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solitaryreaper
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Doubt in SC problem 09 Sep 2015, 03:42
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Etymologists have encountered similar linguistic features in widely varying language groups, which are consistent with the theory that all languages can be traced back to a common root language.

(A)which are consistent with the theory that all languages
(B)where the theory that all languages are consistent
(C)consistent with its theory that all languages
(D)findings consistent with the theory that all languages
(E)findings that are consistent with the theory that proposes that all languages

Dear Mike !
Hope you're doing fine :).

I came across this Magoosh SC problem in this forum. I agree that options D and E are the only contenders because of obvious errors in other choices. E is indeed wordy(repeated use of 'that') and shows redundancy (usage of verb 'proposes' when a theory implicitly proposes something ).
Therefore, option D is correct.

But I have a query regarding the structure of correct choice.
(D) findings consistent with the theory that all languages

I am still not convinced if this construction' findings consistent with the theory that all languages' is perfectly fine. Sounds like this structure misses out on some connecting words.I mean shouldn't the structure be something like :
"findings that are consistent with the theory that all languages" ?

Thanks in advance.

Regards,
SR
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mikemcgarry
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Doubt in SC problem 10 Sep 2015, 10:48
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solitaryreaper
Etymologists have encountered similar linguistic features in widely varying language groups, which are consistent with the theory that all languages can be traced back to a common root language.

(A)which are consistent with the theory that all languages
(B)where the theory that all languages are consistent
(C)consistent with its theory that all languages
(D)findings consistent with the theory that all languages
(E)findings that are consistent with the theory that proposes that all languages

Dear Mike !
Hope you're doing fine :).

I came across this Magoosh SC problem in this forum. I agree that options D and E are the only contenders because of obvious errors in other choices. E is indeed wordy(repeated use of 'that') and shows redundancy (usage of verb 'proposes' when a theory implicitly proposes something ).
Therefore, option D is correct.

But I have a query regarding the structure of correct choice.
(D) findings consistent with the theory that all languages

I am still not convinced if this construction' findings consistent with the theory that all languages' is perfectly fine. Sounds like this structure misses out on some connecting words.I mean shouldn't the structure be something like :
"findings that are consistent with the theory that all languages" ?

Thanks in advance.

Regards,
SR
Show more
Dear solitaryreaper,
I'm happy to respond. :-) That's actually an old question that we retired long ago, no longer part of the active Magoosh product, but it still lingers on the forum. It's not a bad question---just retired.

The structure used here is what is known as an appositive. See this blog:
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/gmat-gram ... e-phrases/

A simple appositive phrase is just a second noun, set off in commas, that modifiers or explains the target noun.
Barack Obama, the US President, yesterday said that X.
Eris, the heaviest trans-Neptunian planet in our solar system, is X.
Fauvism, a movement in late 19th century French art, was known as X.
In these sentence, the green underlined portion is the appositive phrase. This is a typical use of the appositive: to provide extra detail in case the reader were unfamiliar with Barack Obama or Eris or Fauvism.

Other noun modifiers can come between the target noun and the appositive:
I have seen a picture of Theodore Roosevelt with his men at the top of San Juan Hill in 1898, the future president in one of his iconic moments.
The appositive phrase "the future president . . ." refers to "Theodore Roosevelt," but is separated from that target noun by a string of noun modifiers.

In much the same way, consider The OA of this SC question, choice (D):
Etymologists have encountered similar linguistic features in widely varying language groups, findings consistent with the theory that all languages can be traced back to a common root language.
Everything in green is a long appositive phrase, and the word "findings" refers back to the target noun "similar linguistic features."

Does all this make sense?
Mike :-)
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solitaryreaper
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Joined: 23 Sep 2013
Last visit: 21 Feb 2023
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Concentration: Strategy, Marketing
Schools: Boston U '20 (WL)
WE:Engineering (Computer Software)
Products:
My Reviews
Schools: Boston U '20 (WL)
Posts: 119
Kudos: 225
Doubt in SC problem 10 Sep 2015, 12:27
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mikemcgarry
solitaryreaper
Etymologists have encountered similar linguistic features in widely varying language groups, which are consistent with the theory that all languages can be traced back to a common root language.

(A)which are consistent with the theory that all languages
(B)where the theory that all languages are consistent
(C)consistent with its theory that all languages
(D)findings consistent with the theory that all languages
(E)findings that are consistent with the theory that proposes that all languages

Dear Mike !
Hope you're doing fine :).

I came across this Magoosh SC problem in this forum. I agree that options D and E are the only contenders because of obvious errors in other choices. E is indeed wordy(repeated use of 'that') and shows redundancy (usage of verb 'proposes' when a theory implicitly proposes something ).
Therefore, option D is correct.

But I have a query regarding the structure of correct choice.
(D) findings consistent with the theory that all languages

I am still not convinced if this construction' findings consistent with the theory that all languages' is perfectly fine. Sounds like this structure misses out on some connecting words.I mean shouldn't the structure be something like :
"findings that are consistent with the theory that all languages" ?

Thanks in advance.

Regards,
SR
Dear solitaryreaper,
I'm happy to respond. :-) That's actually an old question that we retired long ago, no longer part of the active Magoosh product, but it still lingers on the forum. It's not a bad question---just retired.

The structure used here is what is known as an appositive. See this blog:
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/gmat-gram ... e-phrases/

A simple appositive phrase is just a second noun, set off in commas, that modifiers or explains the target noun.
Barack Obama, the US President, yesterday said that X.
Eris, the heaviest trans-Neptunian planet in our solar system, is X.
Fauvism, a movement in late 19th century French art, was known as X.
In these sentence, the green underlined portion is the appositive phrase. This is a typical use of the appositive: to provide extra detail in case the reader were unfamiliar with Barack Obama or Eris or Fauvism.

Other noun modifiers can come between the target noun and the appositive:
I have seen a picture of Theodore Roosevelt with his men at the top of San Juan Hill in 1898, the future president in one of his iconic moments.
The appositive phrase "the future president . . ." refers to "Theodore Roosevelt," but is separated from that target noun by a string of noun modifiers.

In much the same way, consider The OA of this SC question, choice (D):
Etymologists have encountered similar linguistic features in widely varying language groups, findings consistent with the theory that all languages can be traced back to a common root language.
Everything in green is a long appositive phrase, and the word "findings" refers back to the target noun "similar linguistic features."

Does all this make sense?
Mike :-)
Show more


Thanks Mike for the detailed reply !

Yes I completely agree with you that appositive usage in D is perfectly fine. I had this doubt (might be a trivial one) regarding the structure of appositive in option D.

findings consistent with the theory that all languages can be traced back to a common root language

"findings [that are]consistent...."

is "that are" an implied thing in original construction of appositive in option D?
(because I feel that an absence of that are - implicit or explicit -makes this construction sound a little incomplete/awkward !)


I have been reading your blogs lately and can't thank you enough for all the wisdom you're sharing with us.
Keep up the good work !

Regards,
SR
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mikemcgarry
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Doubt in SC problem 11 Sep 2015, 15:54
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solitaryreaper
Thanks Mike for the detailed reply !

Yes I completely agree with you that appositive usage in D is perfectly fine. I had this doubt (might be a trivial one) regarding the structure of appositive in option D.
findings consistent with the theory that all languages can be traced back to a common root language

"findings [that are]consistent...."

is "that are" an implied thing in original construction of appositive in option D?
(because I feel that an absence of that are - implicit or explicit -makes this construction sound a little incomplete/awkward !)

I have been reading your blogs lately and can't thank you enough for all the wisdom you're sharing with us.
Keep up the good work !

Regards,
SR
Show more
Dear solitaryreaper,
I'm happy to respond. :-) In this construction, the "that is" is implied and 100% unnecessary. In fact,
"... findings consistent with ..." = sounds sophisticated & elegant
"... findings that are consistent with ..." = sounds clunky and awkward

Knowing what words can be omitted and which ones can't is a very subtle issue, and reading sophisticated material is the best way to develop intuition for this.

Does this make sense, my friend?
Mike :-)
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solitaryreaper
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Joined: 23 Sep 2013
Last visit: 21 Feb 2023
Posts: 119
Own Kudos:
225
Given Kudos: 95
Concentration: Strategy, Marketing
Schools: Boston U '20 (WL)
WE:Engineering (Computer Software)
Products:
My Reviews
Schools: Boston U '20 (WL)
Posts: 119
Kudos: 225
Doubt in SC problem 17 Sep 2015, 03:37
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mikemcgarry
solitaryreaper
Thanks Mike for the detailed reply !

Yes I completely agree with you that appositive usage in D is perfectly fine. I had this doubt (might be a trivial one) regarding the structure of appositive in option D.
findings consistent with the theory that all languages can be traced back to a common root language

"findings [that are]consistent...."

is "that are" an implied thing in original construction of appositive in option D?
(because I feel that an absence of that are - implicit or explicit -makes this construction sound a little incomplete/awkward !)

I have been reading your blogs lately and can't thank you enough for all the wisdom you're sharing with us.
Keep up the good work !

Regards,
SR
Dear solitaryreaper,
I'm happy to respond. :-) In this construction, the "that is" is implied and 100% unnecessary. In fact,
"... findings consistent with ..." = sounds sophisticated & elegant
"... findings that are consistent with ..." = sounds clunky and awkward

Knowing what words can be omitted and which ones can't is a very subtle issue, and reading sophisticated material is the best way to develop intuition for this.

Does this make sense, my friend?
Mike :-)
Show more


Thanks mikemcgarry :)

You're right.Being a non-native ,I'll have to increase the number of quality articles that I read every day in order to develop that ear for sophisticated & elegant English usage.

Regards
SR