In theory, international civil servants at the United Nations are proh

Question

In theory, international civil servants at the United Nations are prohibited from continuing to draw salaries from their own governments; in practice, however, some governments merely substitute living allowances  for their employee's paychecks, assigned by them  to the United Nations.

(A) for their employee's paychecks, assigned by them
(B) for the paychecks of their employees who have been assigned
(C) for the paychecks of their employees, having been assigned
(D) in place of their employee's paychecks, for those of them assigned
(E) in place of the paychecks of their employees to have been assigned by them

AbhayPrasanna · Accepted Answer

Well first off, this is something that does happen on the GMAT. We've all been taught that "have been" and other forms of "to be" contribute to a wordy/awkward sentence structure, BUT when you are given 5 choices, never think about what would have been MORE correct, simply choose the best choice. Introducing a sixth choice may seem like you are thinking of how you could have corrected the sentence even better, but in fact this is dangerous on the GMAT as it prevents you from focusing on the issue of simply choosing the best choice. So put on your GMAT blinders and stick to the 5

A. Misplaced modifier - this changes the meaning by suggesting that the paychecks were assigned to the UN. B. This correctly modifies the employees, and perfect tense is actually appropriate. The rest of the sentence talks of the present, but the "assigning" happened before, so present perfect correctly conveys this. C. Having been is a big no no if you have a better choice. Make sure you eliminate all other choices before you ever pick a sentence containing "having been". D. in place of, is rather unidiomatic. And the "them" is ambiguous. E. to have been assigned by them, this is grammatically incorrect and changes the meaning. B is the best choice. As for your sixth, this could be correct too, since it could mean something general. But remember this path of finding a sixth choice can be dangerous. Good luck!

anox · Answer

In theory, international civil servants at the United Nations are prohibited from continuing to draw salaries from their own governments; in practice, however, some governments merely substitute living allowances  for their employee's paychecks, assigned by them  to the United Nations.

Issue:  Construction | Idiom

Analysis:
 1. In the non-underlined part we see usage of "substitute X". Based on the construction and options of this sentence, we need to go with idiomatic " substitute  X  for  Y" ("substitute X  in place of  Y" is incorrect)
2. As for the meaning of the sentence, it should properly convey two thoughts in underlined part: (a) the paychecks have been substituted with living allowances (b) employees are the ones assigned to the UN.

(A)  for their employee's paychecks,  assigned by them 
 - "assigned by them" incorrectly modifies "paychecks"

(B)  for the paychecks of their employees  who  have been assigned

(C)  for the paychecks of their employees,  having been assigned 
 - "having been assigned" does not correctly modify "employees"

(D) in place  of their employee's paychecks,  for those of them  assigned
 - "in place" is redundant. Correct idiom is " substitute  X  for  Y"

(E) in place  of the paychecks of their employees  to have been assigned  by them
 - "in place" is redundant. Correct idiom is " substitute  X  for  Y"

Answer:  (B)

Damager · Answer

421. In theory, international civil servants at the United Nations are prohibited from continuing to draw salaries from their own governments; in practice, however, some governments merely substitute living allowances  for their employeesâ€™ paychecks, assigned by them  to the United Nations.
(A) for their employeesâ€™ paychecks, assigned by  them 
( B) for the paychecks of their employees who have been assigned 
(C) for the paychecks of their employees,  having been  assigned
(D) in place of their employeesâ€™ paychecks,  for those of them  assigned
(E) in place of the paychecks of their employees  to have been assigned  by them

deepaksharma1986 · Answer

Just needed some clarity on a rule (if its correct) :
 
The modifier "verb-ing" always modifies the SUBJECT of the sentence :

The batter hit the ball out of the baseball park, using all his might.   
 
 Here even though the noun "baseball park" is closer, this type of modifier takes the SUBJECT.

Is the explanation in bold correct?

gmat1220 · Answer

ing is the most powerful modifier. It modifies the whole clause. NOT just the one it touches.

benjamin09 · Answer

From OG

Logical predication; Rhetorical construction

It is difficult to tell which parts of this sentence go together because of errors and confusion in the underlined portion. Living allowances is the counterpart of paychecks, so it is better to say governments . . . substitute living allowances for the paychecks of their employees because it makes the substitution clearer. This change also makes it easier to correct the modification error that appears in the phrase assigned by them, which incorrectly modifies paychecks rather than employees. Th e modifying clause who have been assigned clearly describes employees and fits into the remaining part of the sentence, to the United Nations.

A Assigned by them incorrectly and illogically modifies paychecks.
B Correct. In this sentence, the meaning is clearer, because paychecks is separated from employees. The relative clause clearly modifies employees.
C Having been assigned illogically modifies governments.
D The correct construction is substitutes x for y, not substitutes x in place of y. The construction following paychecks is wordy and awkward.
E The correct construction is substitutes x for y, not substitutes x in place of y. The construction following employees is wordy and awkward.
The correct answer is B.

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honchos · Answer

ing is a versatile modifier when comma + ing is used it modifes the clause when there is no comma it modifies the Noun. Hope it is clear.

Celestial09 · Answer

Hi!
Calling all experts for explaining the difference between B & D.
one diffidence is Idiom usage.. any other difference please ?

egmat
magoosh
veritas
chetan4u

thanks

lalania1 · Answer

SPLIT 1) "SUBSTITUE X FOR Y" IS THE CORRECT USAGE. D AND E ARE OUT.

SPLIT2) "ASSIGNED" MODIFIES PAYCHECKS IN A, THIS IS THE WRONG MEANING. A IS OUT.

SPLIT3) "HAVING BEEN" IS STRANGE AND USED AS LAST RESORT IF THERE IS NO OTHER OPTION. C IS OUT.

arpitgarg · Answer

Apart from idiomatic error, 2nd thing issue I see is "employees' paychecks, for those of them assigned".
What does those/them refer to. Not clear.

Skywalker18 · Answer

In theory, international civil servants at the United Nations are prohibited from continuing to draw salaries from their own governments; in practice, however, some governments merely substitute living allowances  for their employee's paychecks, assigned by them  to the United Nations.

(A) for their employee's paychecks, assigned by them - Modifier assigned by them illogically modifies paychecks ; Pronoun them refers to government and means that paychecks are assigned to the United Nations
(B) for the paychecks of their employees who have been assigned - Correct
(C) for the paychecks of their employees, having been assigned - having been assigned refers to subject government and is illogical 
(D) in place of their employee's paychecks, for those of them assigned - substitute and in place of redundant - Idiom error ; for those of them is ambiguous
(E) in place of the paychecks of their employees to have been assigned by them - substitute and in place of redundant - Idiom error ; Wordy

Answer B

abhishekdadarwal2009 · Answer

In theory, international civil servants at the United Nations are prohibited from continuing to draw salaries from their own governments; in practice, however, some governments merely substitute living allowances for their employee's paychecks, assigned by them to the United Nations.

(A) for their employee's paychecks, assigned by them  (who is them referring to,we have pronoun ambiguity here)
 (B) for the paychecks of their employees who have been assigned  Correct answer with clear reference and correct meaning.
 (C) for the paychecks of their employees, having been assigned  (having been assigned is wrongly used.)
 (D) in place of their employee's paychecks, for those of them assigned (those is pronoun ambiguity,it can be referring to civil servants or the paychecks)
 (E) in place of the paychecks of their employees to have been assigned by them  (to have been is incorrect)

proabhinav · Answer

Dear Team

" ; in practice, however, some governments merely substitute living allowances for their employee's paychecks, assigned by them to the United Nations. "

clauses separated by comma be independent, shouldn't this be incorrect above as however will make it ambiguous ?

Please help.

saurabh9gupta · Answer

As per my understanding, C is wrong because "Having Been" is used to show sequencing but the sentence does not have any such sequencing.

daagh   chetan2u  - your thoughts?

(A) for their employee's paychecks, assigned by them --- meaning issue (paychecks are not getting assigned)
(B) for the paychecks of their employees who have been assigned - relative modifier "who" correctly modifies employees
(C) for the paychecks of their employees, having been assigned - reason above
(D) in place of their employee's paychecks, for those of them assigned -- Them nonsensically refers to employees
(E) in place of the paychecks of their employees to have been assigned by them -- meaning issue- who has done the assignment

daagh · Answer

Saurabh

Yes, there is no sequencing. The perks are given as and when the assignment occurs. "Having been" also gives an implication of causality. However, it is not as if, because they have been assigned, they get the benefits.

sampriya · Answer

In theory, international civil servants at the United Nations are prohibited from continuing to draw salaries from their own governments; in practice, however, some governments merely substitute living allowances for their employee's paychecks, assigned by them to the United Nations.

Sometimes its nice to solve a questions using the 2/3 split especially when the split is screaming at your face!
the split is between FOR vs IN--- probably indicates an idiom error!

the correct idiom is "substitute X for Y".. therefore we can eliminate options D and E!

(D)   in   place of their employee's paychecks,   for those   of them assigned- this sentence also has a meaning error: we are not substituting paychecks with other paychecks-- and those is ambiguous it can refer to employees or paychecks!

(E)   in   place of the paychecks of their employees   to have   been assigned by them- usually to-verbs indicate an intention and there is not intention to assign to the United Nations its more like a fact!!- meaning error

(A) for their employee's paychecks,  assigned by them --- okay so verb-ed modifiers usually tend to modify the noun before them so what this sentence says is that paychecks were assigned by someone to the united nations--- ambiguity and illogical meaning!

(B) for the paychecks of their employees who have been assigned- "who have been assigned" relative pronoun modifier modifying employees and since there is no ambiguity in the meaning- we have a winner!

(C) for the paychecks of their employees,  "having been assigned" --- okay so "verb-ing phrases either modify the action in the previous clause when separated by a comma(usually to indicate a cause and effect relation) and when not separated by a comma usually act as adjectives that modify the noun before them or after depending of where the verb-in word/phrase is present!--- so this option primarily illogically indicates that the substitution happened because of being assigned to the UN- illogical--- and we do not know what is assigned to the UN?

Kinshook · Answer

(A) for their employee's paychecks,  assigned by them 
paychecks assigned?
(B) for the paychecks of their employees who have been assigned
(C) for the paychecks of their employees,  having been  assigned
(D)  in place of  their employee's paychecks, for those  of them  assigned
(E) i n place of  the paychecks of their employees  to have been  assigned by them

IMO B

Fighter1095 · Answer

In theory, international civil servants at the United Nations are prohibited from continuing to draw salaries from their own governments; in practice, however, some governments merely substitute living allowances  for their employee's paychecks, assigned by them  to the United Nations.

(A) for their employee's paychecks, assigned by them - paychecks assigned to the UN - Changes the meaning 
(B) for the paychecks of their employees who have been assigned - employees who have been assigned - conveys meaning correctly 
(C) for the paychecks of their employees, having been assigned - verb-ing (having been ) shows cause-effect relationship - which is incorrect 
(D) in place of their employee's paychecks, for those of them assigned - in the place - wordy usage - those of them - seem awkward 
(E) in place of the paychecks of their employees to have been assigned by them - complex and wordy structure - incorrect

Basshead · Answer

In theory, international civil servants at the United Nations are prohibited from continuing to draw salaries from their own governments; in practice, however, some governments merely substitute living allowances  for their employee's paychecks, assigned by them  to the United Nations.

The correction construction is 'substitutes x in place of y'. A, C, D, and E have modifier errors. B is clear and concise.

(A) for their employee's paychecks,  assigned by them

(B)  for the paychecks of their employees who have been assigned

(C) for the paychecks of their employees,  having been assigned

(D) in place of their employee's paychecks, for  those of them  assigned

(E) in place of the paychecks of their employees  to have been assigned by them

In theory, international civil servants at the United Nations are proh

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GMAT Sentence Correction (SC - EA only) Questions

In theory, international civil servants at the United Nations are proh

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