Critics of the research study claimed that monkeys are

[eggpain24]

Critics of the research study claimed that monkeys are different enough from human beings that comparing the two species can be as questionable--or as useless--as comparisons between humans and mice.

(A) different enough from human beings that comparing the two species can
(B) different enough from human beings so that comparing the two species can
(C) different enough from human beings for comparing the two species to
(D) so different from human beings that comparisons between the two species can
(E) so different from human beings for comparisons between the two species to

this is a question from GMAT prep. I can easily pick up the correct choice . OA is D

I just wonder what is wrong with E, is it mainly because the failure to use " so.... that" construction?

and choice E is just awkward when compared to choice D.

Thank you

[RonPurewal]

I just wonder what is wrong with E, is it mainly because the failure to use " so.... that" construction?

Yes.

The GMAT no longer tests obscure/lesser-known idioms (and hasn't for some years), but basic idioms are a thing.
"So ... that ..." is a very basic idiom, certain to be familiar to anyone with decent exposure to formal English. So, it's the kind of thing that can be dispositive in a problem.

[750plus]

Dear Instructors,

Can you please explain what's wrong with option A and B.

(A) different enough from human beings that comparing the two species can
(B) different enough from human beings so that comparing the two species can

Why can't we use "different enough" here, if at all the real error in A and B has to do with "different enough"

Regards
Rajat Gugnani

[gmatkiller_24]

Dear Instructors,

Can you please explain what's wrong with option A and B.

(A) different enough from human beings that comparing the two species can
(B) different enough from human beings so that comparing the two species can

Why can't we use "different enough" here, if at all the real error in A and B has to do with "different enough"

Regards
Rajat Gugnani

we need parallelism here. notice the "comparison" in the non-underlined part.

Comparing in choice A,B is not parallel

[tim]

Dear Instructors,

Can you please explain what's wrong with option A and B.

(A) different enough from human beings that comparing the two species can
(B) different enough from human beings so that comparing the two species can

Why can't we use "different enough" here, if at all the real error in A and B has to do with "different enough"

Regards
Rajat Gugnani

"Different enough" just isn't idiomatically correct. You'll want to memorize that "so different ... that ..." is the preferred form.

[RonPurewal]

'different enough' can exist, but in formal usage you'd need 'different enough to (verb)'.

also, the presence of both 'so' and 'enough' creates redundancy.
different enough to do xxxx is a thing.
so different that yyyyy happens is also a thing.
but you can't have both at the same time.

[tim]

Exactly! That would be the proper use of the idiom. I'm not aware of any official GMAT problems that use "different enough" in a correct answer, but if there is one I'm sure Ron knows of it.

[RonPurewal]

i can't find it in any SC problem.

it's used correctly in the text of this CR problem:
https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/foru ... t7783.html

(WARNING:
the entire text of CR problems is not edited as meticulously as the SC problems. do not apply SC standards to text from elsewhere in GMAC's materials.
i'm pointing out this one example simply because it represents a correct use of the construction in question.)