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605-655 (Medium)|   Clauses|                     
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In the major cities of industrialized countries at the end of the nine 28 May 2020, 23:58
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DmitryFarber
It's odd that folks are discussing less vs. fewer on percents/fractions without discussing what we have percents/fractions OF. We can have less land, but fewer drive-ins. We'd have less food, but fewer cookies. This is a simple matter of singular vs. plural.
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Thank you DmitryFarber,

According to OA: ..."LESS than one percent OF homeS"
Why is LESS correct with PLURAL?
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In the major cities of industrialized countries at the end of the nine 29 May 2020, 00:08
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Ah, of course--THAT'S why people are looking at this another way. :D I was hurrying a bit and didn't refer back to the original question. Sorry if I appeared to be oversimplifying.

The short answer may not be very satisfying: the GMAT didn't give us a choice of less/fewer, so we have to go with less here. Why is it okay? Because in some cases, we have some leeway about whether our less/fewer modifier refers to the percent itself or to the noun in question. Is it (<1%)*# of houses, or is it fewer than (1%*# of houses)? Therein lies the controversy that Mr. Stewart's link gets into. From a technical standpoint, "fewer" might seem to be more accurate/consistent, but honestly, "fewer" is a word most Americans don't even use much. That may account for some of the unevenness on the GMAT. Although we SC folks would turn up our noses (correctly) at "I ate less cookies than you did," many people would say exactly that! I don't think the GMAT will go that far, though.
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In the major cities of industrialized countries at the end of the nine 29 May 2020, 00:37
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IanStewart DmitryFarber AjiteshArun

i wanted to clarify a meaning issue with this sentence. It says:

In the major cities of industrialized countries at the end of the nineteenth century, important public places such as theaters, restaurants, shops, and banks had installed electric lighting, but electricity was in less than one percent of homes, where lighting was still provided mainly by candles or gas.

Here, "where" modifies homes that actually had electricity. How can the homes that had electricity still provide light through candles or gas? if they have electricity there's no need to use candles or gas. Shouldn't there be an AND to separate the homes with electricity from the ones without?

i thought this was too ambiguous to be right and hence went with B cus it had an "and" even tho wasn't parallel.
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In the major cities of industrialized countries at the end of the nine 29 May 2020, 03:42
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Kritisood

i wanted to clarify a meaning issue with this sentence. It says:

In the major cities of industrialized countries at the end of the nineteenth century, important public places such as theaters, restaurants, shops, and banks had installed electric lighting, but electricity was in less than one percent of homes, where lighting was still provided mainly by candles or gas.

Here, "where" modifies homes that actually had electricity. How can the homes that had electricity still provide light through candles or gas? if they have electricity there's no need to use candles or gas. Shouldn't there be an AND to separate the homes with electricity from the ones without?

i thought this was too ambiguous to be right and hence went with B cus it had an "and" even tho wasn't parallel.
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I agree it's a bit of a strange construction, because you can read it in two different ways - if you take "where..." to describe the "less than one percent of homes" with electricity, as you are, that creates an illogical meaning. Instead it's meant only to describe "homes" in general, which is why the word "mainly" appears near the end (to exclude the 1% with electricity).
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In the major cities of industrialized countries at the end of the nine 03 Aug 2020, 10:10
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yavasani
In the major cities of industrialized countries at the end of the nineteenth century, important public places such as theaters, restaurants, shops, and banks had installed electric lighting, but electricity was in less than one percent of homes, where lighting was still provided mainly by candles or gas.


(A) electricity was in less than one percent of homes, where lighting was still

(B) electricity was in less than one percent of homes and lighting still

(C) there had been less than 1 percent of homes with electricity, where lighting was still being

(D) there was less than 1 percent of homes that had electricity, having lighting that was still

(E) less than one percent of homes had electricity, where lighting had still been

Show Spoiler
Progress and Barbarism: World in the Twentieth Century
Hardcover – Import, 1998

Attachment:
01.png

Major Cities

(A) CORRECT

(B) Verb (provided)

(C) Verb (had been, was still being)

(D) Modifier / Meaning (having)

(E) Verb (had been)

First glance

The parallel marker but is just before the underline. Should the underlined part of the sentence start with electricity or something else?

Issues

(1) Verb: provided; had been; was still being

Compare the answers vertically; various verb tenses change.

(A) electricity was in homes, where lighting was still provided by candles…

(B) electricity was in homes and lighting still provided by candles…

(C) there had been less…where lighting was still being provided by candles…

(D) there was less… having lighting that was still provided by candles…

(E) less than 1 percent had electricity, where lighting had still been provided by candles…

Answer (B) is missing the verb was before provided. It should read: lighting was provided by candles.

Answers (C) and (E) use past perfect (had been). Past perfect can be used only when the sentence also has another past event that took place later in time than the past perfect event.

In the case of answer (C), the had been event took place at the same time as the was provided event, so the two events should be in the same tense. The reasoning is the same for answer (E): the had event took place at the same time as the had been provided event, so they should employ the same tense. (Note that had, by itself, is simple past. Had becomes past perfect only when paired with a past participle, such as had provided.)

Eliminate answers (B), (C), and (E).

(2) Modifier / Meaning: having

Answers (A), (C), and (E) all use where to start the modifier; answer (D) uses having. (Answer (B) changes that part of the structure completely.)

Where was lighting still provided mainly by candles or gas? In the homes. The where modifier in answers (A) and (B) clearly points to the homes. In answer (E), the where could be interpreted as pointing to the noun just before the comma: electricity. This, of course, is not the right location. The Official Guide explanation does not address this point, so it’s unclear whether the test writers would consider this acceptable. Therefore, call this “suspicious” and avoid this choice unless there is no better option. Eliminate answers (A) and (B) and put a question mark next to (E).

Answer (D) uses the comma -ing modifier structure there was less than 1 percent…, having lighting. A comma -ing modifier refers to the main subject and verb of the clause to which it’s attached; in this case, the having modifier refers to there was. It should be referring to the homes, so eliminate answer (D).

The Correct Answer

Correct answer (A) uses the same verb tense (was, was provided) to talk about two past events that occurred at the same time. The where modifier correctly refers to homes.
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Hi! I just want to make sure I am understanding the ",where....gas" part correctly. Is this ",where....gas" modifying the less than 1 percent of homes that did not have electricity? Also, is ",where....gas" a past participle phrase? Thank you for your time and help!
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In the major cities of industrialized countries at the end of the nine 04 Aug 2020, 03:09
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annblu781
",where....gas" part correctly. Is this ",where....gas" modifying the less than 1 percent of homes that did not have electricity?
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Yes.

Quote:
Also, is ",where....gas" a past participle phrase? Thank you for your time and help!
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No, it's a relative clause.
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In the major cities of industrialized countries at the end of the nine 11 Aug 2020, 04:00
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[quote="yavasani"]In the major cities of industrialized countries at the end of the nineteenth century, important public places such as theaters, restaurants, shops, and banks had installed electric lighting, but electricity was in less than one percent of homes, where lighting was still provided mainly by candles or gas.


(A) electricity was in less than one percent of homes, where lighting was still

(B) electricity was in less than one percent of homes and lighting still

(C) there had been less than 1 percent of homes with electricity, where lighting was still being

(D) there was less than 1 percent of homes that had electricity, having lighting that was still

(E) less than one percent of homes had electricity, where lighting had still been

"at+time indicator" can go with past perfect. this is shown in choice A. normally, we see "by+time indicator" goes with past perfect.
"there had been" in choice C is incorrect because "at the end of the nineteen century" , the fact that less than 1 percent of the homes had electricity still existed. that fact can not be finished at this point of time.

while at the end of the nineteen century, the installing had finished.so, "had installed " is correct.

to justify the use of past perfect, ask ourself " at this point of time, the action finished or not'

if two event happen in order , one after another, we still use two simple past tenses because we do not know whether the first event finished when the second event happen.

I learned English and I learned French
it is unclear when I learned french, I finished learning english
I had learned english and I learned French
it is clear that when I learned frenche, I finished learning english.

it find past perfect hard.
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In the major cities of industrialized countries at the end of the nine 12 Aug 2020, 03:06
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Eliminate C, E as Where can only refer to places

Usage of was is incorrect in D as it is referring to homes(plural)

Independent clause can be connected with comma + and, not and alone, so eliminate B

Correct choice is A
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In the major cities of industrialized countries at the end of the nine 24 Aug 2020, 17:31
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yavasani
In the major cities of industrialized countries at the end of the nineteenth century, important public places such as theaters, restaurants, shops, and banks had installed electric lighting, but electricity was in less than one percent of homes, where lighting was still provided mainly by candles or gas.


(A) electricity was in less than one percent of homes, where lighting was still

(B) electricity was in less than one percent of homes and lighting still

(C) there had been less than 1 percent of homes with electricity, where lighting was still being

(D) there was less than 1 percent of homes that had electricity, having lighting that was still

(E) less than one percent of homes had electricity, where lighting had still been

Show Spoiler
Progress and Barbarism: World in the Twentieth Century
Hardcover – Import, 1998

Attachment:
01.png

Major Cities

(A) CORRECT

(B) Verb (provided)

(C) Verb (had been, was still being)

(D) Modifier / Meaning (having)

(E) Verb (had been)

First glance

The parallel marker but is just before the underline. Should the underlined part of the sentence start with electricity or something else?

Issues

(1) Verb: provided; had been; was still being

Compare the answers vertically; various verb tenses change.

(A) electricity was in homes, where lighting was still provided by candles…

(B) electricity was in homes and lighting still provided by candles…

(C) there had been less…where lighting was still being provided by candles…

(D) there was less… having lighting that was still provided by candles…

(E) less than 1 percent had electricity, where lighting had still been provided by candles…

Answer (B) is missing the verb was before provided. It should read: lighting was provided by candles.

Answers (C) and (E) use past perfect (had been). Past perfect can be used only when the sentence also has another past event that took place later in time than the past perfect event.

In the case of answer (C), the had been event took place at the same time as the was provided event, so the two events should be in the same tense. The reasoning is the same for answer (E): the had event took place at the same time as the had been provided event, so they should employ the same tense. (Note that had, by itself, is simple past. Had becomes past perfect only when paired with a past participle, such as had provided.)

Eliminate answers (B), (C), and (E).

(2) Modifier / Meaning: having

Answers (A), (C), and (E) all use where to start the modifier; answer (D) uses having. (Answer (B) changes that part of the structure completely.)

Where was lighting still provided mainly by candles or gas? In the homes. The where modifier in answers (A) and (B) clearly points to the homes. In answer (E), the where could be interpreted as pointing to the noun just before the comma: electricity. This, of course, is not the right location. The Official Guide explanation does not address this point, so it’s unclear whether the test writers would consider this acceptable. Therefore, call this “suspicious” and avoid this choice unless there is no better option. Eliminate answers (A) and (B) and put a question mark next to (E).

Answer (D) uses the comma -ing modifier structure there was less than 1 percent…, having lighting. A comma -ing modifier refers to the main subject and verb of the clause to which it’s attached; in this case, the having modifier refers to there was. It should be referring to the homes, so eliminate answer (D).

The Correct Answer

Correct answer (A) uses the same verb tense (was, was provided) to talk about two past events that occurred at the same time. The where modifier correctly refers to homes.
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Isn't less used for uncountable nouns? We can count percentages. Confused :(
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In the major cities of industrialized countries at the end of the nine 25 Oct 2020, 11:43
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daagh
Grammar may solve most of this problem

A. electricity was in less than one percent of homes, where lighting was still – the best since where refers to a place namely homes.

B. electricity was in less than one percent of homes and lighting still --- Forthrightly unparallel with a clause in on side of ‘and’ but only a phrase at the other side.

C. there were less than one percent of homes with electricity, where lighting was still being ---1. still being provided changes the meaning. 2. Where is wrongly referring to electricity

D. there was less than one percent of homes that had electricity, having lighting that was still --- was less than one percent of homes—SV number problem

E. less than one percent of homes had electricity, where lighting had still been --- doesn’t make much sense
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Why does option E not make sense?
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In the major cities of industrialized countries at the end of the nine 25 Oct 2020, 19:49
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daagh
Grammar may solve most of this problem

A. electricity was in less than one percent of homes, where lighting was still – the best since where refers to a place namely homes.

B. electricity was in less than one percent of homes and lighting still --- Forthrightly unparallel with a clause in on side of ‘and’ but only a phrase at the other side.

C. there were less than one percent of homes with electricity, where lighting was still being ---1. still being provided changes the meaning. 2. Where is wrongly referring to electricity

D. there was less than one percent of homes that had electricity, having lighting that was still --- was less than one percent of homes—SV number problem

E. less than one percent of homes had electricity, where lighting had still been --- doesn’t make much sense
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In choice C why do you say that where modifies electricity?
Does where modify anything nearest to it?
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In the major cities of industrialized countries at the end of the nine 29 Oct 2020, 19:46
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Shouldn't it be "in fewer than 1% of homes" rather than "in less than one percent of homes"?
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In the major cities of industrialized countries at the end of the nine 30 Oct 2020, 22:35
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daprince
To quote a wise fellow I know . . . ;)

DmitryFarber
The short answer may not be very satisfying: the GMAT didn't give us a choice of less/fewer, so we have to go with less here. Why is it okay? Because in some cases, we have some leeway about whether our less/fewer modifier refers to the percent itself or to the noun in question. Is it (<1%)*# of houses, or is it fewer than (1%*# of houses)?
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In the major cities of industrialized countries at the end of the nine 11 Dec 2020, 22:32
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In the major cities of industrialized countries at the end of the nineteenth century, important public places such as theaters, restaurants, shops, and banks had installed electric lighting, but electricity was in less than one percent of homes, where lighting was still provided mainly by candles or gas.

It is one of the different question, I encountered recently. Awkward option is correct.

(A) electricity was in less than one percent of homes, where lighting was still-> "where" modifies "homes", which makes sense. And Lighting was...It is also correct. Let's keep it. Although, it is awkward to read the whole sentence.

(B) electricity was in less than one percent of homes and lighting still-> "And" pops out for me, a hint of parallelism. "Homes and Lighting". They are not parallel.

(C) there had been less than 1 percent of homes with electricity, where lighting was still being-> being, do we need -ing modifier here.

(D) there was less than 1 percent of homes that had electricity, having lighting that was still-> 1% of homes was still...... we need "were".

(E) less than one percent of homes had electricity, where lighting had still been-> "Where" modifies "electricity", It should modify Homes.

So, I think A. :)
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daagh
Grammar may solve most of this problem

A. electricity was in less than one percent of homes, where lighting was still – the best since where refers to a place namely homes.

B. electricity was in less than one percent of homes and lighting still --- Forthrightly unparallel with a clause in on side of ‘and’ but only a phrase at the other side.

C. there were less than one percent of homes with electricity, where lighting was still being ---1. still being provided changes the meaning. 2. Where is wrongly referring to electricity

D. there was less than one percent of homes that had electricity, having lighting that was still --- was less than one percent of homes—SV number problem

E. less than one percent of homes had electricity, where lighting had still been --- doesn’t make much sense

Why does option E not make sense?
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Now I know, E has a pronoun referent problem. Where is wrongly referring electricity rather referring electricity.
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My reaction is to "electricity was in homes". It sounds like something is missing. I would never say that "electricity is in my home", as if I where talking about an unwanted guest.

Any thoughts about this?

Posted from my mobile device
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In the major cities of industrialized countries at the end of the nine 30 Nov 2021, 03:25
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Bambi2021
It is an odd phrase, to be sure, but perhaps that's because we live in an age when electricity is everywhere. The main thing is that there's no rule stopping us from employing this usage, and all the other choices have actual errors.
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In the major cities of industrialized countries at the end of the nine 30 Nov 2021, 06:42
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My reaction is to "electricity was in homes". It sounds like something is missing. I would never say that "electricity is in my home", as if I where talking about an unwanted guest.

Any thoughts about this?

Posted from my mobile device
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Hello Bambi2021,

We hope this finds you well.

As DmitryFarber has written, the phrase "electricity was in homes" is a rather odd one, but it is not grammatically incorrect; by contrast, every other answer choice has concrete errors that render them incorrect, meaning Option A is the best answer choice. Remember, on the GMAT you must look for the best of the given answer choices, not a perfect answer choice.

We hope this helps.
All the best!
Experts' Global Team
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In the major cities of industrialized countries at the end of the nine 10 Aug 2022, 09:17
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Dear Experts,

In the major cities of industrialized countries at the end of the nineteenth century, important public places such as theaters, restaurants, shops, and banks had installed electric lighting, but electricity was in less than one percent of homes, where lighting was still provided mainly by candles or gas.

(E) less than one percent of homes had electricity, where lighting had still been

The issue of (E) is "where" that wrongly modifies electricity, right?

I don't think past perfect is an issue here because there is already a past perfect in the non-underlined part. Thus, past perfect in (E) is not clearly wrong.

please, help correct If I am wrong
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In the major cities of industrialized countries at the end of the nine 13 Aug 2022, 08:07
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Tanchat
Dear Experts,

In the major cities of industrialized countries at the end of the nineteenth century, important public places such as theaters, restaurants, shops, and banks had installed electric lighting, but electricity was in less than one percent of homes, where lighting was still provided mainly by candles or gas.

(E) less than one percent of homes had electricity, where lighting had still been

The issue of (E) is "where" that wrongly modifies electricity, right?

I don't think past perfect is an issue here because there is already a past perfect in the non-underlined part. Thus, past perfect in (E) is not clearly wrong.

please, help correct If I am wrong
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Yes, the "where" is a problem in (E). But the past perfect tense is indeed a problem too.

For a moment, let's pretend that the phrase beginning "where" logically modifies the homes, and let's focus on the verb tenses. If we do that, we essentially have, "Less than one percent of homes, where lighting had still been provided mainly by candles or gas, had electricity."

So that means (1) that some tiny number of those homes had electricity at some point in the past and (2) that all of those homes had candle or gas lighting at some point earlier in the past. But that doesn't really make any sense. The candle and gas part is meant to explain WHY such a small percentage of homes had electricity at that point in time -- it's because lighting in homes at that time was provided mainly by candles or gas.

If we move the candle and gas part even further into the past (by using the past perfect), then it no longer serves to explain why such a small percentage of homes had electricity at the end of the nineteenth century. It tells us something about homes before the end of the nineteenth century but not at the end of the nineteenth century, and that's not what we want.

Similarly, notice that in the non-underlined portion, "had installed" is also in the past perfect tense. Since "had been provided" is also in past perfect tense, (E) suggests that these two actions happened at roughly the same time, and that doesn't make much sense. The installation of electricity happened BY the end of the nineteenth century in public places, while the candle/gas part (i.e., lighting was provided) happened AT the end of the nineteenth century. In other words, we actually want those two actions ("had installed" and "was provided") to have different tenses, so the verb tenses in (A) are more appropriate.

I hope that helps!
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