A 3 min read

For many people, household labor remains demanding even if able to afford household appliances their grandparents would find a miracle.

A. even if able to afford household appliances their grandparents would find a miracle

B. despite being able to afford household appliances their grandparents would find a miracle

C. even if they can afford household appliances their grandparents would have found miraculous

D. although they could afford household appliances their grandparents would find miraculous

E. even if they are able to afford household appliances which would have been a miracle to their grandparents

What does this question test?

This question tests your ability to spot missing subject in a sentence.  It also tests your ability to assign appropriate modifiers to the entities.  Furthermore, it tests your knowledge of verb tenses to express events that did not take place in the past.

What does the sentence mean?

This sentence states that for many people household labor is demanding.  This is despite the fact that these people can afford the household appliances.  If these appliances existed at the time of their grandparents, the grandparents would have found these appliances miraculous.

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What are the errors in the original sentence?

• Clause 1:  For many people, household labor remains demanding
• Clause 2:  even if able to afford household appliances
• Clause 3:  their grandparents would find a miracle.

1. Missing Subject Error:  Clause 2 of this sentence lacks a subject.  From the meaning of the sentence, the subject of this clause should be “people” or pronoun referring to these people.

2. Modifier Error:  Clause 3 is connected to clause using “that” that has been omitted.  Thus, in a way “their grandparents would find a miracle” is describing “household appliances”.  Thus, miracle should be miraculous – the adjective form.Their grandparents would find “household appliances” miraculous.

Answer Choice Analysis

Choice B – This choice has modifier error as noted in choice A.

Choice C – No errors

Choice D – Verb Tense Error:  The sentence is set up in present context of time.  Thus, use of “could afford” – past tense is incorrect.  Similarly, the verb tense “would find” is incorrect.  This verb tense should be “would have verb”.  This is because the sentence states a hypothetical condition.  These appliances did not exist in the times of grandparents.  But per the sentence if these appliances had existed at that time, then the grandparents would have found them miraculous.  By using “would verb” tense, the sentence now implies that if grandparents saw these appliances being used today, they will find them miraculous.

Choice E – This choice is wordy.

Thus, choice C is the correct answer.

What are the key take-away messages?

1. Every verb in the sentence must have a subject.
2. Appropriate modifier should be used to describe an entity.  In this sentence adjective form of “miracle” is required to describe the household appliances.
3. Appropriate verb tense should be used to express the intended meaning of the sentence.

Where can you find more information?

Register at e-gmat to access Sentence Correction free trial.

Refer to conditional verb concept for more details on the constructions used for expressing situations that did not really happen in the past.

Loved the solution? Take a free trial to get unlimited access to concept files, live sessions, and practice questions. For any strategic advice for GMAT or MBA Admissions, write to us at acethegmat@e-gmat.com. We are the most reviewed GMAT prep company on GMATClub with more than 2400+ reviews