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parallelism doubt

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ratheeshmallaya
 Post subject: parallelism doubt
 Post Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 11:52 pm 
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Students


Posts: 24
This is a question from chapter 4 on GMAT SC strategy guide 4th edition.

question 7,from Problem set on chapter 4.(page 59)
-------------

1.We were dismayed to learn that our neighbours were untidy,disagreeable, and they were uninterested to make new friends.

The answer provided in the book is

We were dismayed to learn that our neighbours were untidy,disagreeable, and uninterested in making new friends.

I have 2 doubts.
1) in making is used instead of to make . Is to make a wrong usage?

2) If I correct the sentence as

We were dismayed to learn that our neighbours were untidy,disagreeable, and that they were uninterested to make new friends.

Is it correct?.
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sunilttd
 Post subject: Re: parallelism doubt
 Post Posted: Mon Oct 05, 2009 4:01 pm 
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Students


Posts: 2
rateesh-the second sentence is not correct because it lacks parallelism.

You wrote-We were dismayed to learn that our neighbours were untidy,disagreeable, and that they were uninterested to make new friends.


if the verb "were" needs to be added to all adjectives then it would make sense. But the above sentence ties the verb to only two adjectives-untidy and uninterested to make new friends.

Also if you add the verb "Were" to all adjectives the sentence becomes wordy.

Hope this clarifies.
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Ben Ku
 Post subject: Re: parallelism doubt
 Post Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 2:09 am 
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ManhattanGMAT Staff


Posts: 823
Quote:
1.We were dismayed to learn that our neighbours were untidy,disagreeable, and they were uninterested to make new friends.


This sentence is incorrect because the three items joined by AND are not parallel:
-- untidy (adjective)
-- disagreeable (adjective)
-- they were uninterested (clause)

Quote:
The answer provided in the book is

We were dismayed to learn that our neighbours were untidy,disagreeable, and uninterested in making new friends.


This works because the items are parallel:
-- untidy (adjective)
-- disagreeable (adjective)
-- uninterested ... (adjective)

Quote:
I have 2 doubts.
1) in making is used instead of to make . Is to make a wrong usage?


This is an idiom. It should be "uninterested in making" instead of "uninterested to make."

Quote:
2) If I correct the sentence as

We were dismayed to learn that our neighbours were untidy,disagreeable, and that they were uninterested to make new friends.


This is not correct, because it's still lacking parallelism:
-- untidy
-- disagreeable
-- that they were uninterested ...

If you wanted to take the last bit OUT of the parallel construction, you need to END the list with disagreeable by placing an AND before it. This (although awkward) might be correct:

We were dismayed to learn that our neighbours were untidy and disagreeable, and that they were uninterested in making new friends.

so here:
THAT our neighbors were
-- untidy
-- disagreeable
THAT they were uninterested ...

Hope that makes sense.

_________________
Ben Ku
Instructor
ManhattanGMAT
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