Diesel Engines burn as much as 30 percent less fuel than

[MoriofMay]

ok:


SHORT STORY

if you see "noun (no comma) having __ed"...
...don't pick it.



LONG STORY

the distinction betwen "who/that ____" and "having ____ed" is explained here:
https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/foru ... ml#p112670
go read that.
.
.
.
.
.
ok, you read it.
so, here's the thing: once you have done something... well, that's true forever.
e.g., if you have seen a certain movie, or if you have smoked cigarettes, or if you have done just about anything... then you never STOP being "someone who has seen the movie", or "someone who has smoked cigarettes", etc.
these descriptions remain true in perpetuity. forever and ever and ever amen.

so, i can't think of a situation in which "having __ed" (without a comma) makes much sense, since that would imply that "having __ed" is a temporary state. hm.

--

NOTE: this DOES NOT apply to "having __ed" after a COMMA, since such a thing could quite well describe the action of the preceding sentence.
e.g.
https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/foru ... t4380.html

It's so nice of you give me such a clear and inspring explanation. I used to consider GMAT a torture,especially after my second exam, but when I came across your "Thursday with Ron", I find GMAT interesting. Thank you so much!

[RonPurewal]

you're welcome.

[RonPurewal]

the 'torture' comment is interesting, by the way. if you consider the gmat your 'enemy', it will be impossible for you to do well on the test.

instead, you need to think of it as a game.
whenever you play a game—whether it's a sport, or a video game, or just a random spontaneous competition with friends—you're probably good at inventing strategies (usually on the spot) and at reacting to the current situation.

there are 2 reasons you're able to do these things, neither of which is 'intelligence':
1/ the fact that you're personally involved in the game,
2/ the fact that you don't hate the game.

#2 is especially important. if you decide that you hate something, you'll NEVER understand it. this goes for puzzles, people, ...anything, even your own self.

[pappup5]

they aren't. from this example, you can learn that 'as well as' is not strictly a parallel marker.

Hi Ron,

Sorry - I am having a little difficulty understanding this. Can you please help me understand the following :-

Example :- Susan goes to school.
Susan goes to the playground.

Combine :- Susan goes to school as well as the playground
> Q1) since "as well as" in not a parallel marker, is the positioning of "to" correct or should the sentence read
"Susan goes to school as well as to the playground" ?

Diesel engines burn as much as 30% less fuel than gasoline engines of comparable size, as well as emitting far less carbon dioxide gas and far fewer of the other gases that have been implicated in global warming.

Breakdown - Diesel engines burn as much as 30% less fuel than gasoline engines of comparable size.
Diesel engines "emitting" far less carbon dioxide gas and far fewer of the other gases that have been implicated in global warming.

> Q2) Can you please confirm if I understand this correctly?

If yes then the second clause sounds a little strange. I am a non native speaker of the English language, could that be a reason?
I was able to eliminate other choice(based on rules around few, less etc.) and single A out as the best choice but it took me a while (around 4- 5 minutes), so can you also provide an example for this kind of a question.

Thanks in advance.

[PrakharS433]

Hi Ron,

I have gone through MGMAT SC book ( Edition 6) and have few queries.
Can you please help ..??
I am posting my queries on this thread as i don't know how to PM you ( If its possible)
Or Let me know what is the appropriate way to post query..?


Querry 1-

Everyone is Singular or Plural...??
On Page 27 MGMAT SC (6th Edition) its mentioned
Does everyone HAVE his or her book --> Is correct sentence
But, According to me it should be HAS.

Even in the book on page 163 mentioned that EVERYONE takes singular verb.

Query 2-

On page 69, there is an example given,

The manager froze and was unable to say anything WHEN he was pushed to justify his decision; he eventually broke down in tears.

We use WHEN to modify time, but here it is not modifying any time frame.

Query 3-

On page 88, there is an example-

In today's news, technology stocks are up, while the pharmaceutical, energy, and retail sectors are down. (CORRECT)

Aren't we comparing STOCKS with SECTORS...??
So, according to me this sentence is incorrect. What I am missing..??

Query 4-

On page 133 there is a sentence.

The local government has built the school that was destroyed by the earthquake. (Incorrect)
I agree--> present perfect is wrong tense here.

The correct version is-

A) The local governmentbuilt the school that was destroyed by the earthquake. (Correct)

B) The local governmenthad built the school that was destroyed by the earthquake. (Correct)

As per book, both options are correct
But what I have learnt is, if we are getting timeline details in a modifier then it has NO ROLE on the main verb of the sentence.

Eg- The local government had built the school that was destroyed by the earthquake.

In this sentence that was destroyed by the earthquake is only telling about school
So the main verb should be BUILT not HAD BUILT

How's option B is correct....??


My LAST Query 5 - on which I am seriously struggling with---> PRONOUN AMBIGUITY

On page 193, there is an example-

The board is investigating the compensation packages of several EXECUTIVES in order to determine how much they may have been improperly awarded. (CORRECT)

As per book, there is no pronoun ambiguity.
We have two plural nouns--> Executives and packages.
So, THEY can refer to packages as well (Why is this correct)

Additionally, the pronouns should not refer to Nouns in prepositional phrases
Here-

compensation packages of several EXECUTIVES
Executives is an object of preposition 'of'---> so, it can't be noun for THEY.

Why this sentence is correct...??

If there are 2 or 3 plural nouns and after that there is a plural pronoun.
Sometimes, GMAT says there is no ambiguity and sometimes GMAT says its ambigious...

I am seriously facing issue with PRONOUN AMBIGUITY. Please suggest how can I grasp this topic..??



Please assist.

Thanks and Regards,
Prakhar

[aflaamM589]

If the two issues with B are resolved, then will it be better than A?

A)of comparable size, as well as emitting far less carbon dioxide gas and far fewer of the other gases that have

B)of comparable size as well as emit far less carbon dioxide gas and far fewer of the other gases that have

As well as is not strictly a parallell marker, but will it be better if we get something parallell?
OR
no verb after as well as what so ever?

Moreover, Ron why can't we use less gases? Is it because with plural, fewer is used?
Thanks

[RonPurewal]

If the two issues with B are resolved, then will it be better than A?

again—
DO NOT 'make your own versions' of GMAC's sentences.
really.
don't do it.

the GMAT only tests 1-2% of the things that can actually go wrong with english sentences (and even that may be an overestimate).
when random users try to 'edit' these sentences, the result is almost always inferior or incorrect—for reasons that the GMAT doesn't test.

making your own examples is good, but they should be...
...1/ your own examples,
...2/ SIMPLE examples, each illustrating only ONE concept (that is actually tested on this exam).

as far as the official problems are concerned, the given answer choices should be challenging enough already.
(:

[pappup5]

Hi Ron,

Can you please answer my questions- 3 posts above ? Thanks

[RonPurewal]

i can't really tell what you are asking in your question 1.

that's a construction that is NOT a parallel signal. i can't exactly determine what you're trying to do with it, but it seems you may be still trying to analyze it as a parallel construction.
it isn't one.

really, this is just one idiosyncratic usage. i haven't seen any other similar constructions with "as well as" in any other official problems, anywhere. so, the best advice here is probably just "don't worry about this, since the chance that you'll actually see this exact thing again is essentially zero".

[pappup5]

i can't really tell what you are asking in your question 1.

that's a construction that is NOT a parallel signal. i can't exactly determine what you're trying to do with it, but it seems you may be still trying to analyze it as a parallel construction.
it isn't one.

really, this is just one idiosyncratic usage. i haven't seen any other similar constructions with "as well as" in any other official problems, anywhere. so, the best advice here is probably just "don't worry about this, since the chance that you'll actually see this exact thing again is essentially zero".

Hi Ron,

Thanks for the confirmation :-

Combine :- Susan goes to school as well as the playground
> Q1) since "as well as" in not a parallel marker, is the positioning of "to" correct or should the sentence read
"Susan goes to school as well as to the playground" ?

Basically I meant that should we have two "to's" in this sentence for sake of clarity or is one "to" sufficient?
Also, how does the presence of "as well as"affect the choice you make?

Thanks in advance.

[RonPurewal]

either of those versions would be fine.

[pappup5]

either of those versions would be fine.

Thanks Ron

[RonPurewal]

you're welcome.

[NinaP494]

Ron:

I am having a hard time wrapping my head around construction in A.

"As well as emitting far less CO2....., diesel engines burn 30% less fuel..." sounds fine to me. But the inverted order of A, "Diesel engines burn 30% less fuel...as well as emitting far less CO2..." is grating to my ear.

It is almost like writing 'Michelangelo can paint as well sculpting' instead of 'Michelangelo can paint as well as sculpt' or "As well as sculpting, M'angelo can paint"

I am not questioning the right answer but can you please help me internalize this type of structure? Thanks

[RonPurewal]

there's not much i can tell you, other than "it's not wrong."

your "ear" is irrelevant. this is a test of WRITTEN english, not spoken english.