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SurajSharma
I think E clearly conveys the entire message of the sentence. However, D is OA. Can you explain why?

All other options are emphasizing on the time factor but D is comparing the preparation part of it so i think d is right ans
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SurajSharma
I think E clearly conveys the entire message of the sentence. However, D is OA. Can you explain why?
You are right, SurajSharma—choice (E) does indeed convey the message of the sentence. But can that same notion be expressed using fewer words? Remember, the GMAT™ prefers a concise answer choice to one that covers all bases but adds no more vital information. So, what are the necessary components of the sentence that we should be looking for? Notice that the first part of the sentence, prior to the comma, is identical for all five versions. It conveys that native English speakers tend to do well on GMAT™ Verbal with little preparation. What about after the comma?

  • A comparison/contrast marker—while, however, although, but
  • the second group—non-native speakers (of English)
  • what is actually being compared—study time (notice the use of more in each option)

Since the sentence draws on a comparison, we are able to understand or carry over certain elements of the first part of the sentence into the second. In this case, a reader should be able to grasp that non-native speakers (of English, although this is not explicitly mentioned) need to put in more time in order to, as the sentence phrases it, score well on the Verbal section of the GMAT. Otherwise, no substantial comparison has been made, and the sentence is essentially meaningless. Consider (D) and (E) side by side to see whether the more concise version follows through on the essentials outlined above (comparison/contrast marker | the second group | what is being compared)

Quote:
(D) Students that are native English speakers often score well on the Verbal section of the GMAT with little preparation, while non-native speakers have to study much more.

(E) Students that are native English speakers often score well on the Verbal section of the GMAT with little preparation, but non-native speakers have to study it for much more time in order to score well.
I cannot say that (E) is incorrect, but (D) is a more streamlined version of the sentence. Yes, you want to compare like with like, but comparison markers can help us fill in the blanks as long as we have enough touchstones to guide us to a clear interpretation.

If you have questions about any of the other answer choices, I would be happy to help. Good luck with your studies.

- Andrew
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SurajSharma
I think E clearly conveys the entire message of the sentence. However, D is OA. Can you explain why?
You are right, SurajSharma—choice (E) does indeed convey the message of the sentence. But can that same notion be expressed using fewer words? Remember, the GMAT™ prefers a concise answer choice to one that covers all bases but adds no more vital information. So, what are the necessary components of the sentence that we should be looking for? Notice that the first part of the sentence, prior to the comma, is identical for all five versions. It conveys that native English speakers tend to do well on GMAT™ Verbal with little preparation. What about after the comma?

  • A comparison/contrast marker—while, however, although, but
  • the second group—non-native speakers (of English)
  • what is actually being compared—study time (notice the use of more in each option)

Since the sentence draws on a comparison, we are able to understand or carry over certain elements of the first part of the sentence into the second. In this case, a reader should be able to grasp that non-native speakers (of English, although this is not explicitly mentioned) need to put in more time in order to, as the sentence phrases it, score well on the Verbal section of the GMAT. Otherwise, no substantial comparison has been made, and the sentence is essentially meaningless. Consider (D) and (E) side by side to see whether the more concise version follows through on the essentials outlined above (comparison/contrast marker | the second group | what is being compared)

Quote:
(D) Students that are native English speakers often score well on the Verbal section of the GMAT with little preparation, while non-native speakers have to study much more.

(E) Students that are native English speakers often score well on the Verbal section of the GMAT with little preparation, but non-native speakers have to study it for much more time in order to score well.
I cannot say that (E) is incorrect, but (D) is a more streamlined version of the sentence. Yes, you want to compare like with like, but comparison markers can help us fill in the blanks as long as we have enough touchstones to guide us to a clear interpretation.

If you have questions about any of the other answer choices, I would be happy to help. Good luck with your studies.

- Andrew

Hi Andrew, is the "," before "while" in D correct? IMO, it is artificially separating the sentence into two clauses (IC and DC) which kinda confused me since dependent clause usually comes before an IC. Not to mention that E conveyed things slightly more clearly and hence I also went with E.
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SurajSharma
I think E clearly conveys the entire message of the sentence. However, D is OA. Can you explain why?
You are right, SurajSharma—choice (E) does indeed convey the message of the sentence. But can that same notion be expressed using fewer words? Remember, the GMAT™ prefers a concise answer choice to one that covers all bases but adds no more vital information. So, what are the necessary components of the sentence that we should be looking for? Notice that the first part of the sentence, prior to the comma, is identical for all five versions. It conveys that native English speakers tend to do well on GMAT™ Verbal with little preparation. What about after the comma?

  • A comparison/contrast marker—while, however, although, but
  • the second group—non-native speakers (of English)
  • what is actually being compared—study time (notice the use of more in each option)

Since the sentence draws on a comparison, we are able to understand or carry over certain elements of the first part of the sentence into the second. In this case, a reader should be able to grasp that non-native speakers (of English, although this is not explicitly mentioned) need to put in more time in order to, as the sentence phrases it, score well on the Verbal section of the GMAT. Otherwise, no substantial comparison has been made, and the sentence is essentially meaningless. Consider (D) and (E) side by side to see whether the more concise version follows through on the essentials outlined above (comparison/contrast marker | the second group | what is being compared)

Quote:
(D) Students that are native English speakers often score well on the Verbal section of the GMAT with little preparation, while non-native speakers have to study much more.

(E) Students that are native English speakers often score well on the Verbal section of the GMAT with little preparation, but non-native speakers have to study it for much more time in order to score well.
I cannot say that (E) is incorrect, but (D) is a more streamlined version of the sentence. Yes, you want to compare like with like, but comparison markers can help us fill in the blanks as long as we have enough touchstones to guide us to a clear interpretation.

If you have questions about any of the other answer choices, I would be happy to help. Good luck with your studies.

- Andrew

isn't choice D changing the original intent....?
A says that the non natives will have to study verbal section for longer period.
But Choice D is saying that they will have to study for longer period. study what for longer period?? (verbal , quant??)

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ravigupta2912
Hi Andrew, is the "," before "while" in D correct? IMO, it is artificially separating the sentence into two clauses (IC and DC) which kinda confused me since dependent clause usually comes before an IC. Not to mention that E conveyed things slightly more clearly and hence I also went with E.
Hello, Ravi. Yes, the comma is fine. This is a compound sentence in which while is used as a coordinating conjunction, so in effect, it serves in the same capacity as but. You can see such usage in one of the sample sentences under the entry for while in the Cambridge Dictionary (found here):

Tom is very outgoing, while Ken’s shy and quiet.

As for (E), and to touch on the concern of Gknight5603 at the same time, yes, it is more explicit than (D) in spelling out the comparison, but all the crucial elements are there in (D), as I explained above. There would be no need to bring Quant into the picture when only the Verbal section has been mentioned. That is, the comparative study much more has a single touchstone earlier in the sentence—with little preparation—and since the preparation in question is linked to scoring well on the Verbal section of the GMAT, we do not need to make an extra reference to time. The comparison is between [less] preparation and [more] preparation, not between preparation and time per se.

I have said this often in the forum, and it bears saying again: you can only treat the non-underlined portion as gospel in a Sentence Correction question. Since the entire sentence is underlined here, we cannot point to the original sentence for guidance as to what the sentence means to say. Time there is just as extraneous.

I hope that helps clarify any concerns. Good luck with your studies.

- Andrew
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