so that such that so as to

[RonPurewal]

As for choice B:

Probably the easiest way is to note that choice B is significantly more wordy / less efficient than choice C, while adding no value in terms of meaning/context.

Some things to remember:

• Wordiness is not actually an error. However, correct answers are never excessively wordy. (The writers are not jerks; they won't force you to choose "correct but clumsy" over "stylish but incorrect".)

• So, if you COMPARE two choices and notice a SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE in wordiness / efficiency of expression——without any extra context——then you can safely eliminate the clunkier one.

[RonPurewal]

In the second point above, both conditions are important.

• "SIGNIFICANT":
"In grass and in trees" is NOT significantly more wordy than "in grass and trees".
"Those who engage in athletic endeavors are advised to perform stretching exercises" IS significantly more wordy than "Athletes should stretch".
Yes, there's a bit of common sense involved in making this judgment.

• "Without any extra context":
If there are extra words that add extra dimensions of meaning, then that's NOT "wordiness".
E.g., "there is little available water" is not more "wordy" than "there is little water". They're genuinely different statements. (Water can exist somewhere without being available.)

[RonPurewal]

Finally, "have competition with" is unidiomatic. (You don't have to know this idiom, if you can instead judge it as clearly inferior to "compete with".)

It's acceptable to write that an entity has competition (= "there are other entities that compete with it"). But you can't append "with ___".

[FanPurewal]

very clear now, useful and insightful explanations
thank you, ron

[RonPurewal]

You're welcome.

[JaneC643]

Hi, Ron,
As you mentioned earlier, "in general, you don't use so ADJ as to VERB unless the VERB describes some sort of state/condition. i.e., if the verb is an action verb, this construction generally isn't used.
for instance,
i am so ugly as to be viscerally repulsive to women. --> this works, because the verb "to be" describes a state/condition.
i am so ugly as to repel women on sight. --> you generally wouldn't see this in good writing, as "repel" is an action verb; the sentence would probably be written as i am so ugly that i repel women on sight".
I find a correct sentence in the Og, " The Emperor Augustus, it appears, commissioned an idealized sculptured portrait, the features of which are so unrealistic as to constitute what one scholar calls an “artificial face.”
Here, the correct answer use "so..as to verb...", which looks contrary to your explanation. Could you clarify it further?
Thank you!

[RonPurewal]

the verb "constitute" is not an action; it's a description of the state in which something exists. so, that example is perfectly consistent with what you quoted.

[VictorH462]

A bunch of thanks to RonPurewal. Not a GMAT pursuer, but benefited a lot from this post years ago. By reviewing it today, feel obliged to get registered and say 'thankyou'. Cheers.

[RonPurewal]

A bunch of thanks to RonPurewal. Not a GMAT pursuer, but benefited a lot from this post years ago. By reviewing it today, feel obliged to get registered and say 'thankyou'. Cheers.

this is cool. thanks for taking the time!

[NiveditaU618]

@RonPurewal... u r the best .. this is awesome. I was never more clear about this topic before .. and it sure was a nuisance for me... but not anymore.. thanks a lot for the great explanations

[Sage Pearce-Higgins]

Glad to hear that!

[FuM520]

Wow! Fantastic Explanation ! Thanks !

[Sage Pearce-Higgins]