Last visit was: 15 Jul 2025, 09:48 It is currently 15 Jul 2025, 09:48
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
blueseas
User avatar
Current Student
Joined: 14 Dec 2012
Last visit: 15 Jan 2019
Posts: 577
Own Kudos:
4,472
 [22]
Given Kudos: 197
Location: India
Concentration: General Management, Operations
GMAT 1: 700 Q50 V34
GPA: 3.6
GMAT 1: 700 Q50 V34
Posts: 577
Kudos: 4,472
 [22]
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
20
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Most Helpful Reply
User avatar
generis
User avatar
Senior SC Moderator
Joined: 22 May 2016
Last visit: 18 Jun 2022
Posts: 5,293
Own Kudos:
36,947
 [8]
Given Kudos: 9,464
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 5,293
Kudos: 36,947
 [8]
8
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
5
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
General Discussion
avatar
AMITAGARWAL2
Joined: 06 Jul 2013
Last visit: 08 May 2014
Posts: 71
Own Kudos:
103
 [1]
Given Kudos: 42
GMAT 1: 620 Q48 V28
GMAT 2: 700 Q50 V33
Products:
GMAT 2: 700 Q50 V33
Posts: 71
Kudos: 103
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
i think it should be C. because that implies only those element( Ur, Silver, mercury and iodine) which are stable and naturally occuring.
avatar
sood16
Joined: 16 Jul 2013
Last visit: 14 Sep 2013
Posts: 6
Given Kudos: 2
Posts: 6
Kudos: -23
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Between C & D. IMO C.

In D, naturally occurring 'of the' is awkward.
User avatar
blueseas
User avatar
Current Student
Joined: 14 Dec 2012
Last visit: 15 Jan 2019
Posts: 577
Own Kudos:
4,472
 [3]
Given Kudos: 197
Location: India
Concentration: General Management, Operations
GMAT 1: 700 Q50 V34
GPA: 3.6
GMAT 1: 700 Q50 V34
Posts: 577
Kudos: 4,472
 [3]
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
adityapagadala
Whats wrong with A?

OE by KAPLAN
Read the Original Sentence Carefully, Looking for Errors:

The sentence contains no grammatical errors as written and has no glaring style issues. However, time permitting, the other answer choices should always be tested systematically, even when "correct as written" is expected.

Scan and Group the Answer Choices:

With no error to scan for and no obvious correct/incorrect split in the answer choices, Step 2 is impractical for this problem. Unfortunately, answers must be eliminated one by one.

Eliminate Wrong Answer Choices:

Choices (B) and (C) both reconstruct the underlined portion with more words and less clarity than the original. Eliminate them both.

Choice (D) introduces clarity problems by rearranging the original’s word order and placing the word "stable" right after the adjective "heaviest." Eliminate.

Choice (E) is very confusing, implying that uranium is a plural noun and making the sentence’s logic generally difficult to follow. Eliminate.

The sentence as written makes its point in a correct, concise, and stylistically sound manner, so Answer Choice (A) is correct.
avatar
adityapagadala
Joined: 29 Jan 2013
Last visit: 17 Oct 2015
Posts: 25
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 24
Posts: 25
Kudos: 122
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
blueseas
adityapagadala
Whats wrong with A?

OE by KAPLAN
Read the Original Sentence Carefully, Looking for Errors:

The sentence contains no grammatical errors as written and has no glaring style issues. However, time permitting, the other answer choices should always be tested systematically, even when "correct as written" is expected.

Scan and Group the Answer Choices:

With no error to scan for and no obvious correct/incorrect split in the answer choices, Step 2 is impractical for this problem. Unfortunately, answers must be eliminated one by one.

Eliminate Wrong Answer Choices:

Choices (B) and (C) both reconstruct the underlined portion with more words and less clarity than the original. Eliminate them both.

Choice (D) introduces clarity problems by rearranging the original’s word order and placing the word "stable" right after the adjective "heaviest." Eliminate.

Choice (E) is very confusing, implying that uranium is a plural noun and making the sentence’s logic generally difficult to follow. Eliminate.

The sentence as written makes its point in a correct, concise, and stylistically sound manner, so Answer Choice (A) is correct.


Exactly ..!!

thanks for the explanation..!!
avatar
HarishLearner
Joined: 23 Aug 2013
Last visit: 06 Dec 2021
Posts: 37
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 5
Posts: 37
Kudos: 16
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
I reduced the choices to C and A and chose C. I felt that "that are stable and naturally occuring" is clearer than "of the stable, naturally occuring". I felt that if the comma in A after "stable", is replaced by "and" as in C it would have been perfect. Anyway, now we know there was no error in A.
avatar
HarishLearner
Joined: 23 Aug 2013
Last visit: 06 Dec 2021
Posts: 37
Own Kudos:
16
 [1]
Given Kudos: 5
Posts: 37
Kudos: 16
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
blueseas
adityapagadala
Whats wrong with A?

OE by KAPLAN
Read the Original Sentence Carefully, Looking for Errors:

The sentence contains no grammatical errors as written and has no glaring style issues. However, time permitting, the other answer choices should always be tested systematically, even when "correct as written" is expected.

Scan and Group the Answer Choices:

With no error to scan for and no obvious correct/incorrect split in the answer choices, Step 2 is impractical for this problem. Unfortunately, answers must be eliminated one by one.

Eliminate Wrong Answer Choices:

Choices (B) and (C) both reconstruct the underlined portion with more words and less clarity than the original. Eliminate them both.

Choice (D) introduces clarity problems by rearranging the original’s word order and placing the word "stable" right after the adjective "heaviest." Eliminate.

Choice (E) is very confusing, implying that uranium is a plural noun and making the sentence’s logic generally difficult to follow. Eliminate.

The sentence as written makes its point in a correct, concise, and stylistically sound manner, so Answer Choice (A) is correct.

May I know how C is less clear? I agree A is more concise than C, and C is more wordy, but less clear? "that are stable and naturally occurring" is clear. isn't it? or am I missing something?
avatar
knightofdelta
Joined: 13 Dec 2012
Last visit: 07 Sep 2021
Posts: 180
Own Kudos:
118
 [2]
Given Kudos: 29
Posts: 180
Kudos: 118
 [2]
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
HarishLearner
blueseas
adityapagadala
Whats wrong with A?

OE by KAPLAN
Read the Original Sentence Carefully, Looking for Errors:

The sentence contains no grammatical errors as written and has no glaring style issues. However, time permitting, the other answer choices should always be tested systematically, even when "correct as written" is expected.

Scan and Group the Answer Choices:

With no error to scan for and no obvious correct/incorrect split in the answer choices, Step 2 is impractical for this problem. Unfortunately, answers must be eliminated one by one.

Eliminate Wrong Answer Choices:

Choices (B) and (C) both reconstruct the underlined portion with more words and less clarity than the original. Eliminate them both.

Choice (D) introduces clarity problems by rearranging the original’s word order and placing the word "stable" right after the adjective "heaviest." Eliminate.

Choice (E) is very confusing, implying that uranium is a plural noun and making the sentence’s logic generally difficult to follow. Eliminate.

The sentence as written makes its point in a correct, concise, and stylistically sound manner, so Answer Choice (A) is correct.

May I know how C is less clear? I agree A is more concise than C, and C is more wordy, but less clear? "that are stable and naturally occurring" is clear. isn't it? or am I missing something?

I'll suggest you go through OG13 sentence correction explanations when studying. Don't jump any question you get correctly. Take the pains to study the way the exam setters think and you will understand why they prefer certain structures to the other.

For example take a look at sentence 1 & 2 below:

1. The cute, cuddly monkey escaped from its cage
2. The cute and cuddly monkey escaped from its cage

Nothing is wrong with both sentences but the GMAT can throw both of them at you as options. After going through the OG explanations, you will get to understand that the GMAT prefers sentence 1 to sentence 2. Sentence 1 is more concise because it explains the idea with fewer words without losing the meaning.
avatar
HarishLearner
Joined: 23 Aug 2013
Last visit: 06 Dec 2021
Posts: 37
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 5
Posts: 37
Kudos: 16
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
knightofdelta
HarishLearner
blueseas
OE by KAPLAN
Read the Original Sentence Carefully, Looking for Errors:

The sentence contains no grammatical errors as written and has no glaring style issues. However, time permitting, the other answer choices should always be tested systematically, even when "correct as written" is expected.

Scan and Group the Answer Choices:

With no error to scan for and no obvious correct/incorrect split in the answer choices, Step 2 is impractical for this problem. Unfortunately, answers must be eliminated one by one.

Eliminate Wrong Answer Choices:

Choices (B) and (C) both reconstruct the underlined portion with more words and less clarity than the original. Eliminate them both.

Choice (D) introduces clarity problems by rearranging the original’s word order and placing the word "stable" right after the adjective "heaviest." Eliminate.

Choice (E) is very confusing, implying that uranium is a plural noun and making the sentence’s logic generally difficult to follow. Eliminate.

The sentence as written makes its point in a correct, concise, and stylistically sound manner, so Answer Choice (A) is correct.

May I know how C is less clear? I agree A is more concise than C, and C is more wordy, but less clear? "that are stable and naturally occurring" is clear. isn't it? or am I missing something?

I'll suggest you go through OG13 sentence correction explanations when studying. Don't jump any question you get correctly. Take the pains to study the way the exam setters think and you will understand why they prefer certain structures to the other.

For example take a look at sentence 1 & 2 below:

1. The cute, cuddly monkey escaped from its cage
2. The cute and cuddly monkey escaped from its cage

Nothing is wrong with both sentences but the GMAT can throw both of them at you as options. After going through the OG explanations, you will get to understand that the GMAT prefers sentence 1 to sentence 2. Sentence 1 is more concise because it explains the idea with fewer words without losing the meaning.

I will definitely follow your advice henceforth. :-D
User avatar
manhasnoname
Joined: 21 Apr 2016
Last visit: 03 Feb 2025
Posts: 138
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 79
Products:
Posts: 138
Kudos: 72
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Shouldn't there be "and" between "stable" & "naturally occurring" ?
User avatar
DmitryFarber
User avatar
Manhattan Prep Instructor
Joined: 22 Mar 2011
Last visit: 14 Jul 2025
Posts: 2,950
Own Kudos:
8,399
 [3]
Given Kudos: 57
GMAT 2: 780  Q50  V50
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT Focus 1: 745 Q86 V90 DI85
Posts: 2,950
Kudos: 8,399
 [3]
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
No. It's quite common to separate two adjectives or adjective phrases with only a comma when they precede a noun, as in "The cow is a beautiful, intelligent animal." Now, if we use those adjectives predicatively, by putting them at the end after the verb, we do need "and": "This cow is beautiful and intelligent."
User avatar
Helium
Joined: 08 Jun 2013
Last visit: 01 Jun 2020
Posts: 454
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 118
Location: France
GMAT 1: 200 Q1 V1
GPA: 3.82
WE:Consulting (Other)
GMAT 1: 200 Q1 V1
Posts: 454
Kudos: 801
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
DmitryFarber
No. It's quite common to separate two adjectives or adjective phrases with only a comma when they precede a noun, as in "The cow is a beautiful, intelligent animal." Now, if we use those adjectives predicatively, by putting them at the end after the verb, we do need "and": "This cow is beautiful and intelligent."

DmitryFarber

Can you explain why option A to be chosen over C?

mikemcgarry, GMATNinjaTwo, GMATNinja, broall, Vyshak, hazelnut, generis
User avatar
Helium
Joined: 08 Jun 2013
Last visit: 01 Jun 2020
Posts: 454
Own Kudos:
801
 [2]
Given Kudos: 118
Location: France
GMAT 1: 200 Q1 V1
GPA: 3.82
WE:Consulting (Other)
GMAT 1: 200 Q1 V1
Posts: 454
Kudos: 801
 [2]
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
generis
blueseas
Uranium, the heaviest of the stable, naturally-occurring chemical elements , is more abundant in the earth's crust than silver, mercury, or iodine.

A) of the stable, naturally-occurring chemical elements
B) of the chemical elements to be stable and naturally occurring
C) of the elements that are stable and naturally occurring
D) stable and naturally occurring of the chemical elements
E) chemical elements stable and naturally occurring
Harshgmat
DmitryFarber
No. It's quite common to separate two adjectives or adjective phrases with only a comma when they precede a noun, as in "The cow is a beautiful, intelligent animal." Now, if we use those adjectives predicatively, by putting them at the end after the verb, we do need "and": "This cow is beautiful and intelligent."
DmitryFarber

Can you explain why option A to be chosen over C?
generis
Harshgmat , good instincts. This question is problematic. You opened a can of worms. Or handed me a can of worms to open? :grin:

I suspect that the authors believed C to be quite different from A. I think the authors failed to draw the intended degree of distinction.

I reviewed all OG 2018 SC questions. Close calls are not as close as the one in this question. In short, this question is not official and is probably too hard. I would not worry about it.

If we compare A and C directly it may be easier to notice that C subtly shifts emphasis away from the predicate.

In C, "stable and naturally occurring elements" and the predicate "more abundant than ..." have about equal weight. (A) leans much more towards predicate emphasis.

(A) Uranium, the heaviest of the stable, naturally-occurring chemical elements, is more abundant in the earth's crust than silver, mercury, or iodine.

(C) Uranium, the heaviest of the elements that are stable and naturally occurring, is more abundant in the earth's crust than silver, mercury, or iodine.

Descriptors that precede the verb in (A) both capture the other elements and allow uranium's comparative abundance to be the centerpiece.

In English, unless the author has deployed a different emphatic device, what comes at the end of the sentence gets the emphasis.* In C, a lengthier noun description and "are" steal some of the heft from the thrust of the sentence as it is presented by A.

At the end of both C and A lie the other three elements. We likely can infer that the author intended to emphasize the comparative abundance of uranium.

One more tiny difference bears mention. (C) does not specify that the elements are "chemical." The other four options do. An element can be many things. We may know that uranium is a "chemical" element (or at least not, say, a "constituent part").

I suppose, however, for a person new to English, "chemical" would clarify "element." Perhaps "chemical" is weightier than it seems. More to the point: the answer setup indicates that the author thinks that "chemical" matters.

I chose (A). Stylistically, it's a better sentence. In this instance, attributive adjectives that directly modify the noun are punchier than relative clause adjectives in part because the linking verb "is" leads to another adjective. Further, C's structure requires a that-clause whose verb "are" is a second instance of an inert, leaden "to be" verb.

Although concision is the least important of GMAT rules according to many, this particular source often tests obscure issues.

Option A must seem to contain some error, I think. I cannot explain the stats below otherwise. Why not A over C?

I hope that helps! :-)

Analysis of the question

Statistics for the answers are
Option A = 49%
Option C = 40%

The percentage of respondents who chose C is very high. I doubt that the authors thought that C would be so tempting.

Had they known, I hope that they would have given a better explanation than this assertion: "Choice[] (C) reconstruct[s] the underlined portion with more words and less clarity than the original." That sort of explanation mirrors too many OEs.

Bothered, I mined data. In OG 2018, if the explanation of an option used only terms such as wordy, awkward, or confusing, I checked to see whether unmentioned but bigger errors existed.

23 options had explanations that were "style only." All 23 had other problems not listed in the OE (unidiomatic, not parallel, verb tense, pronoun errors, etc.).

Some options changed intended meaning very subtly, but none were as close in meaning to their corresponding correct answer as C is to A in this case.

This question's razor-edge decision point is likely too thin to qualify the question as sufficiently representative of a real GMAT question.

I intend no disrespect. These questions are really difficult to write. I think that the authors really believed that C was not a close call. These statistics indicate otherwise.

*In English the end of a sentence almost always carries the most emphasis. HERE, and HERE.

This and another question prompted my survey. In OG 2018, option explanations that consist only of "awkward, wordy, indirect, and confusing" but that have other errors are: 670D. 674A. 696A. 697C and D. 700E. 712C, D, and E. 724A. 727B, C, and E. 734D. 752E. 754A. 757E. 768A and B. 777E. 778A. 787D. 804D.


generis Absolutely fantastic ....... :thumbup:

Really appreciate your time and efforts mate :thumbup: :)

GC now need to create option where multiple kudos can be awarded ( like 5 kudos at once)...because this post of yours definitely deserves that...and bb may like to ponder seriously over this when we have people like generis here... :)
User avatar
DharLog
Joined: 26 Jun 2017
Last visit: 04 Mar 2019
Posts: 315
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 334
Location: Russian Federation
Concentration: General Management, Strategy
WE:Information Technology (Other)
Posts: 315
Kudos: 339
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
blueseas
Uranium, the heaviest of the stable, naturally-occurring chemical elements , is more abundant in the Earth's crust than silver, mercury, or iodine.

A) of the stable, naturally-occurring chemical elements
B) of the chemical elements to be stable and naturally occurring
C) of the elements that are stable and naturally occurring
D) stable and naturally occurring of the chemical elements
E) chemical elements stable and naturally occurring

B is too difficalt - why bother so much?
D - what is that "of"
E - wrong construction - adjective after the noun

Between A and C I thought C at first, but really why to make sentence more dificult

A is right
User avatar
sarphant123
Joined: 13 Oct 2019
Last visit: 20 May 2022
Posts: 66
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 191
Posts: 66
Kudos: 231
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Kaplan's Explanation -
Read the Original Sentence Carefully, Looking for Errors: The sentence contains no grammatical errors as written and has no glaring style issues.
However, time permitting, the other answer choices should always be tested systematically, even when "correct as written" is expected.
Scan and Group the Answer Choices: With no error to scan for and no obvious correct/incorrect split in the answer choices, grouping the choices is impractical for this problem.
Unfortunately, answers must be eliminated one by one.
Eliminate Wrong Answer Choices: (B) and (C) both reconstruct the underlined portion with more words and less clarity than the original. Eliminate them both.
(D) introduces clarity problems by placing the word "stable" right after the adjective "heaviest." Uranium is the heaviest place where horses are kept? That's silly. Eliminate.
(E) is very confusing, implying that uranium is a plural noun and making the sentence’s logic generally difficult to follow. Eliminate. The sentence as written makes its point in a correct, concise, and stylistically sound manner, so (A) is correct.
TAKEAWAY: When the original sentence is clear and concise and contains no grammatical errors, don't be afraid to pick (A). This choice is correct 20 percent of the time.
User avatar
ShankSouljaBoi
Joined: 21 Jun 2017
Last visit: 17 Apr 2024
Posts: 622
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 4,090
Location: India
Concentration: Finance, Economics
GMAT 1: 660 Q49 V31
GMAT 2: 620 Q47 V30
GMAT 3: 650 Q48 V31
GPA: 3.1
WE:Corporate Finance (Non-Profit and Government)
Products:
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Of what I know, two mods stacked are mostly wrong in terms of modification. In correct choice A , naturally occuring must modify stable ????? C seems apt

VeritasKarishma Please help with this one :)
User avatar
VerbalBot
User avatar
Non-Human User
Joined: 01 Oct 2013
Last visit: 04 Jan 2021
Posts: 18,450
Own Kudos:
Posts: 18,450
Kudos: 953
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
7355 posts
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
235 posts