This study's surveys were conducted over a course of time commencing

Question

Project SC Butler: Day 169: Sentence Correction (SC2) 
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This study's  surveys were conducted over a course of time commencing a few months before the First World War and ending a few months after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, outnumbering  all surveys conducted for any single research ever.

A) surveys were conducted over a course of time commencing a few months before the First World War and ending a few months after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, outnumbering

B) surveys, which were conducted over a course of time commencing a few months before the First World War and ending a few months after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, outnumber
 
C) surveys, conducted over a course of time commencing a few months before the First World War and that ends a few months after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 and outnumbering

D) surveys, which were conducted over a course of time commencing a few months before the First World War, ending a few months after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, and outnumbering

E) surveys were conducted over a course of time that commences a few months before the First World War and ended a few months after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, outnumber

generis · Accepted Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION Project SC Butler: Day 169: Sentence Correction (SC2) THE PROMPT This study's surveys were conducted over a course of time commencing a few months before the First World War and ending a few months after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, outnumbering all surveys conducted for any single research ever. THE OPTIONS -- The surveys were conducted over a course of time. . . , outnumbering all surveys. -- The point of the sentence seems to be that these surveys outnumbered their counterparts, not that the surveys were conducted from point in time X to point in time Y. -- typically modifies the preceding clause, and can modify just the subject of the clause. But the fact that the surveys outnumber all their counterparts is not really logically connected to the time frame described at length. In other words, "outnumbering" really refers only to surveys. It's a Big Fact about surveys. It should "outrank" time frame commencing. Outnumber should be a verb, not a participle (an ___ING word). Keep this issue in mind as other options are checked. KEEP AND COMPARE -- This structure makes more sense than that in (A). -- Outnumber is the strong verb and the point of the sentence. -- The time period is better set off by which, as is the case here, and the verb outnumber is appropriate and appropriately stressed by relegating all that other stuff to a which-clause which were conducted . . . commencing. . . . ending. . . . and outnumbering -- were is the only working verb in the sentence. It is "eaten up" by the relative pronoun "which" • if you are not sure, remove the nonessential clause: This study's surveys, and outnumbering all surveys conducted for any single research ever. No working verb! Eliminate D for any single research ever. • commences and ended are not parallel. • Missing conjunction: were conducted, ended, outnumber The answer is B COMMENTS I like the dialogue.

The main verb in this sentence is "outnumber." The important fact about the surveys is that they outnumber all others of their kind—not the time period through which the surveys were taken. Many of you caught that idea quickly. These answers are very good. Kudos to all.

zhanbo · Answer

A tough question in my opinion. Option (A) and (B) are both grammatically sound. After already spending three minutes on this question, I have to make a call. And I chose option  (B) .

Option (A) and (B) are strong contenders.

Option (C): Not a complete sentence.
Option (D): Not a complete sentence.
Option (E): No subject for "outnumber". Before the comma, there is already a complete sentence.

Now, between (A) and (B), I can only discern that (A) emphasizes the "course of time" while (B) the significance of its surveys. Which one does the author want to convey? This is rather subjective. As I am not the author, I made the call that B is better.

But is "outnumber" in the right tense in (B)? Or, maybe I overlooked something obvious or subtle? I will be keen to read the OE.

rohitchayal · Answer

zhanbo  in option A there’s comma+ing modifier giving additional information for the preceding sentence or the cause and effect relationship but only a time period is given in the sentence and not the frequency it might be that the time period was the longest but the frequency was so low that the surveys didn’t outnumber other surveys for that reason, for that reason a cause and effect relationship can’t be made between time period and number of surveys; hence,

B is the correct answer

Posted from my mobile device

zhanbo · Answer

Thanks  rohitchayal  ! Yet you also mentioned that comma+ing modifier can be used to give additional information for the preceding sentence. So, even though there is no clear cause-effect relationship, the present participle may very well provide additional info.

gotoeurope · Answer

My answer is option B...

CDE: Sentence fragment or Run-on sentence

Both A and B looks fine, so I needed to evaluate which one is more important fact.
Fact 1) The surveys had been conducted for many years.
Fact 2) The surveys outnumber all surveys conducted for any single research ever.

If I were the author, I would want to emphasize the surveys' importance.
Fact 2) has more impact...

LalitaSiri · Answer

This study's surveys were conducted over a course of time commencing a few months before the First World War and ending a few months after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, outnumbering all surveys conducted for any single research ever.

A) surveys  were conducted  over a course of time commencing a few months before the First World War and  ending  a few months after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, outnumbering - not parallel

B) surveys, which were conducted over a course of time commencing a few months before the First World War and ending a few months after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, outnumber- the correct answer choice. The main sentence here is "The study's surveys outnumber all surveys conducted for any single research ever."

C) surveys,  conducted  over a course of time commencing a few months before the First World War and  that ends  a few months after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 and outnumbering - conducted (past tense) and ends (present tense) - grammatically not correct. Also, that is not needed here.

D) surveys, which were conducted over a course of time commencing a few months before the First World War,  ending  a few months after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991,  and outnumbering   - it is a run on sentence. No verb in the sentence

E) surveys were conducted over a course of time that commences a few months before the First World War and ended a few months after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991,  outnumber  - now outnumber seems to modify the previous clause. However, only verb + ing and verb + ed can be the modifier.

Thus, the correct answer choice is B.

rohitchayal · Answer

zhanbo  this modification does not make sense here because it was not because the surveys were done in the specified period that these surveys outnumbered other surveys.

two actions that are- surveys were done in some time period and surveys outnumber other surveys are really two different characteristics of the surveys.

Posted from my mobile device

exc4libur · Answer

MEANING: 
this study's surveys,  , outnumber all surveys conducted; 
over a course of time commencing… and ending  ;

(A) "surveys were conducted… outnumbering" imps this s's surveys were conducted while outnumbering all others (simultaneously), unintended; 
(C) "conducted…commencing…and that ends… and outnumbering" fragment and unintended;
(D) "surveys, which…commencing, ending…, and outnumbering" fragment and unintended;
(E) "surveys were… outnumber" fragment; "that commences…and ended" not parallel and unintended;

Answer (B)

Ashokshiva · Answer

IMO B

This study's surveys were conducted over a course of time commencing a few months before the First World War and ending a few months after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, outnumbering all surveys conducted for any single research ever.

A) surveys were conducted over a course of time commencing a few months before the First World War and ending a few months after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991,  outnumbering 
 outnumber is given as a modifier instead it should be part of the sentence connected to subject with a verb

B) surveys, which were conducted over a course of time commencing a few months before the First World War and ending a few months after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991,  outnumber 
 Looks ok

C) surveys,  conducted  over a course of time commencing a few months before the First World War and that ends a few months after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 and  outnumbering 
 No verb for the subject of the sentence

D) surveys, which were conducted over a course of time commencing a few months before the First World War, ending a few months after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991,  and outnumbering 
 No verb for the subject of the sentence

E) surveys were conducted over a course of time that commences a few months before the First World War and ended a few months after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991,  outnumber 
 Outnumber is not connected by a conjunction

TheNightKing · Answer

After removing the obvious errors

IMO B.

Thank you!

ccheryn · Answer

This study's surveys were conducted over a course of time commencing a few months before the First World War and ending a few months after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, outnumbering all surveys conducted for any single research ever.

A) surveys were conducted over a course of time commencing a few months before the First World War and ending a few months after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, outnumbering ( the survey is valid till now,,, so as per this option, were conducted ( in past tense)... will make the outnumbering ( a past tense).. but outnumbering is still valid today... PER se i dont ffind andy other grammatical error. correct me if i am wrong)
 
B) surveys, which were conducted over a course of time commencing a few months before the First World War and ending a few months after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, outnumber ( awesome, outnumber is in present tense so sentence makes sense in all possible way. correct choice)

C) surveys, conducted over a course of time commencing a few months before the First World War and that ends a few months after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 and outnumbering  ( run on sentence sureveys need a verb)
 
D) surveys, which were conducted over a course of time commencing a few months before the First World War, ending a few months after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, and outnumbering ( run on sentence sureveys need a verb)

E) surveys were conducted over a course of time that commences a few months before the First World War and ended a few months after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, outnumber  (that commences and ended not paralled to each other between one subject and two verbs, it needs a separater and , or etc.. . hence wrong. )

generis · Answer

I have posted the official explanation  HERE

zhanbo · Answer

generis , official explanation says "were conducted and commending are no parallel", but they do not need to be parallel, right? They are two disparate parts of the sentence. "Commencing" and "ending" do follow the parallelism rule.

generis · Answer

Good catch. I wondered what I had done.

A similar comment is on E.
Somehow I moved it to A and when I was proofing, I was too tired to catch it. 
I was falling asleep as I was writing this OE.
Thanks. Edited

Alpha14 · Answer

generis  can u pls explain why option A is wrong and B correct .. Not able to understand

generis · Answer

Alpha14  , could you be a little more specific about what you do not understand?

Ron P., formerly of Manhattan Prep, is fond of saying that SC is a beauty contest.
He means that we must pick which answer is best—or even more frequently, which of two options is better than the other.
 
My OE and all of the posts list reasons that option B is better than option A. 
Do none of those posts help?

Why do you think that (A) is better than (B)?

Deciding between these two options requires you to choose which option better captures the main point of the sentence.

What is the main point of the sentence? 
Is the main point that the surveys began before WWI and ended in 1991?
Or is the main point that the surveys outnumber all similar surveys?
 
I will emphasize clues. They come at the end of the sentence. 
 ...outnumbering/outnumber  all  surveys conducted for  any  single research   ever.

If this answer does not help, re-read the posts, beginning with my OE.

See whether you can formulate your question a little more specifically in light of all that is written above about choices A and B, post your question, tag me, and I will be happy to try to help.

yvankd · Answer

Wouldn't the use of non-essential modifier in option B distort the meaning of the sentence? If it's a non essential modifier, then even after removing it from the sentence, the meaning should remain unchanged. That's not the case with option B. If we remove the modifier (highlighted in red), than only the following portion of the sentence will remain:

This study's surveys outnumber all surveys conducted for any single research ever.

Is my reasoning correct here?

Alpha14 · Answer

Can u pls Explain Option A ?

Alpha14 · Answer

I am confused with the usage of " Outnumbering" in option A ? Why is it wrong ? and Why Outnumber in Option B is correct ?

This study's surveys were conducted over a course of time commencing

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GMAT Sentence Correction (SC - EA only) Questions

This study's surveys were conducted over a course of time commencing

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