Dear Friends,
Here is a detailed explanation to this question-
ritula wrote:
Corporate finance committees do not plan the detailed activities of the various divisions in a large firm, but by their allocation of investment funds they make strategic judgments as to where the firm should expand.
(A) by their allocation of investment funds they make strategic judgments as to where the firm should expand
(B) when they allocate investment funds, they make strategic judgments about where the firm might be expanding
(C) they make strategic judgments on where the firm should expand when they allocate investment funds
(D) by allocating investment funds, they will make strategic judgments about where the firm might be expanding
(E) allocations of investments fund as to where the firm should expand are their exercise in strategic judgment
Choice A: Option A preserves the intended meaning of the sentence and maintains idiomatic correctness throughout the sentence. Thus, Option A is correct.
Choice B: By using the word "when", Option B alters the meaning of the sentence. The word "when" is used to refer to events that take place at specific points in time; therefore, the phrase "when they allocate investment funds, they make strategic judgments" incorrectly implies that it is only while allocating investment funds that the finance committees make strategic decisions. Thus, Option B is incorrect.
Choice C: Option C commits the same meaning-related error that Option B does and uses the incorrect idiom "judgments on". Thus, Option C is incorrect.
Choice D: Option D alters the meaning of the sentence by introducing ambiguity with the term "might" and utilizing the future tense through the verb phrase "will make". Thus, Option D is incorrect.
Choice E: Option E alters the meaning of the sentence by changing "investment funds" to "investments fund". Thus, Option E is incorrect.
Hence, A is the best answer choice.To understand the concept of "Where Versus When on GMAT”, you may want to watch the following video (~30 seconds):
All the best!
Experts' Global Team