The methods proposed for reducing the amount of interest to be paid

Question

The methods proposed for reducing the amount of interest to be paid  are not able to be used successfully without creating a problem of insufficient cash flow in the future .

A) are not able to be used successfully without creating a problem of insufficient cash flow in the future

B) are not able successfully to be used without creating a problem in the future of insufficient cash flow

C) cannot successfully be used without creating a future problem of insufficient cash flow

D) cannot be used without succeeding in creating a problem in the future of insufficient cash flow

E) cannot be used without succeeding in creating a future problem of insufficient cash flow

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Verbal Review 2020 NEW QUESTION

GMATNinja · Accepted Answer

Here we have, "The methods {...} are not able..."

This isn't great because it's not the methods themselves that are able (or not able) to do something in this context. Instead, it's the people or things  using  those methods that are able (or not able) to do something.

Also, "a problem of insufficient cash flow in the future" sounds like a present tense problem. But how is  insufficient cash flow in the future  a problem  now ?

I'm tempted to eliminate (A), but I want to see if another option fixes the problems first, so let's hang onto it for now.

Same issue here: the wording illogically suggests that the methods themselves are able (or not able) to do something. This one's even a bit worse because "successfully" seems to modify "are not able" when it should modify "be used" instead.

Also, as briefly explained  here , "a problem in the future of insufficient cash flow" doesn't make sense. Are we talking about a problem that exists, not in the general future, but in the specific future of insufficient cash flow? Does insufficient cash flow have its own timeline and future?

You could refer to the "future of mankind" (for example), but "future of insufficient cash flow" doesn't work, at least not in this context.

Eliminate (B).

This one avoids the "methods are not able" problem shared by (A) and (B). Also, "successfully" appropriately modifies "be used".

Lastly, "a future problem of insufficient cash flow" is clearer than what we saw in (A): "a problem of insufficient cash flow in the future." The wording in (C) makes it clear that the cash flow issue is a future problem, rather than a present one.
 
That's another reason to eliminate (A) and keep (C).

As in (B), "problem in the future of insufficient cash flow" is confusing.

Also, does "succeeding" tie back to "the methods", as if the methods themselves are successfully creating a problem? Or does this sentence imply that in order to use these methods, you first have to successfully create a problem in the future of insufficient cash flow?

The logical meaning is more clear in (C): "successfully" refers to the  usage  of the methods (by some other person/thing).

That gives us a couple votes in favor of (C) over (D), so we can eliminate this one.

(E) isn't that much different than (C), but it has the same meaning issue we saw in (D).

That leaves us with option (C), where the meaning is perfectly clear, and an option (E), where the meaning is ambiguous. So (C) is our winner.

anothermillenial · Answer

The methods proposed for reducing the amount of interest to be paid  are not able to be used successfully without creating a problem of insufficient cash flow in the future .

"Are not able to be" is a mouthful. "Cannot" is better. This rules out A and B...."successfully to be used" is also not correct. "Without succeeding in" isn't the same meaning . C remains.

A)  are not able to be used  successfully without creating a problem of insufficient cash flow in the future

B)  are not able  successfully to be used without creating a problem in the future of insufficient cash flow

C) cannot successfully be used without creating a future problem of insufficient cash flow

D) cannot be used  without succeeding  in creating a problem in the future of insufficient cash flow

E) cannot be used  without succeeding  in creating a future problem of insufficient cash flow

manu11 · Answer

Subject of the sentence is "Methods"

Options A & B suggest Methods are not able... which isnt' right

Option D & E correct the above error but mention "cannot be used without succeeding in creating a problem ". This changes them meaning of orginial sentience. Original sentence says Methods can't be successfully used where as Options D &E convey successfully creating a problem

Option E corrects the errors and conveys right meaning of sentence

Rahaman9969 · Answer

What is verb of the sentence “cannot successfully be used without creating a future problem of insufficient cash flow”
cannot be used....?

thangvietnam · Answer

"can" can say about qualification or a possibility. inhere, we need to say about a possibility, so, "we can use "can" as in choice C, D and E.

"able" is used to say about qualification not about a possibility, so, choice A and B is incorrect.

generis · Answer

Rahaman9969 , yes, cannot be used is the verb. Methods . . . cannot be used . . . without creating a problem. You are correct.

MBAMSAspirant16 · Answer

Is there a difference between “cannot successfully be used” and “cannot be used successfully”? Are both these constructions grammatically correct? 
I had selected A just because it had used the latter one and “cannot successfully be used” seemed wrong to me.

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AjiteshArun · Answer

In a situation in which we have to "connect" the  used  to something, I'd probably prefer the option that puts  successfully  next to  can .

Neither method can be  used  successfully  to do something .

Neither method can successfully be  used to do something .

But this question doesn't test us on that, so the better answer to your question is that both those phrases are possible. Just keep in mind that option A uses  are not able to be used successfully , not  cannot be used successfully . That is, we are not asked to take that call in this question.

Fighter1095 · Answer

The methods proposed for reducing the amount of interest to be paid  are not able to be used successfully without creating a problem of insufficient cash flow in the future.

A)  are not able  to be used successfully without creating a problem of insufficient cash flow in the future

B)  are not able  successfully to be used without creating a problem in the future of insufficient cash flow

C) cannot successfully be used without creating a future problem of insufficient cash flow - looks good

D) cannot be used  without succeeding  in creating a problem in the future of insufficient cash flow -

E) cannot be used  without succeeding  in creating a future problem of insufficient cash flow

mba757 · Answer

A) are not able to be used successfully without creating a problem of insufficient cash flow in the future
 (1) meaning error: “The methods…are not able to be used successfully…” how can “methods” be able to do anything? Illogical;

B) are not able successfully to be used without creating a problem in the future of insufficient cash flow
 (1) meaning error: “The methods…are not able successfully…” how can “methods” be able to do anything? Illogical; (2)

C) cannot successfully be used without creating a future problem of insufficient cash flow
 Best option

D) cannot be used without succeeding in creating a problem in the future of insufficient cash flow
 (1) meaning error: “The methods…cannot be used WITHOUT SUCCEEDING IN CREATING A PROBLEM…” so the methods can’t be used UNLESS there is success in the creation of a problem, particularly around the future of insufficient cash flow? Illogical and changes the meaning

E) cannot be used without succeeding in creating a future problem of insufficient cash flow
 (1) meaning error: similar to that of option D

Basshead · Answer

The methods proposed for reducing the amount of interest to be paid  are not able to be used successfully without creating a problem of insufficient cash flow in the future .

'are not able' is not the intended meaning. The methods are not able to do something? We want to say 'the methods  cannot successfully  be used.'

'without succeeding' is not correct; the method can be successful or unsuccesful.

Answer is C.

A)  are not able  to be used successfully without creating a problem of insufficient cash flow in the future

B)  are not able  successfully to be used without creating a problem in the future of insufficient cash flow

C)  cannot successfully be used without creating a future problem of insufficient cash flow

D) cannot be used  without succeeding  in creating a problem in the future of insufficient cash flow

E) cannot be used  without succeeding  in creating a future problem of insufficient cash flow

TarunKumar1234 · Answer

The methods proposed for reducing the amount of interest to be paid are not able to be used successfully without creating a problem of insufficient cash flow in the future.

'are not able' is not the intended meaning. The methods are not able to do something? We want to say 'the methods cannot successfully be used.'

'without succeeding' is not correct; the method can be successful or unsuccesful.

Answer is C.

A) are not able to be used successfully without creating a problem of insufficient cash flow in the future

B) are not able successfully to be used without creating a problem in the future of insufficient cash flow

C) cannot successfully be used without creating a future problem of insufficient cash flow

D) cannot be used without succeeding in creating a problem in the future of insufficient cash flow

E) cannot be used without succeeding in creating a future problem of insufficient cash flow

mba757 · Answer

Hi experts,  MartyTargetTestPrep   GMATNinja   AjiteshArun

I don't think I caught this last time, but within answer choices B, D, and E, is the phrase "...a problem in the future of insufficient cash flow..." literally saying the following: a   future OF insufficient cash flow? Like a TYPE of future?

GMATNinja · Answer

Totally valid. Insufficient cash flow is certainly a kind of problem. But a kind of  future ? Nope. The future can be bleak. But it cannot be a cash flow.

Nicely done!

penco · Answer

Hey  generis   AjiteshArun 
I don't have any issue with options.
I want to ask about the usage of   for reducing   in this sentence.
We cannot refute on this but most of the times I have seen experts stress on the usage of  to reduce .
Can you help me get what exactly is the difference between the two and how can we ascertain when to use which one ?

mSKR · Answer

I use  for  when the context is for information and  to  when doer has purpose
e.g.: I went supermarket  to  buy vegetables ( clear purpose: why I went there)
He was fired  for  coming late.--> Here the purpose of firing was not coming late but it was a reason to fire. 
The decision  for  selecting people was given by leaders.--again information but not purpose

it is easy to identify purpose, so I reserve  to  for such cases. 
I hope it helps.

AjiteshArun · Answer

Hi  penco ,

My reply is not specific to this question (maybe you're also thinking about  this other question ?), but the  for  + gerund call may come down to whether we're looking at the purpose of a  specific   person or entity  (or maybe a  specific   situation ):

I . Purpose of a person: Don't use  for  + gerund.
1.  I went to the market to buy vegetables.  ( source ) ←  To  + plain form is appropriate here (for the purpose of a specific person/situation). 
2.  I went to the market  for buying vegetables .  ←  For  + gerund is incorrect (for the purpose of a specific person/situation).
3.  I went to the market for vegetables.  ←  For  + noun is fine, but slightly ambiguous: is this a "market for vegetables"? This is not a major problem, as  to  can be ambiguous as well, and sentences like "I went somewhere (X) for some Y" are very common.

II . General purpose of a noun: Both  for  + gerund and the  to  + plain form can be used to introduce the  general  purpose of something (a  noun ):
4.  ... the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved  the first drug  for treating  COVID-19 .  ( source )
5.  ...  a drug  to treat  kidney stones , for instance, was raised from $1.50 per pill to $30.  ( source )

This is especially common with the verb  (be) used  ( a drug used for treating X  and  a drug used to treat X  are both correct).

III . A specific situation: Try not to use  for  + gerund.
6.  An experimental cocktail of drugs was used to treat the president.  ← This is what we'd normally expect to hear.
7.  An experimental cocktail of drugs was used  for treating the president .  ← This is a very specific ("one-time") situation, and I would not use  for  + gerund here.

Just keep in mind, though, that with certain words,  to  + plain form is much more common (or in other cases, much less common) than  for  + gerund, leading to preference calls.

TL;DR: Choosing between  to  + plain form] and  for  + gerund] isn't always easy. Try to prioritise other entry points.

Akhilshah · Answer

GMATNinja ,  daagh ,

Can you please explain this problem??

SUV0508 · Answer

I didn't like the answer choices. In option C, "future problem" sounds awkward, especially when the phrase is modified by "insufficient cash flow"

The methods proposed for reducing the amount of interest to be paid

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The methods proposed for reducing the amount of interest to be paid

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