V99-22

Question

Choose the sentence with properly used idiom (emphasized with boldface). Please note that a wrong answer choice  may be  grammatically correct.

A. The astronauts would probably best use their remaining time living and working on Mars  instead of  dying at home.
B. The astronauts would probably best use their remaining time living and working on Mars  rather  dying at home.
C. The astronauts would probably best use their remaining time living and working on Mars  rather than  dying at home.
D. All of the above
E. None of the above

Bunuel · Answer

Official Solution:

Choose the sentence with properly used idiom (emphasized with boldface). Please note that a wrong answer choice  may be  grammatically correct.

A. The astronauts would probably best use their remaining time living and working on Mars  instead of  dying at home.
B. The astronauts would probably best use their remaining time living and working on Mars  rather  dying at home.
C. The astronauts would probably best use their remaining time living and working on Mars  rather than  dying at home.
D. All of the above
E. None of the above

Answer: C

kritiu · Answer

Hey Bunnuel, can you please explain why instead of is not correct?

gauravmishra132 · Answer

Here C is correct. Rather than compare two clauses and,instead of compare two nouns. Hope this helps

jarvis910712 · Answer

The "of" in "instead of" is a preposition, and the object of a preposition must be a noun.

So you CAN say:
I want chocolate ice cream instead of vanilla today.

In contrast, "rather than" can compare nouns or verbs, so it's just more likely to be correct.

Mrinob · Answer

Rather than > Instead of : Preference in GMAT

prynk1110 · Answer

Good explaination

Shiv2016 · Answer

mike  and  GMATNinja

According to me, both A and B are correct. 'dying' is a gerund here and not a noun. verb-ing by itself are not verbs.

Instead of takes noun after 'of' because of the preposition 'of'. Correct .

Rather than can take both nouns, verbs, or clauses. Correct.

virrr · Answer

Parallelism: Signal phrase is  rather than . -ing, -ing, rather than -ing. Please refer to Manhattan SC book.

ProfChaos · Answer

I walk rather than run
I walk instead of running

I eat apples rather than oranges

I eat apples instead of oranges

I walk quickly instead of quietly

I walk quickly rather than quietly
I don't really think there's much of a difference, except perhaps rather than implies preference whereas instead of implies substitution. But that might be nitpicking. And it doesn't seem to apply when using it to coordinate adverbs (last pair).

Also, there's a slight difference in the verb forms in the first pair, but there's not really a difference in meaning there.

https://english.stackexchange.com/quest ... instead-of

BottomJee · Answer

I think this is a  high-quality  question and I agree with explanation.

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