** # Tax dispute-Both sides Vs Each side : ETS paper Q.

[jaymin05]

# The complex tax dispute between the Covered Bridge Mall and Harris Township is not likely to be adjudicated for several years, and, in the meantime, both sides are intent on creating difficulties for the other.
A.same as above
B.both sides are intent on creating difficulties for each other
C.each side is intent on creating difficulties for the other
D.each side are intent on creating difficulties for one another
E.the sides are both intent on creating difficulties for each other

OA: C

Please explain the reasons for the OA.

Thanx

[AndreaDB]

# The complex tax dispute between the Covered Bridge Mall and Harris Township is not likely to be adjudicated for several years, and, in the meantime, both sides are intent on creating difficulties for the other.
A.both sides are intent on creating difficulties for the other
B.both sides are intent on creating difficulties for each other
C.each side is intent on creating difficulties for the other
D.each side are intent on creating difficulties for one another
E.the sides are both intent on creating difficulties for each other

1) Idiom: both express act the same way. the case is inverse acting. Exclude A,B (Both.. Other)
2) Person/Tense agreement: Each is singular, exclude D
3) absolutely Awkward even for a non native speaker.

[jaymin05]

Hi AndreaDB,

could you please elaborate on "case is inverse acting"?

thank you.

[AndreaDB]

Hi AndreaDB,

could you please elaborate on "case is inverse acting"?

thank you.

I meant F go against G and G go against F.
when you use Both I mean that together do someting:

A means: F and G together work against H , mentioned as "the other" and implied by the form of the sentence.
B means: F and G together work against F as well as G: "(F VS G and F VS F) and (G VS F and G VS G) "where VS stands for Versus, against.
Hope would help

[JonathanSchneider]

I agree. The important thing to notice here is that the "both" construction does not line up properly with "the other." "The other" is singular, but we've already used "both," which is plural. This is not an agreement or parallelism error, but rather one of meaning: if we've already said "both sides," then who is left to be the "other"? By saying "each," we can compare to the "other."

[amirtmousavi]

What is wrong with answer choice D? The only difference from answer choice C is "for one another" vs. "for the other" - Is "for one another" wrong because its plural or idiomatically incorrect?

[RonPurewal]

is this question also found in the GMAT PREP software? if so, then please upload a screenshot of the problem within the next week or so.
if such a screenshot is not uploaded, then we'll have to delete this thread, as the ETS paper tests are not an allowed source on this forum. (any paid publication of GMAC or ETS, including OG and the paper tests, is prohibited as a source here for copyright-related reasons.)

thanks.