Choose the sentence with properly used idiom (emphasized with boldface). Please note that a wrong answer choice may be grammatically correct.

A. The ancient Chinese Taoists distinguished intercourse and orgasm.
B. The ancient Chinese Taoists distinguished intercourse from orgasm.
C. The ancient Chinese Taoists distinguished between intercourse and orgasm.
D. All of the above
E. None of the above
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Official Solution:

Choose the sentence with properly used idiom (emphasized with boldface). Please note that a wrong answer choice may be grammatically correct.

A. The ancient Chinese Taoists distinguished intercourse and orgasm.
B. The ancient Chinese Taoists distinguished intercourse from orgasm.
C. The ancient Chinese Taoists distinguished between intercourse and orgasm.
D. All of the above
E. None of the above



Answer: C
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Why is choice b wrong bb? Distinguish X from Y is also correct. isn't it?

Distinction Rule:
Distinction between X and Y: used when X and Y are two very different things/items.
Distinction X from Y: used when X and Y are two pretty similar things/items.

Can you explain with example ?
We will only be able to distinguish if the two are different things.
Correct me if I am wrong.

Regards

Distinguished between A and B

I think he means that intersource AND orgasm are completely different.

B would mean that, people thought they were the same, but chinese taoist distinguished intercourse FROM orgasm.
C means that the chinese taoist continue to say the are different things

hope that helps

Distinguished between A and B is used when the two are not similar i.e. The child tried to distinguish between apples and oranges.

Distinguish A from B is used when the two are kind of similar things but we are focusing more on A (how is A different from B?)

I am not very sure how important the difference is but I have read it somewhere that its a very fine line between these two idioms. So may be search for some other error.

mike and GMATNinja can you please help explain the distinction between the two idioms?

How about OG'13 SC Q51:

A new study suggests that the conversational pace of everyday life may be so brisk it hampers the ability of some children for distinguishing discrete sounds and words and, the result is, to make sense of speech.

Correct answer is: that it hampers the ability of some children to distinguish discrete sounds and words and, as a result, to make

I think this is a poor-quality question and the explanation isn't clear enough, please elaborate. Distinguished between A and B; distinguished A from B. Both should be OK, can you please clarify the answer?

Distinguish between apples and grapes
Distinguish red apples from green apples

I think this is testing the idion "ability to" instead of "distinguish" and hence the answer. "ability (of some children) to distinguish" and "ability to make"
The question incorrectly uses this idiom as "ability for"

Somebody pls give proper explanation for correct and incorrect choices..


Thanks.

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Distinguish between used for totally different objects i.e. cars and scooters
Distinguish from used for when someone makes a distinction between two objects which is usually not made i.e. X distinguishes an iphone 6 from phone 6s

The ancient Chinese Taoists distinguished intercourse and orgasm.
The ancient Chinese Taoists distinguished intercourse from orgasm.
The ancient Chinese Taoists distinguished between intercourse and orgasm.
All of the above
None of the above

is distinguish x and y not a correct idiom.Please help
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I think this is a poor-quality question and I agree with explanation.

I Also marked B, and was not clear as to when to use between and when to use from.

However, this explanation comes the closest to clarifying that distinction.

"you distinguish between X and Y when you list and contrast qualities of both X and Y. You distinguish X from Y when you cite qualities of X that make it unique from Y, where Y is used as the baseline or frame of reference."
Examples:
Dr. Leopold distinguishes between Fuji apples and Granny Smith apples in his book, providing tips on how to grow, purchase, and use each type.
Chef Leopold distinguishes Fuji apples from other apples in his cookbook, writing that the high sugar content and dense flesh of Fuji apples makes them the best apple for baking.