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Comment on Pet Rock Craze
Hello,
In the sentence - maybe none is more popular than Pet Rock craze, aren't we comparing other fads till today to the petrock. If so, the subject here seems to be other fads that are created until today. So shouldn't we use is(present) here instead of was(past). Please clarify.
Thanks in advance
The discussion is set largely
The discussion is set largely in the past (with "has embraced"). So we're talking about all of the fads that have existed in the past (and POSSIBLY into the present). Also, the Pet Rock fad definitely occurred in the past. Considering all of this, "was" is a better option than "is."
I hope that helps.
Thank you for the explanation
If it is set largely in the past and we are talking about the fads existed in the past, wouldn't the past perfect tense be more suitable (i.e. HAD embraced.. followed by WAS, as oppose to HAS embraced and WAS)
please advice
Thank you!
We can use the PAST PERFECT
We can use the PAST PERFECT when an action happens (and is completed) in the past BEFORE another event in the past.
So, if we want to use the past perfect "HAD embraced," we must be certain that the "embracing" occurred (as was completed) before the other past events .
That isn't the case here. We can't be certain that all of the embracing was completed BEFORE the other past events. So, we can't use the past perfect "HAD embraced."
More here: https://www.gmatprepnow.com/module/gmat-sentence-correction/video/1178
Thank you for your prompt
In that case, I am still puzzled as to why past tense is being used, since we are comparing an ONGOING event with a previous event.
E.g. None of the research findings in the recent years IS as good as the 'SAILOR' study, which was a significant study conducted during the 1990s.
I would imagine WAS would be inappropriate here
Please advice. Thank you very much
The "embracing" (of fads) is
The "embracing" (of fads) is an action that may continue into the present and future. However, the fads that are being embraced are not necessarily not continuing into the presents and future.
Here's a similar (official
Here's a similar (official GMAT) question: https://gmatclub.com/forum/of-all-the-vast-tides-of-migration-that-have-...
Thank you.
Am I right to say that the events occurred in the past, although they may be ongoing till present, and that the comparison was done at a 'PAST' timeline, hence the use of past tense.
Yes, that should be fine.
Yes, that should be fine.
"than pet rock craze" sounds
You're absolutely right! We
You're absolutely right! We'll have to change the video so that all of the answer choices include the word "the"
Thanks for the heads up!
As I was doing it my mind
I eliminated for the same
Hello
I'm still confused about the tense after reading all the comments you explained.
Is this sentence correct?:
Of all the buildings that Chinese has built, the Great Wall is the most popular.(means that the Great Wall is still the most popular building today, and this is a common fact)
Since Chinese is plural, we
Since Chinese is plural, we need the plural HAVE. Also, I'm not sure that the Great Wall can be classified as a building.
I'd write something like:
Of all the structures the Chinese have built, the Great Wall is the most popular.
Cheers,
Brent
Hi Brent,
Choice B was eliminated because it doesn't have the "more than" construction. However, if "more than" was included, would it be correct?
"it may be that none was more popular than the" ..
"it may be that" sounds awkward. Please let me know, thanks!
"it may be that" does sound
"it may be that" does sound awkward, but I believe answer choice B would be grammatically correct if we added the "more than" construction.
Hi Brent! Just a heads up
Thanks for the heads up about
Thanks for the heads up about the video. It's on my to-do list.
If the Beatles were still playing today, then IS would be fine. Likewise, if Pet Rocks were still a fad today, then IS would be fine. However, we're told that the Pet Rocks fad ended in the 1970's. As such, we can't use the present tense IS.
Cheers,
Brent
Okay my problem here is that
The sentence tells us that
The sentence tells us that the Pet Rock craze began in 1975 and ENDED six months later. Since the craze ended over 40 years ago, we must use the past tense.