", which" not necessary b/c you're not giving it a verb.

B. Columbus was the Incan highway, over 2,500 miles in length, and extended
- "and extended" = incorrect. "over 2,500 miles in length" = incomplete - where is verb? also, "in length" should be "long"

C. Columbus, the Incan highway, which was over 2,500 miles in length and extended
- "in length" should be "long". This is awkward, wordy construction. "and extended" = incorrect.

D. Columbus, the Incan highway, being over 2,500 miles in length, was extended
- "being" = incorrect. also, "was extended" = incorrect. the road system was not extended. "in length" should be "long". This is awkward, wordy construction.

E. Columbus, the Incan Highway was over 2,500 miles long, extending
- correct as is

key thing to note here is the STRUCTURE of the sentence: OPENING MODIFIER --> MAIN POINT --> MODIFIER
> if you can spot this, notice the last phrase is a modifier, so it's logical to begin that with "verb-ing" and not "AND + SOMETHING".

Kudos please if you find helpful

The question is based on Construction.

Option A is incomplete. The first part of the sentence – “The greatest road system built in the Americas prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus was the Incan highway” – is an independent clause. But the relative pronoun that follows it does not have a verb, making the sentence incomplete. So, Option A can be eliminated.

Option B contains the past perfect tense, which is incorrect in this sentence. The past perfect tense is generally used to convey an earlier action when two actions in the past are mentioned. The verb ‘had extended’ implies that the highway stopped extending after a while and some other action took place. This meaning is not implied in the sentence, so Option B can be eliminated.

Option C is incomplete. The subject of the sentence “The greatest road system” does not have a verb to complete the idea. So, Option C can be eliminated.

Option D contains a verb in the passive voice “was extended”. The construction in the passive voice implies that the ‘highway’ was extended by somebody. However, there is no indication that somebody extended the highway in the intended meaning of the sentence. So, Option D can be eliminated.

Option E has an appropriate structure, with a participle modifier at the end of the sentence to describe ‘the greatest road system’. Therefore, E is the best option.

Jayanthi Kumar.

The greatest road system built in the Americas prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus was the Incan highway, which, over 2,500 miles long and extending from northern Ecuador through Peru to southern Chili.

A. Underlined portion
B. Columbus was the Incan highway, over 2,500 miles in length, and extended
C. Columbus, the Incan highway, which was over 2,500 miles in length and extended
D. Columbus, the Incan highway, being over 2,500 miles in length, was extended
E. Columbus, the Incan Highway was over 2,500 miles long, extending


Ans shud be E.
Reason: 'extending ......' is a participle-modifier. In case of 'C' the sentence is not complete. The Incan highway should be described further in case of 'C'.
Let me know the OA.

The verb "to extend" can certainly have an object. For example:

• "The IRS extended the tax deadline." - What was extended? The tax deadline. Who extended the tax deadline? The IRS.
• "The opera singer extended her arms as she sang the final dramatic note." - What was extended? The singer's arms. Who extended them? The opera singer.

But we can also use the verb "to extend" WITHOUT an object. For example:

"The wheat fields extend for miles into the distance." - Nothing/nobody is actually stretching the wheat fields. And the wheat fields are not actually stretching anything themselves. Rather, the wheat fields simply stretch out in distance.

We have something similar in this question. Nothing/nobody actually extends the highway. Instead, the highway simply stretches out in distance.

I hope that helps!

aniket

If the verb of a clause so modified is a non-action or status verb, such as is, was, were etc, which involves no action on the part of the subject, then what action would you attribute to? That way, one can never attribute an inanimate thing or a linking verb with an adverbial modifier

Take the case--

I am the tallest in my office, measuring over 6.5 feet. Now you have not done any action to be the tallest or to measure 6.5, but it is just that you are the tallest and over 6.5 feet. Similarly, in the case of the Incan, the road is neither extending itself nor is anyone deliberately extending. Here extend indicates a status rather than an action.
The question is whether the modifier gives some additional info or not. Doesn't it say about how it was 2500 miles long, by giving the starting point and the finishing points?

Please look into my explanation. I have clearly said that it is the action or the status of the doer.

Finally, in this official question, do you suspect, GMAC was not aware of this. Are we able to tick any other answer?

HTH

There is a subtle difference between these two options:

1) "The Incan Highway, extended from northern Ecuador through Peru to southern Chile, ..." - This implies that someone or something extended the highway. As described in this post, that isn't quite what we want here.
2) "The Incan Highway, extending from northern Ecuador through Peru to southern Chile, ..." - With "extending", there is no implication that someone or something extended the highway. Instead, the highway simply stretches out in distance.

Similarly, if we write, "The highway was extended...", we suggest that someone or something stretched out the highway, and that isn't the right meaning here.

And, yes, you could also argue that the parallelism is off here. But even if we get rid or the word "over" in choice (C) and make it, "... which was 2,500 miles in length and extended...", we'd still have the same issues described above.

I hope that helps a bit!

In E, the subject of the sentence is 'The Inca Highway'
The phrase 'the greatest road system at that time' is a modifier that describes the Inca Highway.

There's nothing wrong with that!

'How you would have written it' isn't wrong either.
But it can be dangerous to be thinking of how you would have written something. Doing so can prevent you from evaluating the answer choice properly.
Mean to say, I hope you chose E despite your doubts. And it's good that you are clarifying your doubt.

Take this pair:
- The reigning Wimbledon champion, Simona Halep withdrew from the Miami Open because of a shoulder injury.
- The reigning Wimbledon champion, Simona Halep, withdrew from the Miami Open because of a shoulder injury.

The first of these is like answer E. The subject of the sentence is 'Simona Halep'.
The second is more like your version. The subject of the sentence is 'the reigning champion'.

These are the two core sentences, and both are correct:
- Simona Halep withdrew from the Miami Open.
- The reigning Wimbledon champion withdrew from the Miami Open.

Or if we take your example:
- The best airplane built in the XXth century, [called] the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird was made from titanium.
- The best airplane built in the XXth century, the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, was made from titanium.

In this case the two sentences are
- The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird was made from titanium.
- The best airplane built in the XXth century was made from titanium.

Both of these are grammatical! An author could choose either, depending on what he wanted to emphasize.

BTW we do not need the word CALLED (in your example). I don't think it's wrong, but it just makes the sentence sound awkward.

here when we look at the statement we see that the first half of the sentence is talking about the greatest road system which is in present tense ..
so the other part must not be in the past tense .. extended is wrong and also the use of the word was is not correct.
In a the verb was is not correctly used .
So the answer is E.

though there are many ways to look at this problem but probably the shortest way to do this problem correct is this way

This question tests Parallelism and Modifiers, always remember whenever you see a Parallelism indicator like 'And', you should always first look for the parallelism error, that being said:

Here 'extending' is modifying the Incan Highways being 2500 miles long. In other words, it explains the why or how of the 2500 mile length. That is why they say, an adverbial modifier modifies the doer and more importantly the action or the status of the doer.

We can't interpret A and B that way because the greatest road system is the subject of the verb was.

built....Columbus is just a modifier.

That might not be a good way to look at the sentence. We need to look holistically.

For example:

The sister of Michael played football.

This sentence means that Sister played football. We cannot put "Michael played football" side by side and make a case that Michael played football.