Last visit was: 22 Apr 2026, 22:46 It is currently 22 Apr 2026, 22:46
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
User avatar
feruz77
Joined: 08 Oct 2010
Last visit: 22 Dec 2021
Posts: 169
Own Kudos:
2,611
 [46]
Given Kudos: 974
Location: Uzbekistan
Concentration: Finance and accounting
Schools:Johnson, Fuqua, Simon, Mendoza
GPA: 4.0
WE 3: 10
Posts: 169
Kudos: 2,611
 [46]
9
Kudos
Add Kudos
37
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Most Helpful Reply
User avatar
aviram
Joined: 27 Jun 2014
Last visit: 09 Feb 2016
Posts: 59
Own Kudos:
120
 [8]
Given Kudos: 125
Location: New Zealand
Concentration: Strategy, General Management
GMAT 1: 710 Q43 V45
GRE 1: Q161 V163
GRE 2: Q159 V166
GPA: 3.6
WE:Editorial and Writing (Computer Software)
GMAT 1: 710 Q43 V45
GRE 1: Q161 V163
GRE 2: Q159 V166
Posts: 59
Kudos: 120
 [8]
7
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
avatar
rojans
Joined: 08 Jun 2010
Last visit: 18 Aug 2016
Posts: 40
Own Kudos:
81
 [5]
Given Kudos: 15
Posts: 40
Kudos: 81
 [5]
4
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
General Discussion
User avatar
mariyea
Joined: 30 Nov 2010
Last visit: 06 Dec 2011
Posts: 185
Own Kudos:
277
 [1]
Given Kudos: 66
Schools:UC Berkley, UCLA
Posts: 185
Kudos: 277
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
There must be a mistake in the OA... what's the source?
The reason why I ask is because "less... than..." construction is more acceptable.
User avatar
andysimple
Joined: 07 Jul 2010
Last visit: 14 Aug 2012
Posts: 36
Own Kudos:
69
 [1]
Given Kudos: 18
Location: Hanoi, Vietnam
Posts: 36
Kudos: 69
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
The structure is "less.. than". OA is wrong.
User avatar
gmatopoeia
Joined: 20 Jul 2011
Last visit: 23 Aug 2012
Posts: 66
Own Kudos:
213
 [1]
Given Kudos: 15
GMAT Date: 10-21-2011
Posts: 66
Kudos: 213
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Quote:
Michael Phelps is no less an exemplary figure in the realm of dedication and hard work.

(A) no less an exemplary figure in
(B) nonetheless an exemplary figure in
(C) nevertheless exemplary in
(D) not less exemplary a figure than
(E) an exemplary figure not less than

I would also think the OA is incorrect. Without the 'than' portion in 'less...than', the sentence comes across incomplete. When you say 'less', there has to be a standard/benchmark by which a comparison is made against for this conclusion to be reached. So, I think it is necessary for the 'than' portion of the statement to be present.

If I were to make a guess, I would go with C. Any thoughts?
User avatar
souvik101990
Joined: 19 Mar 2012
Last visit: 11 Nov 2025
Posts: 4,314
Own Kudos:
53,373
 [1]
Given Kudos: 2,326
Location: United States (WA)
Concentration: Leadership, General Management
GMAT 1: 760 Q50 V42
GMAT 2: 740 Q49 V42 (Online)
GMAT 3: 760 Q50 V42 (Online)
GPA: 3.8
WE:Marketing (Non-Profit and Government)
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT 3: 760 Q50 V42 (Online)
Posts: 4,314
Kudos: 53,373
 [1]
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Quote:
None of these is correct - B or C have a chance it you add a modifier to the beginning to necessitate the use of a transition like "nevertheless", for example:

Despite some well-publicized brushes with drugs and alcohol, Michael Phelps is nevertheless exemplary...

But without that there isn't a rationale for using the transition, and in A "no less" needs to have a comparison attached to it. You're definitely correct that D and E create an improper comparison between Phelps and virtues.



Just because I've seen a lot of these recently, I'd urge everyone to be careful with the SC questions that you choose to practice from - for whatever reason early 2011 seems to have created a boom in the number of lackadaisically-written practice Sentence Correction questions that are now in circulation. For the sole purpose of practice with eliminating poor answer choices, I suppose it's not that bad, but be careful putting too much emphasis on from-out-of-nowhere practice questions - there are still plenty of good ones out there so I'd prioritize those.
avatar
NavenRk
Joined: 01 Jan 2015
Last visit: 02 Oct 2019
Posts: 16
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 7
Posts: 16
Kudos: 35
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
aviram
feruz77
Michael Phelps is no less an exemplary figure in the realm of dedication and hard work.

(A) no less an exemplary figure in
(B) nonetheless an exemplary figure in
(C) nevertheless exemplary in
(D) not less exemplary a figure than
(E) an exemplary figure not less than


On the issue of less...than, than will only be used if Michael Phelps was being compared to another person in some realm. IMO, do not try to memorize idioms. See what the sentence is trying to say. Here, Michael (presumably a great swimmer) is not only an exemplary swimmer, but also an exemplar of dedication and hard work. BCDE are clearly out of contention because none of them mean what the sentence could correctly mean. A is the only choice that remains.

B: Nonetheless indicates a contrast...Michael is horrible...nonetheless he is...
C: Nevertheless also indicates a contrast.
D: Would be used to compare Michael to another person.
E: Wrong construction. Cannot be used to compare him to another person either.


How can one presume that Michael was a great swimmer?
So you're saying contemporary knowledge about Michael is required to answer this question ?
What if Michael was replaced by X or Y in the question. Would the answer then change , pls clarify.
User avatar
daagh
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 19 Feb 2007
Last visit: 16 Oct 2020
Posts: 5,262
Own Kudos:
42,465
 [4]
Given Kudos: 422
Status: enjoying
Location: India
WE:Education (Education)
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 5,262
Kudos: 42,465
 [4]
4
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
But I think this is not about any special knowledge about anyone in particular. All that we have to comprehend is that MP was a great man. Whoever said MP was a swimmer? He could be a poet, a president, or a priest or for that matter anybody; all that we have to realize is that he was or is a great name in his own field.

But what GMAC wants to test is how properly this fact is presented. And that is where A scores. The prompt is not comparing him with anyone else and so D and E are out and 2.MP has not achieved his name in spite of some bad factor, and hence B and C which use the ‘nevertheless’ and ‘nonetheless’ are out.
avatar
lostnumber
Joined: 28 Mar 2018
Last visit: 22 May 2018
Posts: 38
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 20
Posts: 38
Kudos: 8
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
I believe the OA to be incorrect, the construction does not read correctly without "than"

"No less than an exemplary figure"
avatar
Prashantsri
Joined: 15 Apr 2018
Last visit: 18 Aug 2019
Posts: 26
Own Kudos:
6
 [1]
GMAT 1: 720 Q48 V40
Products:
GMAT 1: 720 Q48 V40
Posts: 26
Kudos: 6
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
The answer is A. It is the only one that actually says what the sentence is supposed to mean. That Phelps is as exemplary in the realm of dedication and hard work, as he is in some other unnamed area.
User avatar
KanishkM
Joined: 09 Mar 2018
Last visit: 18 Dec 2021
Posts: 755
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 123
Location: India
Posts: 755
Kudos: 512
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
feruz77
Michael Phelps is no less an exemplary figure in the realm of dedication and hard work.

(A) no less an exemplary figure in
(B) nonetheless an exemplary figure in
(C) nevertheless exemplary in
(D) not less exemplary a figure than
(E) an exemplary figure not less than

There is no contrast present in this sentence, The intent of the sentence is to portray positive traits about a person

A does this successfully

No comparison is been made,D and E out

C is a fragment
User avatar
VerbalBot
User avatar
Non-Human User
Joined: 01 Oct 2013
Last visit: 04 Jan 2021
Posts: 19,418
Own Kudos:
Posts: 19,418
Kudos: 1,009
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Automated notice from GMAT Club VerbalBot:

A member just gave Kudos to this thread, showing it’s still useful. I’ve bumped it to the top so more people can benefit. Feel free to add your own questions or solutions.

This post was generated automatically.
Moderators:
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
7391 posts
499 posts
358 posts