Technical writing has been around for as long as there have been

Question

Project SC Butler: Sentence Correction (SC1) 
 For SC butler Questions  Click Here

Technical writing has been around  for as long as there have been written languages, and modern references to  technical writing as a profession first appeared only about five decades back.

A) for as long as there have been written languages, and modern references to

B) since as long as there have been written languages, but modern references to

C) for so long as there have been written languages, so modern references to

D) for as long as there have been written languages, but modern references to

E) since as long as there have been written languages, and modern references to

ramlala · Accepted Answer

Spilt 1  and  vs  so  vs  but 
As the both clauses conveys contrast,  but  is preferable.  Eliminate A, C & E

Split 2  since  vs  for 
As specific time is not mentioned, I will go with  for   Eliminate B

IMO D

generis · Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

Project SC Butler: Sentence Correction (SC1)

THE PROMPT  
 
• Meaning?
→ The sentence suggests contrast, this way:
 Although technical writing has been around for a long time, modern references to this technical writing first appeared only about 50 years ago. 
→ How do we know that contrast is present?
The word in  only  in the non-underlined portion.
Used in this way,  only  means  merely  or  just recently.

• Issues?
→ contrast, as I noted above

→ FOR vs. SINCE
 For  refers to a time period or duration of time: FOR + a period of time
--  Correct :  I have been trying to find my keys for an hour. 
--  Wrong : I try to find my keys for an hour.
 For  can be used with every verb tense.

Since  refers to when things began or to when an activity started.
SINCE +  
→  Correct :  I have been looking for my keys since this morning.   
→  Correct:   I had not seen my frail aunt since 2015; she had grown thin. 
→  Wrong:   I did not see my frail aunt since 2015; she was thin.  (The second clause is okay and could be used in the correct example immediately above this one. The problem is that since cannot be used with simple past tense "did not see.")
 Since  cannot be used with all verb tenses.
→  Since  is used with present perfect tense   or the past perfect tense  .

THE OPTIONS  
 
• meaning error
We need contrast, as I explained above.
The word  and  does not convey contrast.
ELIMINATE A

• Diction error - usage of  since 
The use of  since  to refer to a duration of time is incorrect.
ELIMINATE B

• distorted meaning
→ The second  so,  after the comma, creates nonsensical meaning.
 So  suggests purpose or cause and result.
So means  and for this reason; therefore; with the aim that; in order that. 
Nonsense. Because technical writing has been around for a long time, modern references to that technical writing began only 50 years ago? No.
The sentence suggests the opposite.
That is, because technical writing has been around for eons, it is strange that modern references to technical writing began only 50 years ago.

•  So long as  - wrong meaning and suspect
 so long as,  IF correct, conveys a  conditional  statement ("I will play so long as you don't cheat") , whereas in this sentence the phrase is trying to describe a state of affairs in which Thing ABC has been around for almost the same amount of time as Thing XYZ.
→ use AS . . . AS to say that Thing ABC is as old as XYZ 
→ In spoken English,  so long as  is often used to convey condition (not the case here), but even in that case, on the GMAT, the phrase is suspect.
ELIMINATE C

• seems correct
→ The use of  for  to refer to a duration of time is correct. 
→ The use of  but  properly captures the contrast inherent in the sentence.
KEEP
 
• Diction error -- use of  since 
→ The use of since to refer to a duration of time is incorrect. 
• Meaning and contrast error
→ The use of the word  and  distorts the meaning of the sentence by eliminating the contrast inherent in it.
ELIMINATE E

The answer is D.

COMMENTS

These answers range from very good to excellent.
 ramlala  , I am bumping you to Best Community Reply.
Nice work, everyone. Stay safe.

zhanbo · Answer

My answer is  (D) . It took me 41 seconds.

First split: "and" VS. "so" VS. "but".
Based on the meaning of IC1 and IC2 in "IC1 + Comma + FANBOYS + IC2", "but" should be used to contrast the long history of technical writing with only five decades of the technical writing as a profession. 
Eliminate A, C, and E.

In (B), "since as long as" is not idiomatic. Use either ”since" or "as long as" but not both. Eliminate (B).

Read (D), and confirm that it is a decent sentence.

TarunKumar1234 · Answer

Technical writing has been around for as long as there have been written languages, and modern references to technical writing as a profession first appeared only about five decades back.

A) for as long as there have been written languages, and modern references to Incorrect

and uses wrong; it cant express intended meaning, but is preferable

B) since as long as there have been written languages, but modern references to Incorrect

since uses wrong

C) for so long as there have been written languages, so modern references to Incorrect

so uses wrong

D) for as long as there have been written languages, but modern references to Correct

E) since as long as there have been written languages, and modern references to Incorrect

since uses wrong; and cant express intended meaning, but is preferable

carouselambra · Answer

IMO D

Technical writing has been around for as long as there have been written languages, and modern references to technical writing as a profession first appeared only about five decades back.

A)  for  as long as there have been written languages, and modern references to

B)  since  as long as there have been written languages,  but  modern references to

C)  for so long as  there have been written languages, so modern references to

D)  for as long as  there have been written languages, but modern references to

E) since as long as there have been written languages,  and  modern references to

RajatJ79 · Answer

Technical writing has been around  for as long as there have been written languages, and modern references to  technical writing as a profession first appeared only about five decades back.

Pre-thinking :  Usage of Coordinating Conjunctions  - 'but' should be used to show the contrast in timelines mentioned in the statement.  Idiom  - 'for as long as' is the right idiom.

A) for as long as there have been written languages,  and  modern references to

B)  since as long as  there have been written languages, but modern references to

C)  for so  long as there have been written languages,  so  modern references to

D)   for as long as   there have been written languages,   but   modern references to

E)  since as long as  there have been written languages,  and  modern references to

IMO answer should be Option D.

private07 · Answer

Technical writing has been around for as long as there have been written languages, and modern references to technical writing as a profession first appeared only about five decades back.

A) for as long as there have been written languages, and modern references to

B) since as long as there have been written languages, but modern references to

C) for so long as there have been written languages, so modern references to

D) for as long as there have been written languages, but modern references to

E) since as long as there have been written languages, and modern references to

IMO - D
We need a contrast between two independent clauses, so eliminate option A, C, and E
Between option B and D - for is more appropriate
since is used to refer a point in time whereas for is used to refer a period in time

winterschool · Answer

Technical writing has been around for as long as there have been written languages, and modern references to technical writing as a profession first appeared only about five decades back.

A) for as long as there have been written languages,  and  modern references to  Incorrect

and uses wrong; it cant express intended meaning, but is preferable

B)  since  as long as there have been written languages, but modern references to  Incorrect

since uses wrong
 
C) for so long as there have been written languages,  so  modern references to  Incorrect

so uses wrong
 
D)  for as long as there have been written languages, but modern references to   Correct

E)  since  as long as there have been written languages,  and  modern references to  Incorrect

since uses wrong; and cant express intended meaning, but is preferable

generis · Answer

The official explanation is  here .

Technical writing has been around for as long as there have been

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards

GMAT Sentence Correction (SC - EA only) Questions

Technical writing has been around for as long as there have been

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards