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12 Oct 2019, 01:04
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E
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
45%
(medium)
Question Stats:
50% (00:50) correct
50%
(00:51)
wrong
based on 638
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
The selection in the free-agent draft was based less on the player's availability and more on his willingness to accept a low salary.
(A) and more on
(B) than
(C) but more on
(D) as on
(E) than on
12 Oct 2019, 01:06
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OFFICIAL EXPLANATION
The selection in the free-agent draft was based less on the player's availability and more on his willingness to accept a low salary.
(A) and more on
(B) than
(C) but more on
(D) as on
(E) than on
• Split #1: LESS requires THAN
Words such as more, less, greater, smaller, and other comparative adjectives require a THAN in the sentence.
The moment you see any of those words, think: where is than?
If you are in doubt, pause for a moment and think of an easier sentence.
She weighs less than he weighs.
Vikhyat is taller than Nathaniel.
Options A, C, and D incorrectly use more, more, and as, respectively.
All three should use THAN.
Eliminate A, C, and D
• Split #2: the comparison must be logical and parallel
I have mentioned that prepositions usually are not omitted in parallel constructions.
Sometimes they are included for the sake of clarity because they "flag" the Y element.
Very often, the preposition is needed to make the comparison logical and parallel
Compare. Comparison is your friend in SC.
B) The selection in the draft was based less on his availability THAN his willingness to accept a low salary.
E) The selection in the draft was based less on his availability THAN ON his willingness to accept a low salary.
Look at the right hand side of the comparison at everything after THAN.
Those words are the Y element.
On the left hand side of THAN, look for the comparison marker word LESS.
The words placed after LESS are the X element.
In option B:
Y = his willingness to accept a low salary (noun phrase)
X = on his availability (preposition + noun phrase)
In (B), the two things are not parallel
In option (E)
Y = on his willingness to accept a low salary (preposition + noun phrase)
X = on his ability (preposition + noun phrase)
Now X and Y are parallel.
LOGIC?
Option B suggests that selection was based less on his availability than his willingness to accept a low salary was based on his availability.
Huh? Nonsense.
Eliminate B
The correct answer is E
• OTHER ISSUES
• AS
THAN . . . AS is not correct.
We can use AS . . . AS in comparisons, usually in equivalencies and in an affirmative context. This way:
The selection in the draft was based AS much on his availability AS on his willingness to accept a low salary.
(For the record: AS . . . THAN is also not correct.)
• CONJUNCTIONS?
The conjunctions in (A) and (C) are a trap.
GMAC loves to present words that seem to require parallel structure.
In the prompt we see the adjective less.
In A and C, more captures our attention.
Less and more seem logical.
We think, "Okay, something is LESS X and MORE Y" and we choose A or C.
This thought process is very logical. GMAC is counting on you to use it.
Just one problem.
Comparative adjectives require a than except in very obvious cases.
In other words, "do not use a comparative adjective unless you have a than in the sentence." (MGMAT Sentence Correction, 6th ed., p. 101
The conjunctions are not themselves mistakes.
We could have a comparison and a conjunction as long as the word than were to appear.
Correct: She likes cotton and linen more than wool.
Takeaway: Comparative adjectives require the word than in the sentence unless the comparison is very obvious.
COMMENTS
I expected (B) to be #1 or #2 in chosen answers.
Wrong.
At the moment, answers A and C account for 20% and 17% of answers.
Answers B and E account for 4% and 2%
From these stats I conclude that
(1) one group knows that comparative adjectives require both than and parallel elements (hence the unattractiveness of B)
(2) another group understands the logic of parallelism and just needs to understand that less . .. than trumps other considerations (hence the attractiveness of A and C)
These answers are all well-reasoned and clearly explained.
Kudos to all. Nice work.
Project SC Butler: Day 177: Sentence Correction (SC1)
The selection in the free-agent draft was based less on the player's availability and more on his willingness to accept a low salary.
(A) and more on
(B) than
(C) but more on
(D) as on
(E) than on
• Split #1: LESS requires THAN
Words such as more, less, greater, smaller, and other comparative adjectives require a THAN in the sentence.
The moment you see any of those words, think: where is than?
If you are in doubt, pause for a moment and think of an easier sentence.
She weighs less than he weighs.
Vikhyat is taller than Nathaniel.
Options A, C, and D incorrectly use more, more, and as, respectively.
All three should use THAN.
Eliminate A, C, and D
• Split #2: the comparison must be logical and parallel
I have mentioned that prepositions usually are not omitted in parallel constructions.
Sometimes they are included for the sake of clarity because they "flag" the Y element.
Very often, the preposition is needed to make the comparison logical and parallel
Compare. Comparison is your friend in SC.
B) The selection in the draft was based less on his availability THAN his willingness to accept a low salary.
E) The selection in the draft was based less on his availability THAN ON his willingness to accept a low salary.
Look at the right hand side of the comparison at everything after THAN.
Those words are the Y element.
On the left hand side of THAN, look for the comparison marker word LESS.
The words placed after LESS are the X element.
In option B:
Y = his willingness to accept a low salary (noun phrase)
X = on his availability (preposition + noun phrase)
In (B), the two things are not parallel
In option (E)
Y = on his willingness to accept a low salary (preposition + noun phrase)
X = on his ability (preposition + noun phrase)
Now X and Y are parallel.
LOGIC?
Option B suggests that selection was based less on his availability than his willingness to accept a low salary was based on his availability.
Huh? Nonsense.
Eliminate B
The correct answer is E
• OTHER ISSUES
• AS
THAN . . . AS is not correct.
We can use AS . . . AS in comparisons, usually in equivalencies and in an affirmative context. This way:
The selection in the draft was based AS much on his availability AS on his willingness to accept a low salary.
(For the record: AS . . . THAN is also not correct.)
• CONJUNCTIONS?
The conjunctions in (A) and (C) are a trap.
GMAC loves to present words that seem to require parallel structure.
In the prompt we see the adjective less.
In A and C, more captures our attention.
Less and more seem logical.
We think, "Okay, something is LESS X and MORE Y" and we choose A or C.
This thought process is very logical. GMAC is counting on you to use it.
Just one problem.
Comparative adjectives require a than except in very obvious cases.
In other words, "do not use a comparative adjective unless you have a than in the sentence." (MGMAT Sentence Correction, 6th ed., p. 101
The conjunctions are not themselves mistakes.
We could have a comparison and a conjunction as long as the word than were to appear.
Correct: She likes cotton and linen more than wool.
Takeaway: Comparative adjectives require the word than in the sentence unless the comparison is very obvious.
COMMENTS
I expected (B) to be #1 or #2 in chosen answers.
Wrong.
At the moment, answers A and C account for 20% and 17% of answers.
Answers B and E account for 4% and 2%
From these stats I conclude that
(1) one group knows that comparative adjectives require both than and parallel elements (hence the unattractiveness of B)
(2) another group understands the logic of parallelism and just needs to understand that less . .. than trumps other considerations (hence the attractiveness of A and C)
These answers are all well-reasoned and clearly explained.
Kudos to all. Nice work.
General Discussion
12 Oct 2019, 08:44
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The selection in the free-agent draft was based less on the player's availability and more on his willingness to accept a low salary.
Meaning--> The selection was based less on X than on Y. This is the meaning the sentence wants to render.
Now, X= the player's availability
Y= His willingness to accept a low salary.
To present a comparison in a sentence we must use 'than' rather than 'and'.
The correct choice which makes also considers for parallelism is Choice E.
IMHO E.
Meaning--> The selection was based less on X than on Y. This is the meaning the sentence wants to render.
Now, X= the player's availability
Y= His willingness to accept a low salary.
To present a comparison in a sentence we must use 'than' rather than 'and'.
The correct choice which makes also considers for parallelism is Choice E.
IMHO E.
