Not one of the potential investors is expected to make an of

[tim]

this question is definitely not an official gmat question, thus I don't completely trust the answer.

do you have any reason to believe this is not an official GMAT question?

[thanghnvn]

so it sounds like a if clause doesn't necessary have to pair with another clause?

if this is an official problem, then it appears that an "if" clause is allowed to act as a modifier. in this sentence, the "if" clause is quite clearly modifying the word "penalties".

remember -
correct answers are correct.

do not question the correctness of correct answers. if this sounds like obvious advice, then good - but your post above belies a fair bit of skepticism about the correctness of the correct answer: "so it sounds like ...?"
it's in the correct answer, so, yes.
your job here is not to figure out whether this construction is allowed, but, rather, to figure out what's going on here (since it clearly is allowed) and to demarcate the particular circumstances under which it's acceptable.

in this case, we see that, at least under circumstances similar to those prevailing in this sentence, an "if" clause can be used as a modifier.
i don't like this any more than you do, but, unfortunately, i don't write the official problems.

great, thank you , Ron
the new thing we learn from oa in this sentence is
"if clause" can modify a noun.

this means.

the panalty if the deal was broken is good to me

is the correct sentence.

[tim]

no, this does not mean [sic]. your sentence contains multiple errors. i'm not entirely sure what you're trying to do here, but if you let us know maybe we can help you..

[vietmoi937]

pls, help
for the condition which can be real , we use present tense

if I learn english well, I can get good gmat score.

for the condition which is impossible or very unlikely at present or past, we use past tense (to be=were) or past perfect tense.

If I got gmat score of 800, I would have a good future.
If yesterday I had took the gmat test, I would have gone to usa today.

I agree that A is best. But I do not understand the use of "were" in A. It is possible that the deal is not concluded and we should use present tense "is", not "were"

pls explain this point.

[RonPurewal]

pls, help
for the condition which can be real , we use present tense

if I learn english well, I can get good gmat score.

for the condition which is impossible or very unlikely at present or past, we use past tense (to be=were) or past perfect tense.

If I got gmat score of 800, I would have a good future.
If yesterday I had took the gmat test, I would have gone to usa today.

I agree that A is best. But I do not understand the use of "were" in A. It is possible that the deal is not concluded and we should use present tense "is", not "were"

pls explain this point.

Hi,
The posts on this account look awfully similar to those from "thanghnvn".
If that's you, please restrict your posting to one account at any given time, thanks..

That whole part of the sentence is talking about the provisions of a hypothetical merger agreement that hasn't even been put into effect. So it's all hypothetical.

[vietmoi937]

Ron, I do not get you.

to talk about the condition which can happen, we use present tense

to talk about condition which can not happen any more, we use past tense or past perfect tense, depending on whether we refer to the condition silmustaneous with or prior to the time of speaking.

in A, the condition can happen, we should use present tense "is, are" not "were"

I am confused.

[RonPurewal]

Ron, I do not get you.

to talk about the condition which can happen, we use present tense

to talk about condition which can not happen any more, we use past tense or past perfect tense, depending on whether we refer to the condition silmustaneous with or prior to the time of speaking.

in A, the condition can happen, we should use present tense "is, are" not "were"

I am confused.

Let's put an end to the discussion of this problem until its ORIGINAL SOURCE has been ascertained.

do you know where this problem is from?

In fact, let's go one step further -- If the source of this problem is not posted in the next week, this thread will be deleted.
Thanks.

[RonPurewal]

Ron, I do not get you.

to talk about the condition which can happen, we use present tense

to talk about condition which can not happen any more, we use past tense or past perfect tense, depending on whether we refer to the condition silmustaneous with or prior to the time of speaking.

in A, the condition can happen, we should use present tense "is, are" not "were"

I am confused.

Let's put an end to the discussion of this problem until its ORIGINAL SOURCE has been ascertained.

do you know where this problem is from?

If the source of this problem is not posted in the next week, this thread will be deleted.
Thanks.

[SatanillesR537]

pls, help
for the condition which can be real , we use present tense

if I learn english well, I can get good gmat score.

for the condition which is impossible or very unlikely at present or past, we use past tense (to be=were) or past perfect tense.

If I got gmat score of 800, I would have a good future.
If yesterday I had took the gmat test, I would have gone to usa today.

I agree that A is best. But I do not understand the use of "were" in A. It is possible that the deal is not concluded and we should use present tense "is", not "were"

pls explain this point.

Hi,
The posts on this account look awfully similar to those from "thanghnvn".
If that's you, please restrict your posting to one account at any given time, thanks..

That whole part of the sentence is talking about the provisions of a hypothetical merger agreement that hasn't even been put into effect. So it's all hypothetical.

Hi Ron,I'm new here and I have one more question about the “if...then ”constructions about subjunctive.

The option A, it says "if the deal were not to be concluded."
Is this a unlikely case(in the future)?
eg, if Sophie Ate pizza tomorrow, Then she WOULD BECOME ill.

should it be "if X did,then Y would do"，why it use "if it were to be done" to indicate a subjunctive.

THX A LOT！

[tim]

Please read the thread. No more discussion on this one until we have a source. I'm going to lock the thread.