Last visit was: 19 Nov 2025, 11:37 It is currently 19 Nov 2025, 11:37
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
User avatar
Abhi077
User avatar
SC Moderator
Joined: 25 Sep 2018
Last visit: 18 Apr 2025
Posts: 1,084
Own Kudos:
2,403
 [6]
Given Kudos: 1,665
Location: United States (CA)
Concentration: Finance, Strategy
GPA: 3.97
WE:Investment Banking (Finance: Investment Banking)
Products:
Posts: 1,084
Kudos: 2,403
 [6]
Kudos
Add Kudos
6
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
shameekv1989
Joined: 14 Dec 2019
Last visit: 17 Jun 2021
Posts: 820
Own Kudos:
986
 [2]
Given Kudos: 354
Location: Poland
Concentration: Entrepreneurship, Strategy
GMAT 1: 640 Q49 V27
GMAT 2: 660 Q49 V31
GMAT 3: 720 Q50 V38
GPA: 4
WE:Engineering (Consumer Electronics)
Products:
GMAT 3: 720 Q50 V38
Posts: 820
Kudos: 986
 [2]
Kudos
Add Kudos
2
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
avatar
aarushisingla
Joined: 23 May 2019
Last visit: 12 Sep 2022
Posts: 39
Own Kudos:
16
 [1]
Given Kudos: 58
Posts: 39
Kudos: 16
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
shameekv1989
Joined: 14 Dec 2019
Last visit: 17 Jun 2021
Posts: 820
Own Kudos:
986
 [2]
Given Kudos: 354
Location: Poland
Concentration: Entrepreneurship, Strategy
GMAT 1: 640 Q49 V27
GMAT 2: 660 Q49 V31
GMAT 3: 720 Q50 V38
GPA: 4
WE:Engineering (Consumer Electronics)
Products:
GMAT 3: 720 Q50 V38
Posts: 820
Kudos: 986
 [2]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
aarushisingla
shameekv1989
Twentieth-century farmers might not have conceived of neonic insecticides to be ruinous to helpful and vital insects, but recent research has demonstrated that widespread and continuous use of them can be disastrous for untargeted insect populations.

A. Twentieth-century farmers might not have conceived of neonic insecticides to be

B. Twentieth-century farmers might not have conceived of neonic insecticides being

C. A twentieth-century farmer might not have conceived of their neonic insecticides being

D. A twentieth-century farmer might not have conceived of neonic insecticides as - Correct

E. Neonic insecticides might not have been conceived of, by twentieth-century farmers, as

conceived as is the correct idiom, all but D maintains that - Hence D is correct

In D, i guess usage of “have” is wrong because it is mentioned “a twentieth-century farmer”. That’s why i didn’t select this option.

Posted from my mobile device

Generally when we have auxiliary verbs such as might, can, would etc. we use verbs in infinitive form.

Farmer has conceived ... but farmer might have conceived..

You might want to search in google for auxiliary verbs.
User avatar
Abhi077
User avatar
SC Moderator
Joined: 25 Sep 2018
Last visit: 18 Apr 2025
Posts: 1,084
Own Kudos:
2,403
 [1]
Given Kudos: 1,665
Location: United States (CA)
Concentration: Finance, Strategy
GPA: 3.97
WE:Investment Banking (Finance: Investment Banking)
Products:
Posts: 1,084
Kudos: 2,403
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

When we read the whole sentence, we might be able to figure out what it's trying to say: even though twentieth-century farmers didn't predict neonic insecticides to be deadly to beneficial insects, recent research shows that they are. The way the sentence is written now probably isn't the best option. The phrase of "conceived of...to be" isn't very well-written. "Conceived of...being" is also pretty bad, so we can eliminate (B) and (C) along with (A).
Left to choose between (D) and (E), we see that setting "by twentieth-century farmers" inside commas makes (E) awkward—it separates the farmers from what they "might not have conceived."

Choice (D) is clear and straightforward.

The correct answer is Choice (D)
User avatar
arvind910619
Joined: 20 Dec 2015
Last visit: 18 Oct 2024
Posts: 845
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 755
Status:Learning
Location: India
Concentration: Operations, Marketing
GMAT 1: 670 Q48 V36
GRE 1: Q157 V157
GPA: 3.4
WE:Engineering (Manufacturing)
Products:
GMAT 1: 670 Q48 V36
GRE 1: Q157 V157
Posts: 845
Kudos: 607
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Abhi077
Twentieth-century farmers might not have conceived of neonic insecticides to be ruinous to helpful and vital insects, but recent research has demonstrated that widespread and continuous use of them can be disastrous for untargeted insect populations.

A. Twentieth-century farmers might not have conceived of neonic insecticides to be

B. Twentieth-century farmers might not have conceived of neonic insecticides being

C. A twentieth-century farmer might not have conceived of their neonic insecticides being

D. A twentieth-century farmer might not have conceived of neonic insecticides as

E. Neonic insecticides might not have been conceived of, by twentieth-century farmers, as


Source - Ready4Gmat

Comparisons Series

I chose A, but i guess it a wrong answer.
Can anybody suggest to tackle this question on split other than idiom split.
I can see Twentieth-century farmers / A twentieth-century farmer both are correct. This question hinges on entirely the usage of the correct idiom.
Can anybody suggest a different split?
Help is much appreciated
User avatar
himadeepm
Joined: 28 Aug 2018
Last visit: 07 Dec 2020
Posts: 35
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 19
Location: India
GRE 1: Q165 V153
GPA: 3.51
Products:
GRE 1: Q165 V153
Posts: 35
Kudos: 17
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
arvind910619
Abhi077
Twentieth-century farmers might not have conceived of neonic insecticides to be ruinous to helpful and vital insects, but recent research has demonstrated that widespread and continuous use of them can be disastrous for untargeted insect populations.

A. Twentieth-century farmers might not have conceived of neonic insecticides to be

B. Twentieth-century farmers might not have conceived of neonic insecticides being

C. A twentieth-century farmer might not have conceived of their neonic insecticides being

D. A twentieth-century farmer might not have conceived of neonic insecticides as

E. Neonic insecticides might not have been conceived of, by twentieth-century farmers, as
I believe we don't need to know the idiom. Being as modifier isn't preferable (Though there are some usages ,which gmat uses 'being' ),so B is out. In A to be X isn't right
So,ultimately we are left with answer choice D

Source - Ready4Gmat

Comparisons Series

I chose A, but i guess it a wrong answer.
Can anybody suggest to tackle this question on split other than idiom split.
I can see Twentieth-century farmers / A twentieth-century farmer both are correct. This question hinges on entirely the usage of the correct idiom.
Can anybody suggest a different split?
Help is much appreciated
User avatar
CrackverbalGMAT
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 03 Oct 2013
Last visit: 19 Nov 2025
Posts: 4,844
Own Kudos:
8,945
 [1]
Given Kudos: 225
Affiliations: CrackVerbal
Location: India
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 4,844
Kudos: 8,945
 [1]
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
This is a question based on idiomatic usage. The key to solving this question quickly is the phrase ‘conceived of’, which is to be followed by ‘as’, and not ‘to be’ or ‘being’.

As is the case in most sentence correction questions, there are one or two other errors that help us rule out certain options.

Option C has a pronoun reference error. The plural pronoun ‘their’ cannot be used to refer to “A twentieth-century farmer”.

In Option E, the phrase “by twentieth-century farmers” has been incorrectly placed between commas. Because the phrase states who might have conceived of neonic insecticides, it cannot be separated from the first part of the sentence with a comma. The option is in the passive voice and is therefore, also more wordy.

Options A and B are incorrect because they don’t conform to the idiomatic usage.

Therefore, D is the most appropriate option.

Jayanthi Kumar.
User avatar
VerbalBot
User avatar
Non-Human User
Joined: 01 Oct 2013
Last visit: 04 Jan 2021
Posts: 18,829
Own Kudos:
Posts: 18,829
Kudos: 986
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hello from the GMAT Club VerbalBot!

Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).

Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.
Moderators:
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
7443 posts
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
231 posts
189 posts