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11 Mar 2022, 01:01
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A
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
45%
(medium)
Question Stats:
52% (01:16) correct
48%
(01:30)
wrong
based on 482
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
Following the merger of two well-known corporations, the CFO of the larger of the two has been charged with reporting the earnings of the employees of both companies, and however he may choose to do so, he will have to abide by relevant state tax laws.
A) however he may choose to do so
B) he may choose to do so in many ways
C) in whatever ways he is choosing to do this
D) regardless of how he chooses to do this
E) irrespective of the ways in which he is choosing to do so
11 Mar 2022, 01:12
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OFFICIAL EXPLANATION
This explanation is a mixture of my own analysis and the OE by Magoosh.
The Magoosh OE constitutes the bottom half of the post.
Quote:
• Meaning?
Following the merger of two well-known corporations, the CFO of the larger company has been tasked with reporting employee earnings of both companies, and in whatever way he chooses to do that task, he will have to obey tax laws.
• TAKEAWAY #1: HOWEVER has two meanings
→ (1) "Nevertheless." Quite recently, it became accepted usage to use however as a synonym for nonetheless or nevertheless.
All three italicized words highlight or stress the contrast between ideas or events.
Example: The wild blackberries are delicious; however, they are surrounded by long thorns and thus not easy to enjoy in great quantities.
This first meaning is the one with which most people are familiar, but is not the original meaning and not the one tested in this question.
→ (2) "In whatever way."
This second meaning of the word is the original one. (For those of you interested, "however" is an indefinite adverb.)
Example: People in the widespread resistance movement fight fiercely however they can—by hand-to-hand combat, stealth attacks, or quick and clever retreats.
Example: However he tried to learn Japanese, he could not master it.
Click here to read simple but accurate examples of the two ways to use however.
• Takeaway #2: Beware the comma splice.
We cannot "stick" two independent clauses together with nothing more than a comma.
Wrong, a comma splice: I wanted to watch a movie, I was too tired.
We can fix a comma splice in four ways:
-- comma + conjunction
Correct: I wanted to watch a movie, but I was too tired.
-- separate the two independent clauses with a semicolon (no "regular" FANBOY conjunction!)
Correct: I wanted to watch a movie; I was too tired.
-- separate the two independent clauses with a period.
Correct: I wanted to watch a movie. I was too tired.
-- use a semicolon and a conjunctive adverb (consequently, therefore, as a result, unfortunately)
Correct: I wanted to watch a movie; unfortunately, I was too tired.
GMAC tests comma splices—not all that often, but often enough that you should be able to catch them immediately.
Just remember that you cannot "stick" two full clauses together with nothing more than a comma.
• Takeaway #3: Use POE. Find the four worst answers and eliminate them. Keep the least bad one.
The correct answer in this case is a well-written sentence, but it may seem strange to you because it uses "however" in the original but less common sense.
"Strange" doesn't matter. (Nor do first-pass judgments about "wordy, awkward," or "redundant" matter. On the first pass, do not eliminate on the basis of style.)
Memo to self: Do the other four contain clear error?
Yes? (In this case, yes.)
Bye-bye other four. They contain clear error.
I'm sticking with this one that seems a little weird. I cannot call the weirdness "clear error." It's the least bad of the five.
(As I mentioned, the correct answer is a solidly written sentence if you recognize this use of however.)
MAGOOSH OFFICIAL EXPLANATION
This question explores the original correct but now neglected meaning of the word “however.”
Choice (A) uses the original meaning of “however” correctly. [See my notes above.]
This is problem-free.
Inside Choice (B) looks good, but it’s an independent clause, and after the comma is another independent clause. Two independent clauses need to be joined by a conjunction, not separated by only a comma—this mistake is called a “comma splice.”
This choice is incorrect.
Choice (C) is wordy and awkward.
The use of the present progressive is unjustified in context.
This choice also uses a pronoun, “this,” to refer to the action of the previous clause: pronouns can’t refer to actions of a clause.
This choice is incorrect.
Choice (D) is a little causal and it repeats the pronoun mistake in (C).
This choice is incorrect.
Choice (E) is very long-winded and excessively wordy.
The use of the present progressive is unjustified in context.
This choice is incorrect.
Choice (A) is the only possible answer
General Discussion
11 Mar 2022, 02:27
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A) however he may choose to do so --> Looks fine to me.
B) he may choose to do so in many ways --> Not able to bring in the required contrast.
C) in whatever ways he is choosing to do this --> choosing to do this? That's not the correct usage of this.
D) regardless of how he chooses to do this--> Same error as C.
E) irrespective of the ways in which he is choosing to do so -->wordy.
B) he may choose to do so in many ways --> Not able to bring in the required contrast.
C) in whatever ways he is choosing to do this --> choosing to do this? That's not the correct usage of this.
D) regardless of how he chooses to do this--> Same error as C.
E) irrespective of the ways in which he is choosing to do so -->wordy.
