Very popular from 1900 until the 1920’s, the renewed interest in ceili

Question

Very popular from 1900 until the 1920’s, the renewed interest in ceiling fans began  when the energy crisis in 1974 forced homeowners to look for alternative methods of heating and cooling.

(A) Very popular from 1900 until the 1920’s, the renewed interest in ceiling fans began

(B) The renewed interest in ceiling fans, which were very popular from 1900 until the 1920’s, began

(C) After they were very popular from 1900 until the 1920’s, the renewed interest in ceiling fans was beginning

(D) Ceiling fans were very popular from 1900 until the 1920’s, with renewed interest beginning in them

(E) From 1900 until the 1920’s ceiling fans were very popular, and now the renewed interest in them has begun

sasen · Answer

A) Very popular from 1900 until the 1920’s, the renewed interest in ceiling fans began
MODIFIER PROBLEM
(B) The renewed interest in ceiling fans, which were very popular form 1900 until the 1920’s began
CORRECT
(C) After they were very popular from 1900 until the 1920’s, the renewed interest in ceiling fans was beginning
MISPLACED PRONOUNS
GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE.
(D) Ceiling fans were very popular from 1900 until the 1920’s, with renewed interest beginning in them
DICTION PROBLEM
(E) From 1900 until the 1920’s ceiling fans were very popular, and now the renewed interest in them has begun
WORDY AND DICTION PROBLEM

seekmba · Answer

Very popular from 1900 until the 1920’s, the renewed interest in ceiling fans began  when the energy crisis in 1974 forced homeowners to look for alternative methods of heating and cooling.

(A) Very popular from 1900 until the 1920’s,  the renewed interest  in ceiling fans began - very popular....seems to be modifying renewed interest

(B) The  renewed interest  in ceiling fans, which were very popular form 1900 until the 1920’s  began

(C) After they were very popular from 1900 until the 1920’s,  the renewed interest  in ceiling fans was beginning - After they were very popular....seems to be modifyinng renewed interest

(D) Ceiling fans were very popular from 1900 until the 1920’s, with  renewed interest beginning  in them

(E) From 1900 until the 1920’s ceiling fans were very popular, and now the renewed interest in them  has begun  - energy crisis had forced homeowners first and then the renewed interest began. The verb for "renewed interest" should be in simple past. And since the time is clear in the sentence it is written this way -->  renewed interest began  when the  energy crisis in 1974 forced  homeowners

seekmba · Answer

sorry forgot the write the OA after all the explanation. it should be (B).

bakfed · Answer

What's the source of this question?

I thought the idiom is "From X to Y". All the choices listed have "From X until Y". Is "From X until Y" also correct?

Thanks!

efet · Answer

Can someone please explain why "The renewed interest in ceiling fans, which were very popular form 1900 until the 1920’s began" is correct here? I thought it needs a comma right after "1920's".

nageshshiv · Answer

+1 for B
Others are modifier errors.

sguptashared · Answer

Although B is the best choice here, I agree there should a comma before began in this sentence. Is that a typo?

abhi398 · Answer

there must be a comma after the 1920's because of which(non-restrictive clause)

then only b can be correct...

nechets · Answer

The source is test 37 of the paper series, a poor official question...

AmritaSarkar89 · Answer

Welcome to the world of misplaced modifiers.
What is the statement trying to tell us in the first place. It is saying that once upon a time celling fans were important and now they are regaining interest so (from 1990..till when they were important ) is a non essential modifier in this case.

so how do we present the statement to please GMAT folks. Place the non essential modifier between the main subject matter of the statement.

B does this perfectly hence choosing it gets you closer to 750

SI777 · Answer

there must be a comma after 1920 in option B

imawolf · Answer

Could experts share any insights on option B and E?

HKD1710 · Answer

Hi  imawolf ,

B) The renewed interest in ceiling fans, which were very popular form 1900 until the 1920’s began

Subject - Interest
Modifier - "which were very popular form 1900 until the 1920’s began" - It modifies the "fans"
Verb - began

so meaning, tense, modification - is correct.

NOTE: There MUST be a COMMA after "began" in this choice!!!

E) From 1900 until the 1920’s ceiling fans were very popular, and now the renewed interest in them has begun

From 1900 until the 1920’s ceiling fans were very popular
AND
now the renewed interest in them  has begun  ----  WHEN  the energy crisis  IN 1974

usage of "has begun" - present perfect tense is wrong. It distorts the meaning.

GMATNinja · Answer

Nice explanation,  HKD1710 !

I can't find the original question in my copies of the paper tests, but I'm 99.9% sure that the original poster accidentally omitted the comma in answer choice B, so I edited the post...

rcaraujo20 · Answer

Hello,

I just did this question today. It is from Paper and Pencil Test Code 37 and,  in the official material, there is no comma after 'began' in letter B . As a matter of fact, this 'error' was the reason I ruled out this option.

Best,

GMATNinja · Answer

Awesome, thank you for digging that up! (And welcome to GMAT Club, @rcaraujo20!) Ugh, that's just an embarrassing typo on their part. Absolutely no justification for the lack of the comma in this situation.

And I probably write this too often, but for anybody who isn't tired of reading it: in general, the GMAT doesn't test the nuances of comma usage at all, partly because English style experts disagree about some types of comma usage, and partly because the GMAT has more important things to torture you with. Again, this particular case just looks like a bad mistake by the GMAT folks, but for whatever it's worth, you'll be hard-pressed to find an actual question that has comma usage as a determining factor.

And fortunately, the GMAT usually does a much better job of proofreading its newer materials...

junii · Answer

Please explain Why A is incorrect?

GMATNinja · Answer

In (A), the opening modifier ("Very popular from 1900 until the 1920’s") seems to modify "the renewed interest." But that doesn't make any sense. What was very popular from 1900 until the 1920's? The ceiling fans themselves -- not the " renewed interest  in ceiling fans".

In (B), "which were very popular form 1900 until the 1920’s" clearly modifies the ceiling fans themselves -- the plural verb "were" tells us without a doubt that the "which" clause modifies the "ceiling fans" (plural) and not the "renewed interest" (singular).

The logical meaning is more clear in (B), and that makes it a better choice than (A).

100mitra · Answer

Correct Option : B

modifier must always be placed very near to the modifing "Noun" , and that makes option A wrong

option B, corrects the flaw and intended meaning of statement intact, with use of (,which)

The renewed interest in   ceiling fans  ,   which were very popular form 1900 until the 1920’s  , 
began when the energy crisis in 1974 forced homeowners to look for alternative methods of heating and cooling.

main statement:  The renewed interest in ceiling fans began when the energy crisis in 1974 forced homeowners to look for alternative methods of heating and cooling

Very popular from 1900 until the 1920’s, the renewed interest in ceili

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Very popular from 1900 until the 1920’s, the renewed interest in ceili

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