what stacey is saying here is all true, but there is a much easier way to eliminate that choice: it tries to use a clause starting with "because" as a subject. that is NEVER allowed.

i.e., you can't say "because SUBJECT VERB ... is ...". this sentence is trying to use "(simply) because it is genetically engineered" as a subject.
in fact, you cannot use ANY clause starting with a conjunction (either a coordinating or subordinating conjunction -- look these up if you need to refresh yourself on what they are) as a subject. ever.

Hi Ron
Please explain whether "more likely" can be used without "than" or not.

You explained here:http://www.manhattangmat.com/forums/post29754.html

"you don't say 'it is X times MORE likely that A will happen, RATHER THAN B'; 'more' is supposed to go with 'THAN', and is incompatible with 'rather than'. the proper construction would be 'it is X times more likely that A will happen than that B will happen.' "

I am confused ...plz help

Ron made it very clear: "more likely" requires "than"..

_________________
Tim Sanders
Manhattan GMAT Instructor

I tend to differ on the last part of what Ron said.
Dependent clauses can be used as subjects or objects.
Dependent clauses that serve as subjects or objects are called noun clauses (or nominal clauses). They are introduced by if, that or a wh- word such as why, what or when.

A dependent clause(adverbial clause) includes a subordinating conjunction( such as although or because), which indicates how the dependent and independent clause are related(in expressing cause and effect, for example).

Examples:
Because the wind had blown down power lines, the whole city was without electricity for several hours.

Because it was hot, we went swimming .

An adverb clause may precede or follow an independent clause.
Punctuation: A "," is used if the adverbial clause comes first.

A dependent clause cannot stand alone by itself, it needs to be tacked onto an independent clause.

DC,IC is a perfectly valid construction in standard English usage.

Sorry, Vicks. If you want to prove Ron wrong you’re going to have to come up with an example where a clause starting with a conjunction is actually used as a subject. You haven’t done that here. Please understand also that any phrase used as a subject is by definition not a dependent clause, so dependent clauses are not where you should be looking..

_________________
Tim Sanders
Manhattan GMAT Instructor

Ron's answer helps me a lot ,thanks.

Glad to hear it..

_________________
Tim Sanders
Manhattan GMAT Instructor

Relative pronouns, eventhough they introduce dependent clauses just as subordinating conjunctions do, do not count as subordinators(subordinating conjunctions). Thats the concept I messed up!
The relative pronouns below begin a noun clause(dependent clause) that serves as a subject. I went back referenced a couple of sources and one of them talked about "my-error in reasoning".

Whoever she is is not important.

Whatever is in the box is a mystery.

Who loves Tim is a secret.

Whatever you do is your business.

Any comments?

nope. glad to see you went back to check on what you might have missed..

_________________
Tim Sanders
Manhattan GMAT Instructor

pls, help
there are 2 correct patterns:

make it likely that ( a clause). Inhere, "it" is fake object which refers to no noun

make something likely to do

both patterns are correct and in the question, C shows the first pattern and D shows the second pattern.

This means both C and D are correct.

We choose D because it is more concise. Is it right?

no.
choice (c) says that "plants" (plural) can become "an invasive or persistent weed" (singular). since multiple plants can't become one weed, that's incorrect.

this is not the sort of thing that you have to notice in every single sentence in the world -- but the explicit split between a singular form ("plant") and a plural form ("plants") should call your attention to this error.

Manhantan experts, members, pls, help

We have only 3 correct patterns. Is my thinking right?

make it likely (for somebody) to do something. "it" is fake pronoun which dose not refer to any noun.

make it likely that something happens. "it" is fake pronoun.

make something likely to happen.

we do not have

//make something likely that the thing is good.//

these three patterns are correct, but there are other ways in which the word likely can be used. for instance, you can also write ...to make this event likely, or this event is likely.

just as a helpful hint -- no one is really going to be able to come up with all of the particular uses of some word, in some neat list -- that's not how the human brain works. (as an illustration of why not, imagine if i ask you “what are all of the things you can do with a pencil?” you would definitely be able to come up with a list of things, but you definitely wouldn't be able to list everything that someone can do with a pencil.)




yes, that's incorrect.

Ron, this is plain awesome. :)