Unlike Schoenberg's 12-tone system that dominated the music

Yes, that is a nonrestrictive clause in C (beginning with "whose...") -- it functions as a modifier (adjectival clause, if you like jargon) that adds extra information, and you would still have a complete and coherent sentence without it.

But at least for GMAT purposes, this part might be a little bit dangerous:


Sure, the sentence would still make sense without the "whose" clause, but I'd argue that the information about the 12-tone system is pretty important to the meaning of the sentence -- and you don't want to completely ignore that information on GMAT SC. So just be a little bit careful about removing or ignoring these modifiers, since they do often affect the meaning of the sentence.

I hope this helps!

C, the best answer, is the only choice that makes a logical comparison: “Unlike Schoenberg, .. . Bartok. “ In A, B, and D, Bartok, a person, is compared either to Schoenberg's twelve-tone system or to Schoenberg ‘and’ his twelve-tone system as a unit. Such comparisons are neither logically sound nor semantically parallel.
Consequently, A and D illogically suggest that ‘Schoenberg's twelve-tone system’ founded a school and left behind many disciples.
Choice B suggests that ‘Schoenberg and his twelve-tone system’ together accomplished these feats.

In E, the comparison is illogical and the modification is ambiguous. Schoenberg and his system, as a unit, are not only compared to Bartok, an individual, but also credited with having formed a school. The verb phrase ‘dominating’ ... is called a "squinting modifier" because it looks in both directions: given the structure of the sentence, it could be meant to modify either ‘Schoenberg and the twelve-tone system or Bartok.’

This is a question that tests comparison. We must see whether the comparisons being made are logical and grammatical.

What are the two elements under comparison?

Schoenberg and Bartok –
And the structure we are looking for is ‘Unlike X… Y…’

Now we can scan the options:

(A) Schoenberg's 12-tone system that dominated
(B) Schoenberg and his 12-tone system which dominated
(C) Schoenberg, whose 12-tone system dominated
(D) the 12-tone system of Schoenberg that has dominated
(E) Schoenberg and the 12-tone system, dominating

All options except for C have incorrect comparisons.

Eliminate Options A, B, D and E.

Option C is the best option.

Hope this helps!

Dear Friends,

Here is a detailed explanation to this question-
Meaning is crucial to solving this problem:
Understanding the intended meaning is key to solving this question; the intended meaning of this sentence is that Bartók differed from Schoenberg, in that Bartók founded no school and left behind only a handful of disciples, whereas Schoenberg's 12-tone system dominated the music of the postwar period.

Concepts tested here: Comparison + Meaning + Tenses

• Comparison must always be made between similar elements.
• The simple past tense is used to refer to actions that concluded in the past.
• The present perfect continuous tense (marked by "has/have been") is the correct tense to refer to actions that started in past and continue into the present.

A: This answer choice incorrectly compares “Schoenberg's 12-tone system” rather than “Schoenberg” to “Bartók”; please remember, a comparison must always be made between similar elements.

B: This answer choice incorrectly compares both “Schoenberg” and his “12-tone system” rather than only “Schoenberg” to “Bartók”; please remember, comparisons must always be made between similar elements.

C: Correct. This answer choice correctly compares “Schoenberg” to “Bartók”. Further, Option C correctly uses “whose 12-tone system dominated…period” to modify “Schoenberg”, conveying the intended meaning - that the 12-tone system was Schoenberg's. Additionally, Option C correctly uses the simple past tense verbs “dominated” and “left" to refer to actions that concluded in the past.

D: This answer choice incorrectly compares “the 12-tone system of Schoenberg” rather than “Schoenberg” to “Bartók”; please remember, comparisons must always be made between similar elements. Further, Option D incorrectly uses the present perfect tense verb "has dominated" to refer to an action that concluded in the past; please remember, the simple past tense is used to refer to actions that concluded in the past, and the present perfect continuous tense (marked by "has/have been") is the correct tense to refer to actions that started in past and continue into the present.

E: This answer choice incorrectly compares both “Schoenberg” and his “12-tone system” rather than only “Schoenberg” to “Bartók”; please remember, comparisons must always be made between similar elements. Further, Option E alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase “and the 12-tone system"; the use of the phrase "and the" incorrectly implies that the 12-tone system was separate from Schoenberg; the intended meaning is that the 12-tone system was Schoenberg's. Additionally, Option E incorrectly uses the present participle (“verb+ing” – “dominating” in this sentence) to refer to an action that concluded in the past; please remember, the simple past tense is used to refer to events that concluded in the past.

Hence, C is the best answer choice.

To understand the concept of "Present Perfect Tense" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~2 minutes):



To understand the concept of "Simple Tenses" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~1 minute):



All the best!
Experts' Global Team

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