12 Days of Christmas GMAT Competition - Day 7: The short lived Corsica

Experts' Global Official Explanation

Redundancy/Awkwardness + Verb Forms + Modifiers + Meaning

Understanding the intended meaning is key to solving this question; the intended meaning of this sentence is that the Corsican Republic was uniquely progressive, in that it granted full voting rights to all adult citizens at the time of its founding in 1755.

• For referring to the purpose or intent of an action, the infinitive verb form (“to + base form of verb") is preferred over the present participle ("verb+ing" - "granting" in this sentence) construction.

A. This answer choice incorrectly uses “1755” to modify “founding”, illogically implying that “the Corsican Republic” had multiple foundings, one of which occurred in 1755; the intended meaning of the sentence is that the Corsican Republic was uniquely progressive, in that it granted full voting rights to all adult citizens at the time of its founding in 1755.

B. Trap. This answer choice incorrectly uses “1755” to modify “founding”, illogically implying that “the Corsican Republic” had multiple foundings, one of which occurred in 1755; the intended meaning of the sentence is that the Corsican Republic was uniquely progressive, in that it granted full voting rights to all adult citizens at the time of its founding in 1755.

C. Trap. This answer choice incorrectly uses “was a uniquely progressive nation when it was founded” to modify “the Corsican Republic”, incorrectly implying that the nation was already “uniquely progressive” at the time of its founding; the intended meaning of the sentence is that the Corsican Republic was uniquely progressive, in that it granted full voting rights to all adult citizens at the time of its founding in 1755.

D. This answer choice uses the present participle (“verb+ing” – “granting” in this sentence), acting as a noun, to refer to the intent of the action “deciding”; please remember, for referring to the purpose or intent of an action, the infinitive verb form (“to + base form of verb") is preferred over the present participle ("verb+ing" - "granting" in this sentence) construction.

E. Correct. This answer choice correctly uses “in 1755” to modify “founding” and correctly uses “in deciding…to grant” to modify “the Corsican Republic”, conveying the intended meaning of the sentence- that the Corsican Republic was uniquely progressive, in that it granted full voting rights to all adult citizens at the time of its founding in 1755. Further, Option E uses the infinitive verb form (“to + base form of verb"- "to + grant" in this sentence) to refer to the intent of the action “deciding”.

E is the best answer choice.