If current trends continue, by the year 2010 carbon emission

[rschunti]

This is GMATPREP question

If current trends continue, by the year 2010 carbon emissions in the United States will soar to a level more than one-third higher than were those in 1990, according to official projections.
A. will soar to a level more than one-third higher than were those
B. will soar to a level more than one-third higher than that
C. would soar to a level more than one-third higher than is was
D. would soar to a level more than one-third higher than those
E. would soar to a level more than one-third higher than they were

I chose E. So what is wrong with answer "E"? What is the correct answer. How to decide between will and would.Thanks

[dingo001]

This is GMATPREP question

If current trends continue, by the year 2010 carbon emissions in the United States will soar to a level more than one-third higher than were those in 1990, according to official projections.
A. will soar to a level more than one-third higher than were those
B. will soar to a level more than one-third higher than that
C. would soar to a level more than one-third higher than is was
D. would soar to a level more than one-third higher than those
E. would soar to a level more than one-third higher than they were

I chose E. So what is wrong with answer "E"? What is the correct answer. How to decide between will and would.Thanks

I chose D over E. not E because we are comparing levels of carbon emissions in US, not US to another country. So when comparing one of X to another of X, those is appropriate

[rschunti]

Do you know what is error in "A" . Also OA is "B". So Why B is correct and others are wrong.

[vik]

Here the rule of if clause


real condition

if < present tense> , then clause < future tense or present>

Here would is wrong that comes '

Hypothetical if < were >, then would ....

if < had been> , then would + present perfect

so C D and E rules out.

Now A is wrong as those can to refer carbon emissions or current trends that is illogical ; B is correct captures the meaning " that refers to a level"

[RonPurewal]

you need 'will', not 'would'. 'would' is used if the hypothetical is in the past tense, while 'will' (future tense) is used if the hypothetical is in the present tense (as is the case here).
compare: if you tell that joke again, i will punch you.
that takes care of the last three answer choices.

as far as deciding a vs. b, just look at the pronoun that/those: it refers to the singular noun level. therefore, you must choose that, which is singular, so b > a.

also, the presence of a verb in choice a creates bad parallelism, because 'a level' does not have a verb. the two parts of the comparison must have the same grammatical structure; if the initial part (a level) doesn't have a verb, the second part can't have one either.

[Vignesh.4384]

you need 'will', not 'would'. 'would' is used if the hypothetical is in the past tense, while 'will' (future tense) is used if the hypothetical is in the present tense (as is the case here).
compare: if you tell that joke again, i will punch you.
that takes care of the last three answer choices.

as far as deciding a vs. b, just look at the pronoun that/those: it refers to the singular noun level. therefore, you must choose that, which is singular, so b > a.

also, the presence of a verb in choice a creates bad parallelism, because 'a level' does not have a verb. the two parts of the comparison must have the same grammatical structure; if the initial part (a level) doesn't have a verb, the second part can't have one either.

Hi Ron,

I agree B is the correct choice . I chose B . But i have a doubt in your explanation.

How do u say that is singular ? "That" is just restrictive phrase. That can be used to refer to a plural as well.

eg : The total number of eggs that were not broken during transit was small.

Here that restricts the plural eggs right ?? (that was my own eg .. i hope i am right)

Regards,
Vignesh

[alxndr]

"also, the presence of a verb in choice a creates bad parallelism, because 'a level' does not have a verb. the two parts of the comparison must have the same grammatical structure; if the initial part (a level) doesn't have a verb, the second part can't have one either. "

Vignesh, The usage is "that" in your sentence is different. I think if you had chosen an example where you compare, it would have been more clear.

The total number of eggs spoiled today were more than those spoiled yesterday.

The mental ability of Michael is more than that of Steve.

The emission level tommorrow will be more than that in 1990.

[RonPurewal]

you need 'will', not 'would'. 'would' is used if the hypothetical is in the past tense, while 'will' (future tense) is used if the hypothetical is in the present tense (as is the case here).
compare: if you tell that joke again, i will punch you.
that takes care of the last three answer choices.

as far as deciding a vs. b, just look at the pronoun that/those: it refers to the singular noun level. therefore, you must choose that, which is singular, so b > a.

also, the presence of a verb in choice a creates bad parallelism, because 'a level' does not have a verb. the two parts of the comparison must have the same grammatical structure; if the initial part (a level) doesn't have a verb, the second part can't have one either.

Hi Ron,

I agree B is the correct choice . I chose B . But i have a doubt in your explanation.

How do u say that is singular ? "That" is just restrictive phrase. That can be used to refer to a plural as well.

eg : The total number of eggs that were not broken during transit was small.

Here that restricts the plural eggs right ?? (that was my own eg .. i hope i am right)

Regards,
Vignesh

in your usage, 'that' isn't being used to STAND for a noun in a parallel construction, as it was in the originally posted sentence. in your usage, 'that' is being used in a different way: namely, to introduce a relative clause that modifies 'eggs'.

if you were going to use a pronoun in a parallel construction, to stand for 'eggs', then you'd have to choose a plural pronoun:
the eggs at this market are fresher than those at the other market.
in this sentence, you can't use 'that' to stand for 'eggs'. your sentence is of a different variety altogether; while correct, it's irrelevant to this particular discussion.

[zarak_khan]

Hi Ron,

I cant understand the following:

also, the presence of a verb in choice a creates bad parallelism, because 'a level' does not have a verb. the two parts of the comparison must have the same grammatical structure; if the initial part (a level) doesn't have a verb, the second part can't have one either.

Can you change the question sentence into a correct construction that uses verbs in both parts?

Thanks!

[RonPurewal]

Hi Ron,

I cant understand the following:

also, the presence of a verb in choice a creates bad parallelism, because 'a level' does not have a verb. the two parts of the comparison must have the same grammatical structure; if the initial part (a level) doesn't have a verb, the second part can't have one either.

Can you change the question sentence into a correct construction that uses verbs in both parts?

Thanks!

sure -- here's one such version

If current trends continue, by the year 2010 carbon emissions in the United States will soar to a level that is more than one-third higher than was the level in 1990.

[alvin8139]

sure -- here's one such version

If current trends continue, by the year 2010 carbon emissions in the United States will soar to a level that is more than one-third higher than was the level in 1990.

I have a question regarding when helping verb is necessary in comparison.

In the above example, why 'was' is necessary?

And in this example sited by Ron: "the eggs at this market are fresher than those at the other market. "

Why we don't add "are" before "those"?

Is the ONLY rule to decide whether helping verbs are needed is through context? Or can I say if there are NO OBJECT in the sentence, then I must include helping verb, as the examples sited below shown (and same rules apply in the above two examples?)

I eat faster than you (correct)
I eat apple faster than you do (correct)
I eat apple faster than you (incorrect).

[RonPurewal]

In the above example, why 'was' is necessary?

And in this example sited by Ron: "the eggs at this market are fresher than those at the other market. "

Why we don't add "are" before "those"?

the reason you need to include "was" in the first example is because it constitutes a CHANGE of tense.
the construction to which it is parallel is in the present tense, but this meaning in the past tense. if you do not explicitly include a past tense verb, that meaning will be lost -- if there is no verb, the construction will simply be assumed to be in the same tense as the verb that actually does exist.

in your example, there is no change of tense, so there is no reason to include another helping verb. (the construction would not be incorrect if you did include such a helping verb -- it's just not necessary.)

Is the ONLY rule to decide whether helping verbs are needed is through context? Or can I say if there are NO OBJECT in the sentence, then I must include helping verb, as the examples sited below shown (and same rules apply in the above two examples?)

I eat faster than you (correct)
I eat apple faster than you do (correct)
I eat apple faster than you (incorrect).

there are two instances in which a helping verb is needed:
1) change of tense (see the example above)
2) the sentence is ambiguous without the helping verb.

as far as #2, consider the following two sentences:
i can lift more weight than my brother
i know more about shakespeare than my brother

the second of these is incorrect, because it's ambiguous -- it could carry one of two meanings:
1) i know more about shakespeare than my brother knows about shakespeare
2) i know more about shakespeare than i know about my own brother

the first is not ambiguous in this way:
1) i can lift more weight than my brother can lift --> PROPERLY PARALLEL ("i" and "my brother" are parallel)
2) you can't construct a meaning that is like #2 above, since "weight" and "my brother" are not parallel constructions.

your final sentence -- "i can eat an apple faster than you" -- is actually ok, since it is like my latter example: there is no ambiguity, and there is also no change of tense.

[s.ashwin.rao]

Boy too much in one post...just one question isn't "more than one-third higher than" redundant? What is the use of "more than" here.

[RonPurewal]

Boy too much in one post...just one question isn't "more than one-third higher than" redundant?

first --
OFFICIALLY CORRECT ANSWERS ARE CORRECT!
do not question officially correct answers!
far too many students on this forum make the mistake of questioning the correct answers; please note that doing so is a complete waste of your time and effort. i.e., exactly 0% of the time that you spend posting "isn't this official answer wrong?" is productive, and exactly 100% of that time is wasted.

"is this correct?" is NEVER a productive question to ask about one of GMAC's correct answers -- the answer is always yes.
"is this wrong?" / "is this X type of error?" is NEVER a productive question to ask about one of GMAC's correct answers -- the answer is always no.

instead, the questions you should be asking about correct official answers, if you don't understand them, are:
"why is this correct?"
"how does this work?"
"what understanding am i lacking that i need to understand this choice?"

this is a small, but hugely significant, change to your way of thinking -- you will suddenly find it much easier to understand the format, style, and conventions of the official problems if you dispose of the idea that they might be wrong.

What is the use of "more than" here.

i'm not sure i understand the question -- but, at risk of stating the obvious, i'll give the meaning: the use of "more than" is to signify that one quantity is greater than another quantity.
e.g.,
i am six feet tall --> signifies that i am exactly six feet tall
i am more than six feet tall --> signifies that my height is *greater* than six feet.

certainly not "redundant"; it changes the meaning of the statement from "x = y" to "x > y".

[poonamchiK]

Hi there Ron,
i am unable to make out the singular subject out here. Pls can some1 help me with this?

'current trends' continue, 'carbon emissions' will soar. So what is the main subject. I was conveniently able to shortlist to A and B and hurts to not being able to understand why its not 'those' but in fact that. pls can you help me see?

Thx a ton.
P