Chapter 5: Problem 18
No one seems certain of why the government took so long to recognize the benefits of a managed, skills-based immigration policy. A. No one seems certain of why B. No one seems certain about why C. No one seems certain why D. He became certain why E. It is easy to be certain why
Short Answer
Expert verified
C. No one seems certain why
Step by step solution
01
- Understand the Question
The question asks to find the best replacement for the phrase 'No one seems certain of why' without changing the meaning of the sentence.
02
- Analyze Provided Choices
Look at each option and see how it fits into the sentence: 'No one seems certain of why the government took so long to recognize the benefits of a managed, skills-based immigration policy.'
03
- Evaluate Each Option
Evaluate the grammatical correctness and meaning preservation for each option: A. 'No one seems certain of why' - This option is grammatically correct. B. 'No one seems certain about why' - This option also maintains grammatical correctness. C. 'No one seems certain why' - This removes the preposition 'of,' which might affect the flow but still maintains meaning. D. 'He became certain why' - This changes the subject and does not fit grammatically. E. 'It is easy to be certain why' - This completely changes the meaning of the original sentence.
04
- Select the Best Option
Compare options A, B, and C, as these are the only grammatically correct and meaning-preserving choices. Options B and C simplify the original phrasing slightly but sufficiently. Option C ('No one seems certain why') is the most natural and concise.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
grammar evaluation
Grammar evaluation is crucial in GMAT sentence correction questions. You need to identify errors related to sentence structure, verb agreement, and preposition usage. In the provided exercise, we began by evaluating the grammatical correctness of each answer choice:
- Option A: 'No one seems certain of why' - This is grammatically correct, including the necessary preposition 'of.'
- Option B: 'No one seems certain about why' - This also maintains grammatical accuracy with appropriate preposition use.
- Option C: 'No one seems certain why' - Although it omits the preposition 'of,' it still remains grammatically sound and is often preferred in modern usage for its simplicity.
- Option D: 'He became certain why' - This introduces a different subject 'He,' which completely changes the intended meaning and is grammatically incorrect given the context.
- Option E: 'It is easy to be certain why' - This shifts both the subject and the sentence meaning, thus making it grammatically incorrect relative to the original sentence.
answer choices analysis
Answer choices analysis involves examining each option to see if it logically fits within the sentence. Let's look at how each one performs within the context:
'No one seems certain of why the government took so long to recognize the benefits of a managed, skills-based immigration policy.'
We need to ensure that the replacement does not alter the original message. Here’s the analysis:
'No one seems certain of why the government took so long to recognize the benefits of a managed, skills-based immigration policy.'
We need to ensure that the replacement does not alter the original message. Here’s the analysis:
- Option A fits well without causing any abrupt shifts in meaning.
- Option B, while also grammatically correct, introduces 'about' which does not add to the clarity or meaning of the sentence. Instead, it makes it slightly less concise.
- Option C is the simplest and most direct, maintaining both grammatical integrity and conciseness.
- Option D changes the subject, creating a contextually incorrect sentence.
- Option E not only shifts the subject but also entirely changes the focal point of the sentence.
meaning preservation
Preserving the original meaning is critical in sentence correction questions. When evaluating changes, it's vital to ensure the core message remains unchanged. The original sentence is:
'No one seems certain of why the government took so long to recognize the benefits of a managed, skills-based immigration policy.'
Let's assess the options based on how well they preserve the meaning:
'No one seems certain of why the government took so long to recognize the benefits of a managed, skills-based immigration policy.'
Let's assess the options based on how well they preserve the meaning:
- Option A ('No one seems certain of why') preserves the meaning perfectly, keeping the focus on the uncertainty about the government's delay.
- Option B ('No one seems certain about why') maintains the meaning, although it adds an unnecessary word ('about') which does not change the context significantly but can be seen as a bit redundant.
- Option C ('No one seems certain why') keeps the same meaning, and its concise nature may make it more impactful.
- Option D ('He became certain why') shifts the focus to an individual's certainty, which is not what the original sentence conveys.
- Option E ('It is easy to be certain why') alters the meaning entirely, suggesting certainty rather than questioning it.