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705-805 Level|   Parallelism|            
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sayantanc2k
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While some propose to combat widespread illegal copying of computer 10 Oct 2016, 10:31
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While some propose to combat widespread illegal copying of computer programs by attempting to change people's attitudes toward pirating, others by suggesting reducing software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others by calling for the prosecution of those who copy software illegally.

(A) by suggesting reducing software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others by calling
(B) by suggesting the reduction of software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others call
(C) suggest the reduction of software prices for decreasing the incentive for pirating, and still others call
(D) suggest the reduction of software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others by calling
(E) suggest reducing software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others are calling


1. Between C and E, We need to use "To" to express intention. Is there any other differences that might make the option C
wrong?
2. What is the differences between "suggest the reduction of" and "suggest reducing software prices"?

3. "Some propose..., other suggest, and other are calling" Is it absolutely alright in terms of parallelism?

I am also having same doubt you mentioned at bullet 3..
I dont know who the following structure is acceptable specially in GMAT.. :shock: :shock: :shock:
simple present, simple present and present continuous?

Can someone help?
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There is no problem with different tenses in parallel. The sentence has 3 clauses in parallel - the individual tenses of the verbs need NOT be same - theoretically it is alright.

I generally go to school, but now I am going to a pub... this is absolutely correct.
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While some propose to combat widespread illegal copying of computer 11 Oct 2016, 10:00
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nahid78


Thank you. Please explain this one too...

What is the differences between "suggest the reduction of" and "suggest reducing software prices"?
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The suggestion is for taking up an action - a gerund is closer to a verb (i.e. an action) than a concrete noun is. Hence "suggest reducing prices " should be preferable to "suggest the reduction".
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While some propose to combat widespread illegal copying of computer 11 Oct 2016, 17:32
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sayantanc2k
nahid78


Thank you. Please explain this one too...

What is the differences between "suggest the reduction of" and "suggest reducing software prices"?

The suggestion is for taking up an action - a gerund is closer to a verb (i.e. an action) than a concrete noun is. Hence "suggest reducing prices " should be preferable to "suggest the reduction".
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So here we are applying V-A-N diagram; Verb is preferable to adjective, and adjective is preferable to Noun. As (V+ing) form is closer to verb, it is also preferable to Adjective and noun.
I think now it is clear to me. Thank you :)
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While some propose to combat widespread illegal copying of computer 13 Oct 2016, 10:55
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nahid78
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Thank you. Please explain this one too...

What is the differences between "suggest the reduction of" and "suggest reducing software prices"?

The suggestion is for taking up an action - a gerund is closer to a verb (i.e. an action) than a concrete noun is. Hence "suggest reducing prices " should be preferable to "suggest the reduction".


So here we are applying V-A-N diagram; Verb is preferable to adjective, and adjective is preferable to Noun. As (V+ing) form is closer to verb, it is also preferable to Adjective and noun.
I think now it is clear to me. Thank you :)
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Not exactly, both are nouns - the VAN rule is applicable when the parts of speech are different. There are cases where a concrete noun is preferable to a gerund, and when you apply this rule (this is not though), you will be wrong.

An action is closer to gerund - since an action is meant, a gerund is preferred: this is my reasoning, not the VAN rule.
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While some propose to combat widespread illegal copying of computer 13 Oct 2016, 12:24
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does "others are calling " in E seem bit awkward as compared to the rest of the sentence?
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While some propose to combat widespread illegal copying of computer 15 Oct 2016, 09:04
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warriorguy
does "others are calling " in E seem bit awkward as compared to the rest of the sentence?
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Simple present would probably be better, but using present continuous is grammatically not wrong, and meaning is also alright.
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While some propose to combat widespread illegal copying of computer 18 Oct 2016, 11:00
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Temurkhon
imho,

suggest can be used only in two forms: "suggest that..." OR suggest+gerund. So, A and E remains

E more parallel
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No, this is not correct. The verb "suggest" CAN take a noun as object.

My professor suggested the topic... correct.

(Moreover suggest can also take an infinitive: I suggest you not to leave)
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While some propose to combat widespread illegal copying of computer 05 Jun 2017, 19:45
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While some propose to combat widespread illegal copying of computer programs by attempting to change people's attitudes toward pirating, others by suggesting reducing software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others by calling for the prosecution of those who copy software illegally.

(A) by suggesting reducing software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others by calling
(B) by suggesting the reduction of software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others call
(C) suggest the reduction of software prices for decreasing the incentive for pirating, and still others call
(D) suggest the reduction of software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others by calling
(E) suggest reducing software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others are calling

GMATNinjaTwo Could you help to explain "the reduction of" vs "reducing" & "call" vs "are calling" in answers (C) and (E)?
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While some propose to combat widespread illegal copying of computer 08 Jun 2017, 04:57
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While some propose to combat widespread illegal copying of computer programs by attempting to change people's attitudes toward pirating, others by suggesting reducing software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others by calling for the prosecution of those who copy software illegally.

(A) by suggesting reducing software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others by calling
(B) by suggesting the reduction of software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others call
(C) suggest the reduction of software prices for decreasing the incentive for pirating, and still others call
(D) suggest the reduction of software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others by calling
(E) suggest reducing software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others are calling

GMATNinjaTwo Could you help to explain "the reduction of" vs "reducing" & "call" vs "are calling" in answers (C) and (E)?
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"Reducing" and "Reduction":
For depicting a sense of taking some action, gerund suits better (though a concrete noun is gramatically not incorrect). Moroever "the" in option C is incorrect. The article should be "a".

"Call" and "are calling":
Both are gramatically alright in my opinion.
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While some propose to combat widespread illegal copying of computer 12 Jun 2017, 03:36
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While some propose to combat widespread illegal copying of computer programs by attempting to change people's attitudes toward pirating, others by suggesting reducing software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others by calling for the prosecution of those who copy software illegally.

(A) by suggesting reducing software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others by calling

(B) by suggesting the reduction of software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others call

(C) suggest the reduction of software prices for decreasing the incentive for pirating, and still others call

(D) suggest the reduction of software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others by calling

(E) suggest reducing software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others are calling
--> correct.
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While some propose to combat widespread illegal copying of computer 20 Sep 2017, 19:04
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Could you help me understand why is Option E preferred to Option C.
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While some propose to combat widespread illegal copying of computer 26 Sep 2017, 02:30
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SafalSharma
Could you help me understand why is Option E preferred to Option C.
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Hello SafalSharma,

I will be glad to help you with this one. :-)

Let's take a look at Choice C:

suggest the reduction of software prices for decreasing the incentive for pirating, and still others call: Incorrect

i. This choice is incorrect for the usage of for decreasing. Per the context of the sentence, the purpose of reducing software prices is to decrease the incentive for pirating. Hence, the correct phrase is to decrease to show the purpose/intent.


Let's look at Choice E now:

suggest reducing software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others are calling: Correct

This choice is correct for maintaining parallelism among the structures - some propose, others suggest, and others are calling. I do agree that the last verb can very well be written in simple present tense. However, this is the only grammatically as well as logically correct answer choice.


Hope this helps. :-)
Thanks.
Shraddha
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While some propose to combat widespread illegal copying of computer 01 Oct 2018, 01:43
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I agree with Eden. Certainly this is not a topic that will stand good to common reasoning, especially the way non-natives like me have been taught to look at parallelism. The three verbs in tandem are the present tense- propose, suggest and are calling-, as found in E, although the third verb is a bit of a baffle in that it is a present progressive. But considering that the other nearest choice C, which maintains almost equal parallelism among all the three verbs under question, has serious idiomatic flaws such as ‘for decreasing’, we have to grudgingly reconcile to Choice E.
Choice A is a fragment; B and D fault on parallelism.

This is as far as I could go on this. Incidentally, was this choice ever carried over from OG 10 to OG 11 and then on to OG 12? I doubt.
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As it is given in option C,if for decresing is wrong than for pirating should also be wrong.But that is not case.Parallel stucture is not maintained in C.

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While some propose to combat widespread illegal copying of computer 01 Oct 2018, 01:48
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egmat
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Could you help me understand why is Option E preferred to Option C.


Hello SafalSharma,

I will be glad to help you with this one. :-)

Let's take a look at Choice C:

suggest the reduction of software prices for decreasing the incentive for pirating, and still others call: Incorrect

i. This choice is incorrect for the usage of for decreasing. Per the context of the sentence, the purpose of reducing software prices is to decrease the incentive for pirating. Hence, the correct phrase is to decrease to show the purpose/intent.


Let's look at Choice E now:

suggest reducing software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others are calling: Correct

This choice is correct for maintaining parallelism among the structures - some propose, others suggest, and others are calling. I do agree that the last verb can very well be written in simple present tense. However, this is the only grammatically as well as logically correct answer choice.


Hope this helps. :-)
Thanks.
Shraddha
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Could you please tell us why for decresing is wrong while for pirating is correct.

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While some propose to combat widespread illegal copying of computer 26 Dec 2018, 05:24
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This is not a genuine GMATPrep question.

This is a simulated version of an original OG 10 topic as given below.

Quote:
https://gmatclub.com/forum/while-some-propose-to-combat-widespread-illegal-copying-of-computer-151395.html

While some propose to combat widespread illegal copying of computer programs by attempting to change people's attitudes toward pirating, others by suggesting reducing software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others by calling for the prosecution of those who copy software illegally.


(A) by suggesting reducing software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others by calling

(B) by suggesting the reduction of software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others call

(C) suggest the reduction of software prices for decreasing the incentive for pirating, and still others call

(D) suggest the reduction of software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others by calling

(E) suggest reducing software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others are calling

Ans E:

MGMAT's comments


While some propose to combat widespread illegal copying of computer programs by attempting to change people's attitudes toward pirating, others by suggesting reducing software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others by calling for the prosecution of those who copy software illegally.

A)by suggesting reducing software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others by calling

B)by suggesting the reduction of software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others call

C)suggest the reduction of software prices for decreasing the incentive for pirating, and still others call

D)suggest the reduction of software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others by calling

E)suggest reducing software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others are calling

The parallel verbs are some PROPOSE (to combat), SUGGEST (reducing), and ARE CALLING (for X). All three verbs are in the present tense (although the third is in the present progressive, it's still considered present). If I could wave a wand, I would choose to make the third verb CALL, not ARE CALLING, but I don't have that option while retaining correct grammar in the rest of the sentence (e.g., in choice C, the expression "for decreasing" is definitely incorrect -- you must express the intended result of "reducing software prices" with an INFINITIVE such as "to decrease").
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Now you can see the same logic to the given question and see whether it is ok to take E as the most parallel in the given context
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While some propose to combat widespread illegal copying of computer 10 Jun 2020, 00:55
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egmat please could you let me know if my POE is correct?

While some propose to combat widespread illegal copying of computer programs by attempting to change people's attitudes toward pirating, others by suggesting reducing software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others by calling for the prosecution of those who copy software illegally.


(A) by suggesting reducing software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others by calling
Parallelism error - Here the verbs some propose, others by suggesting, and still others by calling - are not parallel

(B) by suggesting the reduction of software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others call
Parallelism error - as with (A)
Structure - The reduction of seems a bit off. Please could you correct me?

(C) suggest the reduction of software prices for decreasing the incentive for pirating, and still others call
Infinitive needed - As per the context we know that the prices are being decreased for the purpose of reducing the incentives for pirating. Thus we need "to+verb"
The parallelism error is rectified

(D) suggest the reduction of software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others by calling
Parallelism error - as with (A)
Structure error - as with (B)

(E) suggest reducing software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others are calling
Parallelism error - rectified
to +verb - rectified
structure - rectified - suggest reducing software prices > suggest the reduction of software prices
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While some propose to combat widespread illegal copying of computer 14 Feb 2021, 18:58
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I am baffled with this question. I am still not able to understand what is the key learning that i can take from options C and E.

I read the above explanations, but still not so clear as some mentioned : for decreasing is wrong, 2 ing together is wrong, gmat doesn't prefer this.

Please help to explain AndrewN GMATNinja .
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While some propose to combat widespread illegal copying of computer 15 Feb 2021, 13:30
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mSKR
I am baffled with this question. I am still not able to understand what is the key learning that i can take from options C and E.

I read the above explanations, but still not so clear as some mentioned : for decreasing is wrong, 2 ing together is wrong, gmat doesn't prefer this.

Please help to explain AndrewN GMATNinja .
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Yes, mSKR, this is not a pretty question. I echo the thoughts of daagh in the Most Helpful Expert Reply. I suppose the takeaway is to choose the lesser of two evils. Compare (C) and (E) side by side:

Quote:
While some propose to combat widespread illegal copying of computer programs by attempting to change people's attitudes toward pirating, others by suggesting reducing software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others by calling for the prosecution of those who copy software illegally.

(C) suggest the reduction of software prices for decreasing the incentive for pirating, and still others call
(E) suggest reducing software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others are calling
Show more
Split #1: the reduction of v. reducing
Analysis: The GMAT™ tends to favor more concise options, although the reduction of better parallels the prosecution of in the non-underlined portion of the sentence. I would not necessarily favor one answer choice over the other on this consideration alone.

Split #2: for decreasing v. to decrease
Analysis: No case can be made for the former in the context of this sentence. The shortened in order to wins, hands down, as the only idiomatic option. Split #2 goes to (E).

Split #3: call v. are calling
Analysis: The parallelism of the verbs favors the former: some propose... others suggest... and still others call. But is the present progressive actually wrong at the end of the list? No. It is certainly less parallel, but the meaning and tense are both fine. Again, I would not rely on this split alone to determine an answer.

Of the options presented, then, (E) makes a more compelling case than (C) based on a single fatal flaw in (C). If you are certain something is wrong in one answer, then choose another, even if it makes you uncomfortable. I cannot tell you how many questions I have missed in practice because I liked one part of an answer choice better than its counterpart in another, but after getting burned so many times, I started to take the other route, and that is why I teach others to get rid of answer choices only if they are sure something is wrong in them.

I wish I had a more satisfactory answer, but this is just a less-than-ideal question.

- Andrew
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While some propose to combat widespread illegal copying of computer 18 Apr 2022, 18:08
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AndrewN
mSKR
I am baffled with this question. I am still not able to understand what is the key learning that i can take from options C and E.

I read the above explanations, but still not so clear as some mentioned : for decreasing is wrong, 2 ing together is wrong, gmat doesn't prefer this.

Please help to explain AndrewN GMATNinja .
Yes, mSKR, this is not a pretty question. I echo the thoughts of daagh in the Most Helpful Expert Reply. I suppose the takeaway is to choose the lesser of two evils. Compare (C) and (E) side by side:

Quote:
While some propose to combat widespread illegal copying of computer programs by attempting to change people's attitudes toward pirating, others by suggesting reducing software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others by calling for the prosecution of those who copy software illegally.

(C) suggest the reduction of software prices for decreasing the incentive for pirating, and still others call
(E) suggest reducing software prices to decrease the incentive for pirating, and still others are calling
Split #1: the reduction of v. reducing
Analysis: The GMAT™ tends to favor more concise options, although the reduction of better parallels the prosecution of in the non-underlined portion of the sentence. I would not necessarily favor one answer choice over the other on this consideration alone.

Split #2: for decreasing v. to decrease
Analysis: No case can be made for the former in the context of this sentence. The shortened in order to wins, hands down, as the only idiomatic option. Split #2 goes to (E).

Split #3: call v. are calling
Analysis: The parallelism of the verbs favors the former: some propose... others suggest... and still others call. But is the present progressive actually wrong at the end of the list? No. It is certainly less parallel, but the meaning and tense are both fine. Again, I would not rely on this split alone to determine an answer.

Of the options presented, then, (E) makes a more compelling case than (C) based on a single fatal flaw in (C). If you are certain something is wrong in one answer, then choose another, even if it makes you uncomfortable. I cannot tell you how many questions I have missed in practice because I liked one part of an answer choice better than its counterpart in another, but after getting burned so many times, I started to take the other route, and that is why I teach others to get rid of answer choices only if they are sure something is wrong in them.

I wish I had a more satisfactory answer, but this is just a less-than-ideal question.

- Andrew
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Hi AndrewN

So can we conclude if we face a situation like this, when we are torn between 2 options in which one has an erroneous idiomatic usage and the other has a parallelism flaw, we should opt for the choice that has a correct idiomatic usage ? Does the GMAT considers unidiomatic usage more wrong than faulty parallelism ?
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While some propose to combat widespread illegal copying of computer 19 Apr 2022, 00:44
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Namangupta1997

Hi AndrewN

So can we conclude if we face a situation like this, when we are torn between 2 options in which one has an erroneous idiomatic usage and the other has a parallelism flaw, we should opt for the choice that has a correct idiomatic usage ? Does the GMAT considers unidiomatic usage more wrong than faulty parallelism ?
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I am sure Andrew will help you with this better than I can. But, I have just a suggestion to give- If stuck between two choices, try to look for the most apt meaning conveyed through that sentence. Here, in this sentence, you could choose (E) over (C) just by doing that. sayantanc2k 's answer here might help you get what I mean.
Sayantanc2k
The suggestion is for taking up an action - a gerund is closer to a verb (i.e. an action) than a concrete noun is. Hence "suggest reducing prices " should be preferable to "suggest the reduction".
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