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04 Dec 2020, 00:02
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D
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
25%
(medium)
Question Stats:
67% (01:10) correct
33%
(01:15)
wrong
based on 323
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
As companies grow increasingly dependent on technology, employees having mastered computer engineering become more competitive in the job market.
A) having mastered computer engineering become
B) who mastered computer engineering became
C) having mastered computer engineering will be becoming
D) who master computer engineering are becoming
E) who master computer engineering have been becoming
04 Dec 2020, 00:03
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OFFICIAL EXPLANATION
THE PROMPT
→ "As companies grow" indicates that the sentence is in present tense.
→ "increasingly" indicates that the situation is ongoing
• In this instance, the two parts of the sentences should not shift verb tenses.
Often, such tense shifting is fine. In this context, though, the increasing demand is directly related to certain employees' hiring prospects, so the verbs should not shift tenses.
• Simple present vs. present progressive
→ employees . . . become = simple present
→ employees . . . are becoming = present progressive (also called "present continuous")
The simple present tense in English is rarely used to describe events or actions that are happening now.
Simple present tense does describe general truths, repeated actions or unchanging situations, habits, and emotions.
A one-page recap with very good examples can be found by clicking here.
Present progressive, on the other hand, describes actions that are happening now, trends, temporary situations, and events in the future that have already been planned.
Yet again, a one-page recap with very good examples can be found by clicking here.
(I advise native and non-native speakers alike to read both pages.)
In other words, when we want to describe a trend, we almost always use present progressive.
→ As vaccines get closer to being approved and distributed, the Dow Jones is setting records.
→ As analysts consider a partial return to normalcy within the year, stocks tied to travel and restaurants are becoming much more attractive.
• a current trend (increasing dependence on technology) does not fit will with having mastered, a phrase that leans toward (or is in) the past
→ having mastered is called a perfect participle (don't worry about the name)
Perfect participles are used for actions that have recently been completed.
Perfect participle: HAVING + past participle (verbED)
What does a perfect participle indicate? Answer: An action that was completed in the past.
Having deliberated for a few days without success, the jurors declared themselves deadlocked.
→ The trap answer here is A.
Don't fall for the seemingly similar sound of the phrases grow increasingly dependent and having mastered.
The first descriptor connotes an ongoing situation—a trend that exists right now and that is likely to continue.
The second descriptor connotes a recently completed, not ongoing, event.
The nonunderlined portion of this sentence sets us firmly in the present; the rest of the sentence should follow suit.
• having mastered tilts towards or is in the past, not the present. Compared to its counterpart in D (who master), this phrasing is clunky.
• Option A is grammatical but also not quite the right fit for the rest of the sentence
KEEP, but look for a better option
• the two past tense verbs are fatal error:
As ABC grows [NOW], certain people became XYZ then? No.
That construction is ridiculous.
ELIMINATE B
• having mastered creates the same problems as those in option A
• will be becoming is the future progressive tense. Not correct.
We are in the present. Companies are already dependent on technology. That dependence is "increasing" now. Its effects on certain employees exist now.
ELIMINATE C
• are becoming describes an event that is happening now and that is a trend.
→ As XYZ intensifies, ABCs are becoming more attractive.
→ we need the bit of delay or haltingness that "are becoming" gives us.
The ABCs are not yet wildly attractive, but because of growth in XYZ, the ABCs are in the process of becoming wildly attractive.
• who master describes a habitual fact in the middle of the larger trend.
That works.
KEEP
→ native speakers should hear the unnecessary words and passivity in (E)'s verb
→ non-native speakers who have been reading a bit every day also probably heard option E's verbosity and passivity
• if you did not "hear" the strangeness of this option, ask the "better or worse" question: Is E better than D?
No.
→ have been adds nothing; are is clearer and shorter
ELIMINATE E
Option A presents problems that I listed.
Option D solves those problems.
Option D is better than option A. Eliminate A.
The best answer is D.
Notes
The split between option A and D is initially difficult.
Keep looking at them and thinking about what you've read here.
That split should eventually tilt obviously towards D.
I want to caution all aspirants to be really, really careful with judgment calls such as "awkward" or "wordy."
Shorter isn't always better.
"Become" in option A does not capture the sense of trend.
"Are becoming" in option D does convey a sense of trend.
Worse, having mastered is not straightforward and not crisp.
Having mastered in (A) sounds absolutely dreadful compared to who master in (D)—in large part because the latter correctly describes a fact pattern in the middle of a trend.
As ABC grows, employees who DO XYZ are being pursued.
Yes, GMAC prefers simple present (and simple past)—but not all the time!
Some situations require not using simple past. 'We talk about trends by using present progressive—we want to use a more drawn out verb in order to convey ongoing and current trend.
(Read the sites to which I cited above).
COMMENTS
I like the different patterns of analysis that I see.
I am also glad to see some of you branching out a bit: I can recognize your writing voice; you understand rules but more importantly see the big picture; and you explain so that others can understand.
Nice work.
Project SC Butler: Sentence Correction (SC1)
THE PROMPT
Quote:
• This sentence describes a current, ongoing trend.
→ "As companies grow" indicates that the sentence is in present tense.
→ "increasingly" indicates that the situation is ongoing
• In this instance, the two parts of the sentences should not shift verb tenses.
Often, such tense shifting is fine. In this context, though, the increasing demand is directly related to certain employees' hiring prospects, so the verbs should not shift tenses.
• Simple present vs. present progressive
→ employees . . . become = simple present
→ employees . . . are becoming = present progressive (also called "present continuous")
The simple present tense in English is rarely used to describe events or actions that are happening now.
Simple present tense does describe general truths, repeated actions or unchanging situations, habits, and emotions.
A one-page recap with very good examples can be found by clicking here.
Present progressive, on the other hand, describes actions that are happening now, trends, temporary situations, and events in the future that have already been planned.
Yet again, a one-page recap with very good examples can be found by clicking here.
(I advise native and non-native speakers alike to read both pages.)
In other words, when we want to describe a trend, we almost always use present progressive.
→ As vaccines get closer to being approved and distributed, the Dow Jones is setting records.
→ As analysts consider a partial return to normalcy within the year, stocks tied to travel and restaurants are becoming much more attractive.
• a current trend (increasing dependence on technology) does not fit will with having mastered, a phrase that leans toward (or is in) the past
→ having mastered is called a perfect participle (don't worry about the name)
Perfect participles are used for actions that have recently been completed.
Perfect participle: HAVING + past participle (verbED)
What does a perfect participle indicate? Answer: An action that was completed in the past.
Having deliberated for a few days without success, the jurors declared themselves deadlocked.
→ The trap answer here is A.
Don't fall for the seemingly similar sound of the phrases grow increasingly dependent and having mastered.
The first descriptor connotes an ongoing situation—a trend that exists right now and that is likely to continue.
The second descriptor connotes a recently completed, not ongoing, event.
The nonunderlined portion of this sentence sets us firmly in the present; the rest of the sentence should follow suit.
Quote:
• become does not express the idea of a present-and-ongoing trend created by increasing dependence on technology
• having mastered tilts towards or is in the past, not the present. Compared to its counterpart in D (who master), this phrasing is clunky.
• Option A is grammatical but also not quite the right fit for the rest of the sentence
KEEP, but look for a better option
Quote:
• the two past tense verbs are fatal error:
As ABC grows [NOW], certain people became XYZ then? No.
That construction is ridiculous.
ELIMINATE B
Quote:
• having mastered creates the same problems as those in option A
• will be becoming is the future progressive tense. Not correct.
We are in the present. Companies are already dependent on technology. That dependence is "increasing" now. Its effects on certain employees exist now.
ELIMINATE C
Quote:
• are becoming describes an event that is happening now and that is a trend.
→ As XYZ intensifies, ABCs are becoming more attractive.
→ we need the bit of delay or haltingness that "are becoming" gives us.
The ABCs are not yet wildly attractive, but because of growth in XYZ, the ABCs are in the process of becoming wildly attractive.
• who master describes a habitual fact in the middle of the larger trend.
That works.
KEEP
Quote:
• have been becoming in this option is inferior to are becoming in option D
→ native speakers should hear the unnecessary words and passivity in (E)'s verb
→ non-native speakers who have been reading a bit every day also probably heard option E's verbosity and passivity
• if you did not "hear" the strangeness of this option, ask the "better or worse" question: Is E better than D?
No.
→ have been adds nothing; are is clearer and shorter
ELIMINATE E
Option A presents problems that I listed.
Option D solves those problems.
Option D is better than option A. Eliminate A.
The best answer is D.
Notes
The split between option A and D is initially difficult.
Keep looking at them and thinking about what you've read here.
That split should eventually tilt obviously towards D.
I want to caution all aspirants to be really, really careful with judgment calls such as "awkward" or "wordy."
Shorter isn't always better.
"Become" in option A does not capture the sense of trend.
"Are becoming" in option D does convey a sense of trend.
Worse, having mastered is not straightforward and not crisp.
Having mastered in (A) sounds absolutely dreadful compared to who master in (D)—in large part because the latter correctly describes a fact pattern in the middle of a trend.
As ABC grows, employees who DO XYZ are being pursued.
Yes, GMAC prefers simple present (and simple past)—but not all the time!
Some situations require not using simple past. 'We talk about trends by using present progressive—we want to use a more drawn out verb in order to convey ongoing and current trend.
(Read the sites to which I cited above).
COMMENTS
I like the different patterns of analysis that I see.
I am also glad to see some of you branching out a bit: I can recognize your writing voice; you understand rules but more importantly see the big picture; and you explain so that others can understand.
Nice work.
04 Dec 2020, 00:32
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Bookmarks
As companies grow increasingly dependent on technology, employees having mastered computer engineering become more competitive in the job market.
The format is : As X happens, Y happens. (Both are perpetual activities and hence Simple Present is correct).
A) having mastered computer engineering become
Participle modifier modifies employees. Simple present tense looks correct.
B) who mastered computer engineering became
Incorrect for past tense.
C) having mastered computer engineering will be becoming
Incorrect for future tense.
D) who master computer engineering are becoming
Incorrect for present continuous. They are not competitive for just the current time.
E) who master computer engineering have been becoming
Incorrect for meaning. The competitiveness of employees and growth of the company go simultaneously. This option implies merely that competitiveness began for sometime and is going on.
Note : There is slight difference in the meaning (for the modifiers) between " employees having mastered computer engineering" and "employees who master computer engineering", but the tense becomes the clear differentiator here.
IMO A
The format is : As X happens, Y happens. (Both are perpetual activities and hence Simple Present is correct).
A) having mastered computer engineering become
Participle modifier modifies employees. Simple present tense looks correct.
B) who mastered computer engineering became
Incorrect for past tense.
C) having mastered computer engineering will be becoming
Incorrect for future tense.
D) who master computer engineering are becoming
Incorrect for present continuous. They are not competitive for just the current time.
E) who master computer engineering have been becoming
Incorrect for meaning. The competitiveness of employees and growth of the company go simultaneously. This option implies merely that competitiveness began for sometime and is going on.
Note : There is slight difference in the meaning (for the modifiers) between " employees having mastered computer engineering" and "employees who master computer engineering", but the tense becomes the clear differentiator here.
IMO A
