THcontinental United States receives an average of 30 inches

[RonPurewal]

D uses Wrong preposition "With" hence A
Cheers

Hi GMAT instructors,
So D is wrong because of the wrong preposition "with"?

That form doesn't make sense here, but it does exist.

E.g., The studio has released three movies featuring the XXX character, with at least three more to come.
"With ... to ___" usually describes anticipated events, as it does in this example. So, in this context, it doesn't make sense; both parts should be described in the present.

[RonPurewal]

The real problem with D is "the rest of the 9 inches". This construction implies that 9 inches is the total.

E.g., Here is $100. Buy gas for your trip, and then use the rest of the $100 to buy food.
"”> Note how this works. $100 is the total. The amount you'll have to spend on food is not $100, but $100 minus $(whatever you pay for gas).

[lemonperb]

The real problem with D is "the rest of the 9 inches". This construction implies that 9 inches is the total.

E.g., Here is $100. Buy gas for your trip, and then use the rest of the $100 to buy food.
"”> Note how this works. $100 is the total. The amount you'll have to spend on food is not $100, but $100 minus $(whatever you pay for gas).

Hi Ron, thank you for your explanation!
In the example you showed above, how should the sentence be corrected so that it will refer to $100 minus the pay for gas? Will "the balance of the $100" make sense then?

[RonPurewal]

"The rest of the money" does refer to $100 minus gas.
In my example sentence, that's what it is meant to represent. So, the example sentence works.

In the originally quoted sentence, we don't meant to say 9 inches minus some other amount, so that sentence is wrong.

[lemonperb]

"The rest of the money" does refer to $100 minus gas.
In my example sentence, that's what it is meant to represent. So, the example sentence works.

In the originally quoted sentence, we don't meant to say 9 inches minus some other amount, so that sentence is wrong.

So does that mean it will be right if "9 inches" is eliminated?
The sentence will go like:the rest of contribute to the flow

[lemonperb]

Sorry I should have eliminated "of" as well.
The

So does that mean it will be right if "9 inches" is eliminated?
The sentence will go like:the rest of contribute to the flow

"the rest contribute to the flow"
Is it right then?

[RonPurewal]

In informal English, you can say "the rest contributes..." (singular, because "precipitation" is singular; units of measure, such as inches, don't factor into singular/plural decisions).

In formal writing, though, that's sketchy. You'd probably see "remainder" or "balance" instead.

[RonPurewal]

And a friendly reminder:
Don't edit GMAC's sentences.
Don't produce alternate versions of GMAC's sentences.
In most cases, the response will be "Probably wrong, but GMAC has never tested that""”just as it is here.

Making your own sentences is a good idea, but those should be simple sentences that illustrate individual principles. They shouldn't involve interactions between numerous principles (as GMAC's do).

[lemonperb]

In informal English, you can say "the rest contributes..." (singular, because "precipitation" is singular; units of measure, such as inches, don't factor into singular/plural decisions).

In formal writing, though, that's sketchy. You'd probably see "remainder" or "balance" instead.

Thanks Ron!

And a friendly reminder:
Don't edit GMAC's sentences.
Don't produce alternate versions of GMAC's sentences.
In most cases, the response will be "Probably wrong, but GMAC has never tested that""”just as it is here.

Making your own sentences is a good idea, but those should be simple sentences that illustrate individual principles. They shouldn't involve interactions between numerous principles (as GMAC's do).

I see. I was just trying to apply what I have learnt. Thank you for your advice Ron!

[RonPurewal]

I see. I was just trying to apply what I have learnt. Thank you for your advice Ron!

The most effective way to do so is to write your own (simpler) sentences, as mentioned in the last paragraph that you quoted from me above.

[FanPurewal]

The continental United States receives an average of 30 inches of precipitation a year; transpiration from soil and from plants returns approximately 21 of the 30 inches to the atmosphere, while the balance of 9 inches contributes to the flow of streams and rivers.

(A) transpiration from soil and from plants returns approximately 21 of the 30 inches to the atmosphere, while the balance of 9 inches contributes to the flow
(B) even though transpiration from soil and from plants returns approximately 21 of the 30 inches to the atmosphere, the remainder of 9 inches contribute to the flowing
(C) although transpiration from soil and from plants return approximately 21 of the 30 inches to the atmosphere, the balance of 9 inches contribute to the flowing
(D) with transpiration from soil and from plants to return approximately 21 inches to the atmosphere, the rest of the 9 inches contributes to the flow
(E) as transpiration from soil and from plants return approximately 21 of the 30 inches to the atmosphere, the rest of the 9 inches contribute to the flow

hi instructors!
is *AS* right in choice E?
thank you!

[tim]

This is never what you should do on SC. If you ever find yourself asking whether something is *right*, you're going about it backwards. SC is *always* about process of elimination, so you should only be looking for mistakes and *never* looking for the right answer or asking whether something is right. If you can't be sure that something is a mistake, leave that answer choice around for the moment. Find some other issue you can potentially identify a mistake in.

[weiw49]

In informal English, you can say "the rest contributes..." (singular, because "precipitation" is singular; units of measure, such as inches, don't factor into singular/plural decisions).

In formal writing, though, that's sketchy. You'd probably see "remainder" or "balance" instead.

sorry for trouble you again~
the "remainder "( or balance )of 9 inches won't sounds like 9 is the total? as "the rest of 9 inches " do?
as a nonnative speaker, I always confused about such kind of nuance. PLS help.

[RonPurewal]

'remainder' and 'balance' mean 'the rest of the stuff'. in other words, these words exist specifically to convey the notion of 'NOT everything'.

[LiT706]

isn't transpiration from soil and from plants compound subjects?

nope.

this occurrence of 'and' does not make the subject compound, because it is contained within the prepositional phrases that modify the subject. the subject is still one word (transpiration), and is not in any way plural.

in particular, the subject is not transpiration AND anything else - it's just transpiration. there is more than one descriptive phrase, but those phrases are not part of the subject.

Hi Ron，
Why can't I perceived ‘transpiration from soil and from plants’ as ‘transpiration from soil and transpiration from plants’？And in this case the subject is plural.

Thx in advance！