Visby is the largest city on the Swedish island of Gotland; arguably

Question

Visby is the largest city on the Swedish island of Gotland;  arguably the best-preserved medieval town in Scandinavia, and has become a World Heritage Site..

A. arguably the best-preserved medieval town in Scandinavia, and has become a World Heritage Site.

B. it is arguably the best-preserved medieval town in Scandinavia, and, as a result of this, has become a World Heritage Site.

C. arguably the best-preserved medieval town in Scandinavia, it has become a World Heritage Site.

D. it has become a World Heritage Site, and arguably the best-preserved medieval town in Scandinavia.

E. is arguably the best-preserved medieval town in Scandinavia, a World Heritage Site.

GMATPill · Accepted Answer

The answer is C. The person who posted the OA as D did it by mistake--according to another source... Here's my recommended approach to this question: Step 1: Scan the sentence and notice a semi colon that is NOT part of the underlined portion of the sentence . That means the underlined portion must read just like a full regular sentence. Step 2: So now that we pretend the entire first part of the sentence before the semicolon is not there ---we notice that the underlined portion does not make sense. "Arguably...., " is the phrase that should describe the subject on the other side of the comma. Instead, we have "and has become..."-- which does not make sense in A. Step 3: Eliminate A and look at other alternatives in the answer choices. With (B) , it's quite wordy "and, as a result of this..."--- NOT GOOD With (C) , "arguably" describes the word next to the comma "it"-- so that makes sense. seems OK With (D) , you don't need the comma before "and"---- if you use a comma, then there needs to be a subject on the right side of the comma. -- seems IFFY With (E), where's the subject? It starts with "is"--which does not make sense. Remember the underlined portion should read as a complete sentence so it cannot start with "is"--- NOT GOOD Step 4: Only answer choice (C) makes sense. Read it again..does it make sense as a sentence by itself? " Arguably the best-preserved medieval town in Scandinavia, it has become a World Heritage Site." It's OK to have "it" refer back to the portion on the other side of the semicolon way back in the beginning. You can also reread it like this: "Arguably the best-preserved medieval town in Scandinavia, has become a World Heritage Site." :-D

Choose C and move on! :-D

pqhai · Answer

Hello Paris.

I may help you a bit.
 
 GRAMMAR:

First, there are some important notes:
  (1) The use of "and":  
- If there are 2 items, a correct structure is:   X and Y   ==> NEVER put a comma before "and". 
- If there are more than 2 items, a correct structure is:   X, Y and Z   ==> This structure again NEVER puts a comma before "and".
  (2) The use of a semi-colon:  
A semicolon is used to separate two sentences. The sentence before ";" is main sentence. The sentence after the ";" is dependent and CAN'T stand alone.

APPLY:

Visby is the largest city on the Swedish island of Gotland;  arguably the best-preserved medieval town in Scandinavia, and has become a World Heritage Site.

(A) arguably the best-preserved medieval town in Scandinavia, and has become a World Heritage Site.
 Wrong.  Technically, this is a wrong sentence because of a  comma  before "and". --> eliminate immediately.

(B) it is arguably the best-preserved medieval town in Scandinavia, and, as a result of this, has become a World Heritage Site.
 Wrong.  Same error as in A. Never put a  comma  before "and". GMAT considers that usage wrong grammar.

(C) arguably the best-preserved medieval town in Scandinavia, it has become a World Heritage Site.
  Correct.   Because of the ";", this sentence is dependent --> It should modify the previous sentence with a sensible subject. Thus, pronoun "it" only refers to "town" because "Scandinavia" is object, not the subject of the previous sentence.

(D) it has become a World Heritage Site, and arguably the best-preserved medieval town in Scandinavia.
 Wrong . Same error as in A. The usage of a  comma  before "and" is absolutely wrong.

(E) is arguably the best-preserved medieval town in Scandinavia, a World Heritage Site. 
 Wrong.   E is NOT a sentence .

Hope it helps.

tenaman10 · Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION:

(C). This question tests your recognition of misplaced modifiers, changes in meaning, wordiness and sentence fragments. The original sentence contains a semi-colon; the clause on either side of the colon must be independent. Also, the second clause is a fragment and contains a misplaced modifier: ‘arguably the best preserved….’ This modifier must modify Visby. In this case, it modifies nothing. Choice (B) corrects both problems but is excessively wordy: ‘and, as a result of this.’ Choice (D) does not refer back to the subject in the second part of the sentence: ‘and arguably…’, and (E)also omits the subject by beginning with ‘is.’ Only (C) corrects the original problems, indicates the cause of the World Heritage marker, and maintains concision.

ritula · Answer

Now im more confused. If C is the OA then can we say that the sentence after semicolon is an independent clause?

x2suresh · Answer

Yes C is alsow independent clause.

arguably the best-preserved medieval town in Scandinavia ,  it has become a World Heritage Site.
 
rewrite the above sentence..

Visby has become a World Heritage Site ,  arguably the best-preserved medieval town in Scandinavia

Blue part is independent clause
Red part is modifier which modfies subject it (Visby)..

jeeteshsingh · Answer

Its a clear cut C....

My Explanation:
A is out as the correction should be an independent clause which isnt the case with A...
B is too wordy 
D says that is has become the world heritage site... and is the best preserve medivial town... this is not correct as this option states that it became the best preserve medivial town after it had become a world heritage site.
E has the same problem as A... not an independent clause...

And in C.... 'it' refers to 'the best preserved medivial town in Scandinavia'... and not 'Scandinavia'

shivganar · Answer

My understading when we use semi-colon then the two clauses separated by semicolon should be independent. The option C does not allow this. Therefore option C can not be the best option.

Only B and D satisfies the condition above. In case of B there is un-necessary extra wordings and commas before and after 'and' hence eliminated.

We can safely go ahead with D.

Any other views?

GMATPill · Answer

shivganar, 
 With semicolons, you should be able to read both sides separately and they should still make sense. Look carefully at (C) and reassess:

You can also reread it like this:
"Arguably the best-preserved medieval town in Scandinavia,   has become a World Heritage Site."

Ask yourself: Does this sound like a complete sentence? You should arrive at: YES
The structure is " ,  "
The main sentence = "Visby has become a World Heritage Site." ---makes sense.
The phrase: "Arugably the best preserved medieval town in Scandinavia"---correctly describes "Visby"
So why wouldn't this read like an "independent clause"?

(C) is fine. Do you see this?

With (D), can you explain why there is a comma before the "and"? How can you justify that when the words to the right of the word "and" only make up a phrase?

(C) is the best answer.

daagh · Answer

It is accepted that what follows the semi-colon should be a somewhat related clause and should be a full fledged one with it is own subject and verb.
 
A. arguably the best-preserved medieval town in Scandinavia, and has become a World Heritage Site…….  Lacks subject- hence wrong

B. it is arguably the best-preserved medieval town in Scandinavia, and, as a result of this, has become a World Heritage Site. …..  It may be grammatically correct but the expression ' as a result of this ' is not intended in the original. Ther is no cause and effect relationship between the two factors; the intent is distorted and hence wrong. 
 
C. arguably the best-preserved medieval town in Scandinavia, it has become a World Heritage Site. ….. Many might think that this is not a full clause. Sorry! The second part is a full fledged clause with the participial modifier  ‘arguably the best-preserved medieval town in Scandinavia ’ modifying the clause starting with  ‘it has become ’. Right Choice

D. it has become a World Heritage Site, and arguably the best-preserved medieval town in Scandinavia. …..  Grammatically wrong. There is no proper subject for the second part of the clause that follows the conjunction  ‘and’ . It can not take  ‘it has become’  as the elliptical subject and verb. Such an assumption renders the clause meaningless.

E. is arguably the best-preserved medieval town in Scandinavia, a World Heritage Site. …….  Lacks a subject. Secondly ‘ a World Heritage Site’  modifies Scandinavia.
 
C is the most precise and structurally correct choice

amma4u · Answer

Daagh - are you saying in C "it" is the subject? if yes what type of subject is this? :shock:

daagh · Answer

@amma4u: Normally haven’t we seen in two part sentences a pronoun standing for the subject of the first part? In this case, the pronoun  'it'  stands for Visby, the subject of the first clause.

But then, I just don't know what exactly you mean by asking for the type of the pronoun. The word 'it' is just an ordinary third person singular pronoun. But certainly it is not expletive in the given context.

Vercules · Answer

Hi, I received a PM regarding this question. Out of the given choices (C) sounds the best. the "it" in (C) is correct and correctly refers to "town". The prepositional phrase "in Scandinavia" is correctly placed next to "town". It is essential to the meaning and can not be placed elsewhere in the sentence. If you see the other contender (D). A comma before "and " is used; it is used in two occasions, to present three or more things in a list or to connect two independent clauses. In (D) "and" is being used used to connect (or coordinate, in grammatical terms) a clause "it has become..." and a phrase "arguably the best preserved....". This is clearly incorrect. However in GMAT, these type of questions are very rare. Please also see the question in the post below. This question also has a critical modifier essential to the meaning of the sentence. during-hot-summer-days-to-reduce-new-700-question-147529.html I hope it clears your doubt, Vercules

apoorv601 · Answer

Visby is the largest city on the Swedish island of Gotland; arguably the best-preserved medieval town in Scandinavia, and has become a World Heritage Site.

(A)  arguably  the best-preserved medieval town in Scandinavia, and  has  become a World Heritage Site.
Wrong. -  reference error

(B) it is arguably the best-preserved medieval town in Scandinavia , and,   as a result of this,  has become a World Heritage Site.
Wrong. - Wrong syntax and usage

(C) arguably the best-preserved medieval town in Scandinavia, it has become a World Heritage Site.
Correct.  it correctly reference to Visby in the sentence  ,  the meaning of the independent clause is clear

(D) it has become a World Heritage Site, and arguably the best-preserved medieval town in Scandinavia.
Wrong. -  the sentence means that Visby has become the best-preserved medieval town in Scandinavia

(E)  is  arguably the best-preserved medieval town in Scandinavia, a World Heritage Site. 
Wrong. -  reference error

maaya123 · Answer

(B) it is arguably the best-preserved medieval town in Scandinavia, and, as a result of this, has become a World Heritage Site.
 
The above option is wrong because a comma was kept before the conjunction and. however, if we keep the subject "it" before the " has become ... " it would be correct. check the below sentences. 
rani went to school and later she went to market - wrong
rani went to school, and later she went to market - right
rani went to school and later went to market - right

source - manhattan gmat

daagh · Answer

The official explanation that choice C brings out a cause and effect relationship is illogical. Please note the word, arguably. It is still debatable whether the town is the best-preserved medieval town. While so, how can we take that it was granted a status of World Heritage. Does anyone give a site a heritage status, because it is still argued to be whether best preserved or not. 
In addition, a World Heritage title is given not because a site is well maintained but because it is ancient.

teaserbae · Answer

I choose OA as D
But C is given as OA , it is debatable in C

VerbalBot · Answer

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Visby is the largest city on the Swedish island of Gotland; arguably

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Visby is the largest city on the Swedish island of Gotland; arguably

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