Parallelism Question from the Straegy Guide

[trepechi]

Although progress is still difficult to measure, the researchers have found that the benefit ofapplying interdisciplinary approaches and of fostering cooperation across multiple teams and divisions outweigh any potential cost.

Are the two "of"s (bolded) required for the phrases to be parallel ?

Though this question is under SUBJECT-VERB Agreement , I still wanted to get the parallelism concept drilled.

Thanks MGMAT staff for all the help you guys provide here on the forums

[Willy]

Although progress is still difficult to measure, the researchers have found that the benefit of applying interdisciplinary approaches and of fostering cooperation across multiple teams and divisions outweigh any potential cost.

I think we can remove the second OF and the sentence will still be correct. In the above sentence parallel parts are..

...of applying....and of fostering...

If we remove second OF, parallel parts will be

...applying....and fostering...

which I think makes sense. Experts please?

[jlucero]

In this case, necessary to clearly express the right meaning:

The researchers have found that the benefit:

of applying interdisciplinary approaches
and
of fostering cooperation across multiple teams and divisions

:outweigh any potential cost.

Of allows us to know exactly what needs to be parallel. Without the "of" you can misconstrue the meaning to be:


The researchers have found that:

the benefit of applying interdisciplinary approaches
and
fostering cooperation across multiple teams and divisions

outweigh any potential cost.

[Willy]

Thanks Joe. It was helpful.

[tim]

:)

[Jov]

My doubt is that if we say "the benefit of applying interdisciplinary.... and of fostering ......", it will mean "the benefit of applying .....and the benefit of fostering" which will make the subject plural as it is connected by "and". Similar explanation is given in official material. For example

The combination of a reliable income and of hard work would help in getting success in life. (This sentence will be wrong as it would indicate that there is both a combination of a reliable income and a combination of hard work.)

[RonPurewal]

I see what you mean, but "benefit" is also one of those words that can refer to an abstraction (like "effort" or "logic"). These sorts of things stay singular.
E.g., you could be tired from the effort of taking a test and of carrying heavy groceries home. These are obviously two completely different kinds of effort, but this sentence would still be written with singular "effort".

If there is any subtlety to this sort of distinction, GMAC will not test it. If the singular/plural distinction has obvious and unambiguous effects on the meaning of the sentence, then it may indeed be tested.