In January 1994 an oil barge ran...leaking its cargo

[RonPurewal]

my question is that what is the difference between the two patterns "... x while y..." and " main clause+with+noun+doing"

"With ____" is a modifier, so it has to make sense as a modifier (e.g., it must describe the previous part in some tangible way).

"[sentence] while [other sentence]" isn't a modifier construction, so it can contain two things that aren't directly related ("I learned Russian while I sat in traffic").

[thanghnvn]

becaue the main focus of sc is the meaning relations between 2 entities in the sentence, we should discuss more about the meaning relations between verb/verbal in this problem. I wish Ron and Manhanan experts talk more of this problem, which I see, is typical of gmat.

there are 3 pattern
1) clause+while+clause
2) main clause+with+noun+adjective
3) main clause+comma+doing

1) is used the say about 2 separate actions which happen at the same time.
2) "with+noun+adjective" is used to say about reason, or detail or context of the main clause. the action in the phrase is not neccessarily simultaneous with the action in the main clause. in short, as Ron said, one action has modification relation with the action in the main clause.
3) comma+doing show one aspect of the main clause. in other words and as Ron said, the 2 actions is one event.

I wish you add more comment/idea to each type of pattern because only when we fully understand the difference in the relation between 2 entities among the 3 patterns, we can solve gmat question. I am not happy because I see the discussion is not full while meaning problem is center of sc.

[RonPurewal]

If you haven't seen a comparison of those three structures, that's because it just wouldn't make much sense to compare them. They're completely different.

If you understand how each of them works, there's no reason to try to compare them. Just decide whether each structure works in the given context.

For instance, in #3, the subject of the original sentence is still the agent of the __ing.
E.g., I dropped the groceries, scaring the baby.
I'm the one who dropped the groceries. I'm also responsible for scaring the baby (though not directly).

In #2, on the other hand, the subject of the original sentence is not the agent of __ing. (This is the whole point of introducing the noun in front of __ing.)
E.g., Esteria's economy is entering a new crisis, with record numbers of people filing for unemployment benefits.

Note how #2 is structured. The main clause is a fact about Esteria's economy, while the modifier describes something that people (not the economy) are doing.
I don't see any sensible way in which this could be compared to #3 (or #1), because the structures aren't comparable -- they aren't alternative means of expressing the same idea. They're completely different things.

[Tadashi]

HI Ron,
I want to learn more about the conjunction "while".

Here is my summary. Please correct me if I am wrong.
Thanks in advance.

I. while means although (convey an idea of contrast)
-> sentence1, while sentence 2
-> sentence1, while doing XX.
eg. sentence1, while at the same time doing XX (2 OA in prep 07)

*when while is used as although, the 2 sentences should be in the exactly same time frame*
*never use although+doing*


II. while means at the same time as something else is happening
-> sentence1, while sentence 2
-> sentence1, while doing XX. (WRONG, should use 2 different subjects.)
eg. (DIY) You can go swimming while I am having lunch.
eg. (DIY) Her parents died while she was still at school.

*GMAC never test situation II. GMAC will replace while with when*

Tadashi.

[RonPurewal]

Part I looks ok.

-> sentence1, while doing XX. (WRONG, should use 2 different subjects.)

This is not wrong. The following sentences are fine:
I like to sew while talking on the phone.
While doing my tax return, I was startled by a knock at the door.

[RonPurewal]

*GMAC never test situation II. GMAC will replace while with when*

"While" and "when" don't mean the same thing, so it's dangerous to generalize like this.
As you stated above, "while" indicates that one thing happens during another one.
"When", on the other hand, just indicates a correlation in time"”i.e., one event accompanies another, but neither necessarily occurs during the other.

E.g.,
When going on long trips, I double-check that all my deadbolts are locked. "”> Makes sense.
While going on long trips, I double-check that all my deadbolts are locked. "”> Nonsense; I obviously can't check my door locks in the middle of a trip!

[Tadashi]

Great explanation.
Great example.
Great expert.
Thanks.
Tadashi.

[RonPurewal]

You're welcome, and thanks for the kind words.

[thanghnvn]

this question is wonderful because it teach us how to solve a sc problem.

for each sentence pattern/structure of english we have to know the meaning/semantic relation between the entities. the students often remember the pattern without understanding the meaning relation between entities in the pattern. for exampls, students often remember

main clause+with+noun+doing/doed/adjective.

remembering the pattern without understanding the meaning/semantic relation between the main clause and the "with+noun+doing" is not enough. grammar books do not detail enough about the semantic/meaning relation between the entities.

only this problem offers us many patterns. each pattern conveys one or a few meaning/semantic relation between entities. we can not use a specific pattern for the meaning relation for which that pattern is not desiged. This is the point gmat test us. this is crucial for writing english and is tested much by gmat.

one important point for us,therefore, is that, we need to learn the meaning relations in the sentence pattern we learn.

I will post another time, detailing the meaning relations in each pattern, this sc problem offers

[RonPurewal]

do you have a question?

[AndyH539]

Hi instructor,
Can you please see if my reasoning is correct?

I think another issue in d) is that since "it" refers the oil barge, it did not cause the pollution. Instead "leakage" caused the pollution. That's why option d) is wrong.

Thanks
Andy

[tim]

Nope. Nothing wrong with the barge causing the pollution. It DID leak a bunch of oil after all!

[RonPurewal]

in choice D both "while" and "and" are illogical. "it" isn't really an issue, although, yes, it's more accurate to use comma + __ing to pin the blame on the leakage, rather than on the ship itself.

[qianruS779]

Hi Instructor,

I want to make sure if so that can be situated after a comma (an implication from the choice E).
For example:
1) I get up early, so that I am able to be attended firstly by the doctor.
2) I get up early so that I am able to be attended firstly by the doctor.

Thank you very much

Best, Song

[RonPurewal]

this exam doesn't test the presence/absence of punctuation.