If you have gone through the blog already, let’s test your understanding of Subjunctive Verbs on the GMAT with this practice question 1. Do not forget to solve practice question 2 here – GMAT Subjunctive Verbs – Practice Question #2.
Question –
The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that competent adults suffering from a “grievous and irremediable medical condition” should be allowed to access assisted dying, a process offers medical assistance in dying to people who are terminally ill.
- adults suffering from a “grievous and irremediable medical condition” should be allowed to access assisted dying, a process offers
- adults suffering from a “grievous and irremediable medical condition” are to be allowed to access assisted dying, a process offering
- adults be allowed to access assisted dying suffering from a “grievous and irremediable medical condition”, a process that offers
- adults suffering from a “grievous and irremediable medical condition” be allowed to access assisted dying, a process that offers
- adults who are suffering from a “grievous and irremediable medical condition” must be allowed to access assisted dying, a process that offers
Answer: Choice D
Solution –
Let’s go back and solve this Subjunctive Verbs GMAT question before scrolling down to the solution!
Step 1: Understanding Intended Meaning
The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that competent adults
- We have here the format favouring the use of the subjunctive:
- Thus, we should look out for the correct usage of the subjunctive verb.
- So, we are talking about a ruling of the Supreme Court of Canada. This ruling is about competent adults.
suffering from a “grievous and irremediable medical condition”
- “suffering” modifies the noun “adults”
- So, the ruling is about competent adults who are suffering from a serious medical condition that cannot be cured
should be allowed to access assisted dying,
- Do not use “should” with Subjunctive verbs
- The use of “should” is incorrect with the use of the directive word “ruled” along with the format indicated by the use of “that” after “ruled”
- Correct version: “….adults…be allowed..”
- So, the ruling is: adults have access to assisted dying.
a process offers medical assistance in dying to people who are terminally ill.
- This clause consists of two independent clauses separated by a comma.
- This construction is incorrect.
- The clause “ a process…..” is actually giving us more information about “assisted dying” mentioned in the preceding clause. Thus, convert “a process…” to a flexible modifier by adding “that” after “a process.”
- Correct version: “….assisted dying, a process that offers…”
Intended meaning:
- The Supreme Court of Canada passed a ruling about competent adults.
- The ruling says that competent adults suffering from a “grievous and irremediable medical condition” can access assisted dying.
- Assisted dying is a process that offers medical assistance in dying to people who are terminally ill.
Step 2: Eliminate choices with identified errors
Checking for five aspects –
- Golden rules
- Meaning: distorted because
- Incorrect use of the subjunctive
- Comma separating two independent clauses.
- Lists
- No error
- Tenses
- No error
- Idioms
Eliminate
No other choice has the errors in choice A.
Step 3: Evaluate meaning of remaining choices
Done for Option B, C, D and E . Detailed out below each choice.
Choice A Analysis
Incorrect and Eliminated in Step 2
Choice B Analysis
Fitting in the original sentence:
The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that competent adults suffering from a “grievous and irremediable medical condition” are to be allowed to access assisted dying, a process offering medical assistance in dying to people who are terminally ill.
Subjunctive verbs do not allow the use of verbs “is”, “Are”, and “Am”.
Incorrect Choice
Choice C Analysis
Fitting in the original sentence:
The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that competent adults be allowed to access assisted dying suffering from a “grievous and irremediable medical condition”, a process that offers medical assistance in dying to people who are terminally ill
- The ing modifier “suffering” placed next to “assisted dying” implies that “assisted dying” suffers from a medical condition – illogical.
Incorrect Choice
Choice D Analysis
Fitting in the original sentence:
The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that competent adults suffering from a “grievous and irremediable medical condition” be allowed to access assisted dying, a process that offers medical assistance in dying to people who are terminally ill
- The words in bold indicate the correct format for the use of
- Flexible modifier (noun + noun modifier)
- Logical
- Clear,
- Same as the intended meaning
Correct Choice.
Choice E Analysis
Fitting in the original sentence:
The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that competent adults who suffered from a “grievous and irremediable medical condition” must be allowed to access assisted dying, a process that offers medical assistance in dying to people who are terminally ill
- The use of the simple past “suffered” indicates that these competent adults may not be suffering at present.
- In that case, it becomes a bit illogical to allow them access to assisted dying.
- Also, the use of “must” with “ruled” is redundant as “ruled” implies something that must be followed.
Incorrect Choice.
Suggested Read: 5 most common GMAT mistakes and how to avoid them
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If you have gone through the blog already, let’s test your understanding of Subjunctive Verbs on the GMAT with this practice question 1. Do not forget to solve practice question 2 here – GMAT Subjunctive Verbs – Practice Question #2.
Question –
The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that competent adults suffering from a “grievous and irremediable medical condition” should be allowed to access assisted dying, a process offers medical assistance in dying to people who are terminally ill.
Answer: Choice D
Solution –
Let’s go back and solve this Subjunctive Verbs GMAT question before scrolling down to the solution!
Step 1: Understanding Intended Meaning
The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that competent adults
suffering from a “grievous and irremediable medical condition”
should be allowed to access assisted dying,
a process offers medical assistance in dying to people who are terminally ill.
Intended meaning:
Step 2: Eliminate choices with identified errors
Checking for five aspects –
Eliminate
No other choice has the errors in choice A.
Step 3: Evaluate meaning of remaining choices
Done for Option B, C, D and E . Detailed out below each choice.
Choice A Analysis
Incorrect and Eliminated in Step 2
Choice B Analysis
Fitting in the original sentence:
The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that competent adults suffering from a “grievous and irremediable medical condition” are to be allowed to access assisted dying, a process offering medical assistance in dying to people who are terminally ill.
Subjunctive verbs do not allow the use of verbs “is”, “Are”, and “Am”.
Incorrect Choice
Choice C Analysis
Fitting in the original sentence:
The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that competent adults be allowed to access assisted dying suffering from a “grievous and irremediable medical condition”, a process that offers medical assistance in dying to people who are terminally ill
Incorrect Choice
Choice D Analysis
Fitting in the original sentence:
The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that competent adults suffering from a “grievous and irremediable medical condition” be allowed to access assisted dying, a process that offers medical assistance in dying to people who are terminally ill
Correct Choice.
Choice E Analysis
Fitting in the original sentence:
The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that competent adults who suffered from a “grievous and irremediable medical condition” must be allowed to access assisted dying, a process that offers medical assistance in dying to people who are terminally ill
Incorrect Choice.
Suggested Read: 5 most common GMAT mistakes and how to avoid them
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