If a law had been passed demanding that hunters will be punished

Question

Project SC Butler: Sentence Correction (SC1) 
 For SC butler Questions  Click Here

If a law had been passed demanding that hunters  will be punished, the quagga would not have  become an extinct species

A) will be punished, the quagga would not have

B) be punished, the quagga would not

C) be punished, the quagga will not

D) be punished, the quagga would not have

E) are being punished, the quagga would not have

The official explanation is    here .

generis · Accepted Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

Project SC Butler: Sentence Correction (SC1)

THE PROMPT  
 
  ◘ ISSUES

• command subjunctive 
Certain "bossy" verbs such as  demand  require that we use command subjunctive:
→ bossy verb + THAT + noun (subject) + BARE INFINITIVE
→ the "bare infinitive" is simply the infinitive without the word "to"

___ING words derived from those verbs, such as  demanding,  also require the command subjunctive structure.
 Correct:   The judge, demanding that the lawyer be sanctioned for bringing yet another frivolous lawsuit, looked as if she were ready to throw her gavel at the attorney's head.

• conditional sentences and correct verb tenses 
The non-underlined portion of the prompt uses the word "if" and talks about something that did not happen in the past.
→ IF +  counterfactual in the past  = Type 3 conditional.

→ Type 3 conditionals use (IF past perfect, THEN perfect conditional)
past perfect, active voice: HAD + past participle (verbED)
past perfect, passive voice: HAD + BEEN + past participle (verbED)
perfect conditional: WOULD + HAVE + past participle (verbED)

→ In Type 3 conditionals, the sentence describes the opposite of what happened.
Neither the conditional nor its probable result (in the past) happened.
 Correct:   If I had understood the joke, I would have laughed.  (But I did not understand the joke and I did not laugh.)
 
→ The core of this sentence can be phrased this way:  If X had been passed, then Y would   have become 
(Remember, we are dealing with counterfactuals. The law did not get passed. The quagga did become extinct.)

We need both a command subjunctive construction and a "would have verbED" construction.

THE OPTIONS  
 
• command subjunctive is missing
→ the future tense  will be punished  is not command subjunctive, which is required by the phrase  demanding that 
→ correction: . . . demanding that hunters  be  punished
ELIMINATE A

• wrong verb tense in the second part of the sentence
→  would not become extinct  is illogical: the quagga  would not become extinct  in the past?
No. The quagga would not  have  become extinct in the past.

→  would not become  is used with a Type 2 conditional, not a Type 3
Type 2:  If I were you, I would not become a member of that cult. 
Type 3:  If I had been you, I would not have become a member of that cult. 
This option's second verb phrase is incorrect. We need  would   have become. 
ELIMINATE B

• wrong verb tense in the second part of the sentence
→  will not become  is nonsensical
We cannot say that in the past, the quagga  will  not become extinct.
→  will  = future = Type 1 conditional, not Type 3
We need  would not have become .
ELIMINATE C

• Bingo: the first verb tense is in command subjunctive, and the second verb tense is in perfect conditional
KEEP

• command subjunctive construction is missing
→ we need ". . . demanding that hunters be punished"

• wrong time period
→  are being punished  is  present  tense, whereas the prompt locks us into past tense
ELIMINATE E

The answer is D.

COMMENTS

The Thanksgiving holiday just ended in the U.S.
 The Lincoln Project  created the most memorable Thanksgiving video I have ever seen.
 The Lincoln Project Gives Thanks  is the epitome of simple eloquence—in under two minutes.
 
You know, the effect of tryptophan really is a thing.
I wasn't too sure. I'm sure.

These answers range from good to excellent. 
Future aspirants will or should be grateful for the different approaches and different "voices."
 Sumi1010  , I am bumping you to Best Community Reply.
Well done. Be safe, everyone.

Sumi1010 · Answer

If a law  had been  passed demanding that hunters  will be  punished, the quagga would not have become an extinct species.

The correct structure for conditional -

If  Past perfect,  Then would have  past participle.

Thus, If a law  had been  passed demanding X, the quagga would not have become an extinct species. -- Correct

Because "demand that" follows  command subjunctive , the bare form of the verb will be followed.

i.e. demanding that hunters  will    be  punished...

Together, we get the complete sentence
 If a law had been passed demanding that hunters be punished, the quagga would not have become an extinct species.

IMO  D

carouselambra · Answer

IMO D

A beautiful explanation for folks like me who had issues with the conditional statements.
https://gmatclub.com/forum/it-is-though ... l#p2667101

If a law had been passed demanding that hunters will be punished, the quagga would not have become an extinct species

Scan to look out for : Conditional statements and idiom usage (Commanding subjunctive)
2/3 split

A) ~~will~~ be punished, the quagga would not have

B) be punished, the quagga ~~would not~~

C) be punished, the quagga ~~will~~ not

D) be punished, the quagga would not have

E) ~~are being punished~~, the quagga would not have

winterschool · Answer

If a law had been passed demanding that hunters will be punished, the quagga would not have become an extinct species

A)  will be  punished, the quagga would not have  Incorrect

subjunctive mood - will be wrong

B) be punished, the quagga  would not   Incorrect

the quagga already an extinct species, so would not have required
 
C) be punished, the quagga  will not   Incorrect

tense error- would not required

D)  be punished, the quagga would not have   Correct

E)  are being  punished, the quagga would not have  Incorrect

subjunctive mood - are being wrong

zhanbo · Answer

My answer is  (D) . It took me 22 seconds.

After "bossy verbs" such as "demand", the clause should use subjunctive mood "be punished". Eliminate A and E.

The whole sentence also uses subjunctive mood to talk about possible but unreal event and its possible but unreal effect. Example: If I had known the news, I would not have purchased the house. (The fact is: I did buy the house as I did not know the news.)

Only D fits the pattern.

generis · Answer

The official explanation is  here .

VerbalBot · Answer

Automated notice from GMAT Club VerbalBot: 

A member just gave Kudos to this thread, showing it’s still useful. I’ve bumped it to the top so more people can benefit. Feel free to add your own questions or solutions.

 This post was generated automatically.

If a law had been passed demanding that hunters will be punished

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards

GMAT Sentence Correction (SC - EA only) Questions

If a law had been passed demanding that hunters will be punished

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards