While the marketing department projected robust sales throughout the

Question

While the marketing department projected robust sales throughout the summer, typically Allport Corporation’s biggest season, the drought in Midwestern states limited total revenue to only $300 million in the third quarter.

(A) typically Allport Corporation’s biggest season, the drought in Midwestern states limited total revenue to only
correct

(B) Allport Corporation’s biggest typical season, the drought in Midwestern states limited only total revenue to
limited only is not the same as limited to only 300 mln

(C) which typically is Allport Corporation’s biggest season, the drought in Midwestern states only limited total revenue to
only limited - meaning error.

(D) which is typically Allport Corporation’s biggest season, the drought in Midwestern states limiting total revenue to only
no verb

(E) Allport Corporation’s biggest typical season, the drought in Midwestern states only limiting total revenue to
same error as in b + no verb

mikemcgarry · Accepted Answer

Dear Maggie27, I'm happy to respond. :-)

Here's the OA sentence: While the marketing department projected robust sales throughout the summer, typically Allport Corporation’s biggest season, the drought in Midwestern states limited total revenue to only $300 million in the third quarter . The adverb " typically " is definitely not modifying " summer ." If we ask, then, what IS the word " typically " modifying, that gets us into very subtle territory. First of all, let's turn that one little piece of the larger sentence into its own mini-sentence: Summer is typically Allport Corporation’s biggest season . In that mini-sentence, the word " typically " is clearly modifying the verb " is ." That gives a clue. In the larger sentence, the phrase following the word " summer " is an appositive phrase. For more on these, see: https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/gmat-gramm ... e-phrases/ Suppose the word " typically " weren't there. Then this part of the sentence would be "... throughout the summer, Allport Corporation’s biggest season, ..." That would communicate that summer is definitely, without a doubt, always Allport's biggest season, 100% of the time. Instead, when we add the word " typically " ... "... throughout the summer, typically Allport Corporation’s biggest season, ..." this qualifies the relationship between the noun and the appositive phrase. It softens the identification. Now, instead of saying that summer is always, 100%, the biggest season, instead we are saying that summer is usually the biggest season, the biggest most of the time but not necessarily all of the time. Technically, the adverb " typically " is modifying the relationship between the noun " summer " and the appositive phrase that modifies it. That's very complex, and certainly you do not need to understand subtleties such as this. You do need to recognize, though, that the OA of this question is grammatically correct. Does all this make sense? Mike :-)

mikemcgarry · Answer

Dear Shyam123123 , I'm happy to respond. :-)

Here's the question again. Just so you know, if you follow the link posted with the question, you will find a full text explanation of the question. :-)

Here's the question again: While the marketing department projected robust sales throughout the summer, typically Allport Corporation’s biggest season, the drought in Midwestern states limited total revenue to only $300 million in the third quarter. (A) typically Allport Corporation’s biggest season, the drought in Midwestern states limited total revenue to only (B) Allport Corporation’s biggest typical season, the drought in Midwestern states limited only total revenue to (C) which typically is Allport Corporation’s biggest season, the drought in Midwestern states only limited total revenue to (D) which is typically Allport Corporation’s biggest season, the drought in Midwestern states limiting total revenue to only (E) Allport Corporation’s biggest typical season, the drought in Midwestern states only limiting total revenue to Think about version (D) . While the marketing department projected robust sales throughout the summer, which is typically Allport Corporation’s biggest season, the drought in Midwestern states limiting total revenue to only only $300 million in the third quarter. Think about the design of that entire sentence: " While the marketing department projected robust sales throughout the summer " = subordinate clause " which is typically Allport Corporation’s biggest season " = noun modifier for " summer " " the drought in Midwestern states limiting total revenue to only only $300 million in the third quarter " = absolute phrase Now, here's the real paradox. Each one of those three pieces is grammatically and logically perfect. We have a perfect subordinate clause, a perfect noun modifier clause (a relative clause), and a perfect absolute phrase. All great. The problem is: we don't have an independent clause. We don't have a main subject and a main verb, and every sentence needs this. As it stands, version (D) is not a complete sentence! In version (D) , we have tossed together a combination of grammatically correct parts, but the part that we really need is not there! This is why (D) is wrong. For more information, see: https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/gmat-gramm ... b-mistake/ That's what is tricky about version (D) . You see, when you do GMAT SC, you have to "look small" and "look big" at the same time. Some of the splits in this sentence are small details: for example, the placement of the word " only " or the " typical "/" typically " split. Version (D) gets all the small details correct, but unfortunate, at the "big" level, at the level of a full sentence, (D) doesn't work because it's not a complete sentence: it lacks the main subject and main verb that every sentence needs. No single part of if is incorrect by itself, but the whole is incorrect, because the mistake is not what is present but what is absent. In moral theology, folks sometimes talk about the difference between " sins of commission " (those bad things I actively do) vs. " sins of omission " (the times I do something bad by not taking action, by my silence or my avoidance). It's like this with GMAT SC. Sometimes the mistake is what appears in the sentence, and sometimes, everything that appears is mistake free, but the mistake is what is missing. The problem in (D) is a "sin of omission." Does all this make sense? Mike :-)

aditya8062 · Answer

hi mike

i picked up A in this :   typically Allport Corporation’s biggest season, the drought in Midwestern states limited total revenue to only

my reasoning :  "only"  should qualify  "$300 million"  .only choice A and D do so . the problem with D is that D is not even a sentence (does not have an independent clause) . hence A

IVYCRACKERS.COM · Answer

It's a good question. I chose A as the second part clearly modifies the first part, and the third part introduces a contrast that satisfies the "While".

IVYCRACKERS.COM · Answer

I chose A for the following reasons:-
First of all "typically Allport Corporation’s biggest season" modifies the summer.
Second, "While" at the beginning of the sentence introduces contrast that is later completed by the third part of the sentence "the drought in Midwestern states limited total revenue to only  $300 million in the third quarter."
B changes the meaning and implies that summers is a typical season, whereas the original meaning is that summer is typically the biggest season. Also, the word "only" should be placed before $ 300 million as "only" limits that dollar amount.
C & D both have misplaced modifier "only".
E) reasoning same as B

anyibuofu · Answer

I agree that "Only" modifies 300million, but could "only" be redundant given the use of "limited"? 
Hence, limited total revenue to 300million.

Granted only was in all 5 choices and hence no need to worry about it but focus on its rightful placement. I was just curious of the usage with limited..

maggie27 · Answer

Isn't "typically" an adverb modifier and "summer" a noun? If so then how is "typically" modifying "summer" correctly? Please explain.

maggie27 · Answer

Yes Mike, It did! Thanks much

Shyam123123 · Answer

Can any 1 tell me y is the option d wrong. According to me, the adjective clause is modifying summer currently. Experts plz help

Posted from my mobile device

mvictor · Answer

While the marketing department projected robust sales throughout the summer, typically Allport Corporation’s biggest season, the drought in Midwestern states limited total revenue to only $300 million in the third quarter.

(A) typically Allport Corporation’s biggest season, the drought in Midwestern states limited total revenue to only
correct

(B) Allport Corporation’s biggest typical season, the drought in Midwestern states limited only total revenue to
limited only is not the same as limited to only 300 mln

(C) which typically is Allport Corporation’s biggest season, the drought in Midwestern states only limited total revenue to
only limited - meaning error.

(D) which is typically Allport Corporation’s biggest season, the drought in Midwestern states limiting total revenue to only
no verb

(E) Allport Corporation’s biggest typical season, the drought in Midwestern states only limiting total revenue to
same error as in b + no verb

GGMU · Answer

While the marketing department projected robust sales throughout the summer,  typically Allport Corporation's biggest season, the drought in Midwestern states limited total revenue to only  $300 million in the third quarter.

a) typically Allport Corporation's biggest season, the drought in Midwestern states limited total revenue to only
b) Allport Corporation's biggest typical season, the drought in Midwestern states limited only total revenue to
c) which typically is Allport Corporation's biggest season, the drought in Midwestern states only limited total revenue to
d) which is Allport Corporation's biggest typical season, the drought in Midwestern states limited total revenue to only
e) typically Allport Corporation's biggest season, the drought in Midwestern states only limiting total revenue to

GGMU · Answer

Can anyone explain why D is wrong?

rocko911 · Answer

I guess maybe the modifier (which is----season) is actually not a modifier and it has Subject,verb and object?

Im not sure....Need some good explanation

Nishant32 · Answer

The problem with D answer choice is "biggest typical season", whereas it should be typically biggest season.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using  GMAT Club Forum mobile app

KS15 · Answer

Let us look at the two contenders A and D. 
A says typically AC's biggest season-meaning summer is typically AC's biggest season is terms of sales 
D says biggest typical season(changes the meaning)-Meaning AC has many such typical seasons but summer is the biggest of them all-OUT

Answer A

GMATINSECT · Answer

Hi Mike ,

I went down to A & D ended up with A .

felt "only" is essential when we are describing some amount of money . However I took 2 mins 30 seconds to choose A.

Nice one !

gauravjain0211 · Answer

What is the difference between
"Which typically is"
and "which is typically"

sayantanc2k · Answer

No difference in meaning - an adverb can be placed before or after the verb. Example:

I can see clearly.
I can clearly see.

Both mean the same - the end position is more frequently used.

gauravjain0211 · Answer

aditya8062

While the marketing department projected robust sales throughout the

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GMAT Sentence Correction (SC - EA only) Questions

While the marketing department projected robust sales throughout the

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