One historical theory posits that an important effect of the Industria

Question

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One historical theory posits that an important effect of the Industrial Revolution was that living standards for the general population began to increase consistently for the first time in history,  while an opposing theory holds that it did not begin  to improve meaningfully until the late 1800s.

(A) while an opposing theory holds that it did not begin

(B) while an opposing theory holds that they have not begun

(C) but an opposing theory holds that it did not begin

(D) but an opposing theory holds that they did not begin

(E) with an opposing theory holding that it did not begin

generis · Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION Project SC Butler: Sentence Correction (SC1) • TIP: when the underlined portion of the sentence contains the pronoun it or they (but especially it ), GMAC will often test pronoun agreement. That tendency is confirmed by a quick scan of the answer choices, which alternate between it and they. (In other words, scan quickly to see whether it is indeed an issue.) • Pronoun strategy? Well, now we must decide which noun it refers to. What did not begin to improve meaningfully until the late 1800s? We re-read the sentence even if we think know the answer. Then we see the phrase living standards for the general population began to increase. The logical antecedent is the plural noun living standards . The pronoun should be they , not it • Meaning? One theory hypothesizes that living standards began to improve consistently because of the Industrial Revolution, while an opposing theory hypothesizes that living standards did not begin to improve significantly until well after the Industrial Revolution. We do not know that the end of the Industrial Revolution period is usually estimated to be 1840. But we do know from context that an opposing theory (present in every option) disagrees with the first theory's causal analysis and dates. THE OPTIONS • the noun living standards is plural and disagrees with the pronoun it ELIMINATE A • have not begun is the wrong verb tense → the present perfect tense is used in have not begun, and present perfect is used to "bridge the past and present." -- Present perfect should be used to describe events that started in the past and that continue into the present. → Present perfect can be used for other situations not related to this kind of context. -- You can find a good summary of present perfect from an excellent resource here . ELIMINATE B • just as in option A, living standards, plural, do not agree with the pronoun it Sidebar: the words but and while both signal contrast. Either is fine to use. -- True, while can mean during the time that, but while can also mean whereas, which is the meaning in this sentence. ELIMINATE C • I see no errors → using the plural pronoun they to refer to living standards is correct → simple past tense did not begin is also correct; this whole sentence is set in the nineteenth century KEEP D • the pronoun it cannot refer to living standards • with is rarely a strong contrast word and is not as effective as but or while ELIMINATE E The answer is D. COMMENTS Shubham1213372 , vanshi2301 , Neha2404 , and AC203 , welcome to SC Butler.

I am always glad to have new participants. Truly, the more, the merrier. (Okay, I'm not sure that I should be calling a test section "merry," but these days, I'll take what I can get.) For some new people and those who need a little reminder: assertion and labeling are not explanation. You don't have to write a book, but you do have to explain what you mean by, say, "modifier error." Okay, you have been given a heads up. In some posts, a few details here and there are not quite accurate. See whether your answer matches my analysis. If not, adjust your understanding of the matter. I'll let not-really-explained slide today. These answers range from good to excellent. Kudos to all.

Shubham1213372 · Answer

(A) while an opposing theory holds that it did not begin
>> it is referring to whom , living standards or population, hence wrong

(B) while an opposing theory holds that they have not begun
>> seems fine, holds this option

(C) but an opposing theory holds that it did not begin
>> same as A, hence wrong

(D) but an opposing theory holds that they did not begin
>> seems fine holds this option

(E) with an opposing theory holding that it did not begin
>> with an is showing an contrast nature here, hence this opt is wrong.

We are left with B and D, Now if we see option B then it is verb error, unnecessary things are written in past instead of simple past.
hence i will go with D as correct answer

saurabh851 · Answer

Ans: D

A) while an opposing theory holds that it did not begin
 Living standards (plural)...........it (singular)

(B) while an opposing theory holds that they have not begun
 Wrong usage of present perfect tense

(C) but an opposing theory holds that it did not begin
 Living standards (plural)...........it (singular)

(D) but an opposing theory holds that they did not begin
 Seems OK

(E) with an opposing theory holding that it did not begin
 Usage of with is wrong

Hope it helps...

vanshi2301 · Answer

A, C and E are out because of 'it'. Living standards are plural so 'they' should be used.
In B, tense usage is wrong.
D is correct according to me.

Neha2404 · Answer

IMO- D

While has two meanings 
1-While-at the same time as
2-While - although or contrasting two event
While and But both are used to show contrast , but while is use to show contrast between two event that take at the time fame.
Here use of But better than While

(A) while an opposing theory holds that it did not begin
(Use of ‘It’ (singular ) is incorrect .....living standards is plural )

(B) while an opposing theory holds that they have not begun
Use of of persent perfect tense is incorrect with past event

(C) but an opposing theory holds that it did not begin
(Use of ‘It’ (singular ) is incorrect .....living standards is plural )

(D) but an opposing theory holds that they did not begin
- Correct. ( use of past simple tense and correct use of they(plural)

(E) with an opposing theory holding that it did not begin
( use of with and it is incorrect)

Posted from my mobile device

AC203 · Answer

A) while an opposing theory holds that it did not begin
— verb error , “it” isn’t used correctly.

(B) while an opposing theory holds that they have not begun
— corrected the verb error but introduced a tense error. “Have not begun” used incorrectly

(C) but an opposing theory holds that it did not begin
— same as A, “it” used incorrectly.

(D) but an opposing theory holds that they did not begin
— corrects the verb error by replacing “it” with “they”. No other error

(E) with an opposing theory holding that it did not begin 
— changes the meaning of the sentence by adding “with” + verb error same as in A.

Posted from my mobile device

vipulshahi · Answer

One historical theory posits that an important effect of the Industrial Revolution was that living standards for the general population began to increase consistently for the first time in history,   while an opposing theory holds that it did not begin  to improve meaningfully until the late 1800s.

(A)  while  an opposing theory holds that  it  did not begin

1. Pronoun error; "it" is singular and antecedent is plural.
2. Meaning error ; usage of "while" changed the meaning.

- Incorrect

(B)  while  an opposing theory holds that they  have not begun

1. tense error ; "have not begun" changed the meaning completely.

- Incorrect

(C) but an opposing theory holds that  it  did not begin

- Pronoun error; "it" is singular and antecedent is plural.

- Incorrect

(D) but an opposing theory holds that they did not begin

- removes all the error.

- Correct

(E)  with  an opposing theory holding that  it  did not begin

1. modifier error ; usage of "with" is incorrect
2. Pronoun error; "it" is singular and antecedent is plural.

- Incorrect

IMO(D)

tyildirim92 · Answer

One historical theory posits that an important effect of the Industrial Revolution was that living standards for the general population began to increase consistently for the first time in history,  while an opposing theory holds that it did not begin  to improve meaningfully until the late 1800s.

(A) while an opposing theory holds that it did not begin  // "it" logically refers to the "living standards". funny though, how can a singular pronoun refer to a plural noun?

(B) while an opposing theory holds that they have not begun  // the usage of present perfect tense assumes that the living standards are still increasing, making the meaning of the sentence complicated.

(C) but an opposing theory holds that it did not begin  // "it" logically refers to the "living standards". funny though, how can a singular pronoun refer to a plural noun?

(D) but an opposing theory holds that they did not begin  // perfect.

(E) with an opposing theory holding that it did not begin  // (with) + (a noun) + (a modifier intending an action) is generally not considered correct in GMAT. a subordinate clause starting with "because", "while", "but" etc. are invariably preferred over (with) + (a noun) + (a modifier intending an action). "it" logically refers to the "living standards". funny though, how can a singular pronoun refer to a plural noun?

generis · Answer

The official explanation is  here .

Kinshook · Answer

One historical theory posits that an important effect of the Industrial Revolution was that living standards for the general population began to increase consistently for the first time in history,  while an opposing theory holds that it did not begin  to improve meaningfully until the late 1800s.

(A) while an opposing theory holds that  it  did not begin

(B) while an opposing theory holds that they  have not begun

(C) but an opposing theory holds that  it  did not begin

(D) but an opposing theory holds that  they did not begin

(E) with an opposing theory holding that  it  did not begin

IMO D

VerbalBot · Answer

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One historical theory posits that an important effect of the Industria

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GMAT Sentence Correction (SC - EA only) Questions

One historical theory posits that an important effect of the Industria

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