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neha1993
Does someone feels like D changes the meaning as the original sentence says it would be graded 60/100 if it is a finished structure.
Hi Neha, actually the original sentence does not say if it is a finished structure; it says if it were a finished structure.

This is an important distinction, because if it were... is called a hypothetical subjunctive and denotes hypothetical scenarios.

Similarly, D uses would and again depicts a hypothetical scenario. Hence, it is not really changing the meaning of the original sentence.

By the way, this question seems to be a rip-off of the following official question:

As a baby emerges from the darkness of the womb with a rudimentary sense of vision, it would be rated about 20/500, or legally blind if it were an adult with such vision.
A. As a baby emerges from the darkness of the womb with a rudimentary sense of vision, it would be rated about 20/500, or legally blind if it were an adult with such vision.
B. A baby emerges from the darkness of the womb with a rudimentary sense of vision that would be rated about 20/500, or legally lind as an adult.
C. As a baby emerges from the darkness of the womb, its rudimentary sense of vision would be rated about 20/500; qualifying it to be legally blind if an adult.
D. A baby emerges from the darkness of the womb with a rudimentary sense of vision that would be rated about 20/500; an adult with such vision would be deemed legally blind.
E. As a baby emerges from the darkness of the womb, its rudimentary sense of vision, which would deemed legally blind for an adult, would be rated about 20/500
.

p.s. Our book EducationAisle Sentence Correction Nirvana discusses hypothetical subjunctive, its application and examples in significant detail. If someone is interested, PM me your email-id; I can mail the corresponding section.
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could someone explain in more detail why E is wrong?
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nycgirl212
could someone explain in more detail why E is wrong?


1. Passive voice requires "be" after to "would" - "would BE deemed" is correct.
2. The reason that the construction would be deemed "substandard" is its rating 60/100. This causal relation is absent in option E.
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The sentence in its structure stresses the rudimentary level of resistance ground or of the buidling. similarly in the "baby" question, the "aby emerges from the darkness of the womb with a rudimentary sense of vision" doesn't the sentence signify womb's blindness???
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Does someone feels like D changes the meaning as the original sentence says it would be graded 60/100 if it is a finished structure.
Hi Neha, actually the original sentence does not say if it is a finished structure; it says if it were a finished structure.

This is an important distinction, because if it were... is called a hypothetical subjunctive and denotes hypothetical scenarios.

Similarly, D uses would and again depicts a hypothetical scenario. Hence, it is not really changing the meaning of the original sentence.

By the way, this question seems to be a rip-off of the following official question:

As a baby emerges from the darkness of the womb with a rudimentary sense of vision, it would be rated about 20/500, or legally blind if it were an adult with such vision.
A. As a baby emerges from the darkness of the womb with a rudimentary sense of vision, it would be rated about 20/500, or legally blind if it were an adult with such vision.
B. A baby emerges from the darkness of the womb with a rudimentary sense of vision that would be rated about 20/500, or legally lind as an adult.
C. As a baby emerges from the darkness of the womb, its rudimentary sense of vision would be rated about 20/500; qualifying it to be legally blind if an adult.
D. A baby emerges from the darkness of the womb with a rudimentary sense of vision that would be rated about 20/500; an adult with such vision would be deemed legally blind.
E. As a baby emerges from the darkness of the womb, its rudimentary sense of vision, which would deemed legally blind for an adult, would be rated about 20/500
.

p.s. Our book EducationAisle Sentence Correction Nirvana discusses hypothetical subjunctive, its application and examples in significant detail. If someone is interested, PM me your email-id; I can mail the corresponding section.

Could you please explain the usage of "would" in D in both the clauses? Would be rated and also the 2nd clause

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vsvikas
The sentence in its structure stresses the rudimentary level of resistance ground or of the buidling. similarly in the "baby" question, the "aby emerges from the darkness of the womb with a rudimentary sense of vision" doesn't the sentence signify womb's blindness???

No, "with a rudimentary sense" is a prepositional phrase but not a modifier for "womb". e.g.
I went to school with my grandfather. Would you say " with my grandfather" is modifying "school" ?

In each of the above cases, the prepositional phrase may be considered an adverbial modifier, i.e. it modifies the verb rather than the noun it touches (verb modifiers are flexible and need not touch the verbs they modify).
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neha1993
Does someone feels like D changes the meaning as the original sentence says it would be graded 60/100 if it is a finished structure.
Hi Neha, actually the original sentence does not say if it is a finished structure; it says if it were a finished structure.

This is an important distinction, because if it were... is called a hypothetical subjunctive and denotes hypothetical scenarios.

Similarly, D uses would and again depicts a hypothetical scenario. Hence, it is not really changing the meaning of the original sentence.

By the way, this question seems to be a rip-off of the following official question:

As a baby emerges from the darkness of the womb with a rudimentary sense of vision, it would be rated about 20/500, or legally blind if it were an adult with such vision.
A. As a baby emerges from the darkness of the womb with a rudimentary sense of vision, it would be rated about 20/500, or legally blind if it were an adult with such vision.
B. A baby emerges from the darkness of the womb with a rudimentary sense of vision that would be rated about 20/500, or legally lind as an adult.
C. As a baby emerges from the darkness of the womb, its rudimentary sense of vision would be rated about 20/500; qualifying it to be legally blind if an adult.
D. A baby emerges from the darkness of the womb with a rudimentary sense of vision that would be rated about 20/500; an adult with such vision would be deemed legally blind.
E. As a baby emerges from the darkness of the womb, its rudimentary sense of vision, which would deemed legally blind for an adult, would be rated about 20/500
.

p.s. Our book EducationAisle Sentence Correction Nirvana discusses hypothetical subjunctive, its application and examples in significant detail. If someone is interested, PM me your email-id; I can mail the corresponding section.

Could you please explain the usage of "would" in D in both the clauses? Would be rated and also the 2nd clause

Posted from my mobile device

"Would" implies a hypothetical case. The meaning conveyed is that the rating is not actually carried out, but if it were carried out, then the measured value would be 60/100.
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As a building frame rises from the ground with a rudimentary level of earthquake resistance, it would be rated about 60/100, or “substandard” if it were a finished structure with that level of earthquake resistance.

(A) As a building frame rises from the ground with a rudimentary level of earthquake resistance, it would be rated about 60/100, or “substandard” if it were a finished structure with that level of earthquake resistance.

(B) A building frame rises from the ground with a rudimentary level of earthquake resistance that would be rated about 60/100, or “substandard” as a finished structure.

(C) As a building frame rises from the ground, its rudimentary level of earthquake resistance that would be rated about 60/100; qualifying it to be “substandard” if a finished structure.

(D) A building frame rises from the ground with a rudimentary level of earthquake resistance that would be rated about 60/100; a finished structure with such earthquake resistance would be deemed “substandard.”

(E) As a building frame rises from the ground, its rudimentary level of earthquake resistance, which would deemed “substandard” for a finished structure, would be rated about 60/100.
--> wordy.
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The correct response is (D). Faulty construction obscures the meaning of this sentence. The sentence begins with a subordinate clause, whose subject is “a building’s structure.” However, the subject of the main clause, “it,” appears to refer back to “structure.” However, a careful reading reveals that “it” is used two times: "it" is intended to refer to the “level of earthquake resistance” the first time and to the “building’s structure” the second time. The relationships between the two parts of the sentence must be clarified. Only (D) corrects this muddled meaning.

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