Research specialists at the Consumer Behavior Institute observe that purchasing habits have experienced a substantial shift during the last ten...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
Research specialists at the Consumer Behavior Institute observe that purchasing habits have experienced a substantial shift during the last ten years. While buyers previously preferred physical store visits for significant purchases, evidence demonstrates a definite transition to online channels. _______ shoppers are choosing internet-based retail platforms—a trend validated by consistent increases in digital commerce revenue across every industry segment.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
Increasingly,
Consequently,
In contrast,
For example,
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Research specialists at the Consumer Behavior Institute observe that purchasing habits have experienced a substantial shift during the last ten years.' |
|
| 'While buyers previously preferred physical store visits for significant purchases, evidence demonstrates a definite transition to online channels.' |
|
| '[MISSING TRANSITION]' |
|
| 'shoppers are choosing internet-based retail platforms—a trend validated by consistent increases in digital commerce revenue across every industry segment.' |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Consumer purchasing behavior has definitively shifted from physical stores to online platforms over the past decade, with this trend supported by consistent revenue growth across all industries.
Argument Flow: The passage opens by establishing that a major shift in consumer behavior has occurred over ten years. It then explains this shift by contrasting previous preferences (physical stores) with current evidence of transition to online channels. Finally, it provides supporting evidence through revenue data that validates this online trend across all industry segments.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
This is a fill-in-the-blank question asking us to choose the best logical connector. The answer must create the right relationship between what comes before and after the blank.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- Looking at our analysis, we see the passage describes a shift from physical to online shopping
- The sentence before the blank establishes that there's 'evidence' of a 'definite transition to online channels'
- The sentence after the blank states that 'shoppers are choosing internet-based retail platforms'
- The key relationship we need is one that shows this trend is continuing or growing stronger
- The blank connects a general statement about transition evidence with a specific statement about shoppers making online choices
- The right transition should show that this online shopping behavior is happening more and more over time, building on the established trend
- So the right answer should indicate that the trend toward online shopping is continuing to grow or intensify
Increasingly,
✓ Correct - 'Increasingly' shows that more and more shoppers are making this choice over time
- Perfectly matches the logical flow from 'definite transition' to specific evidence of that transition
- Creates a sense of ongoing, growing momentum in the shift to online shopping
Consequently,
✗ Incorrect - 'Consequently' suggests the online shopping is a result of the previous sentence
- But the previous sentence already describes the transition itself, not a cause of it
- Creates an awkward cause-and-effect relationship where none exists
In contrast,
✗ Incorrect - 'In contrast' signals opposition or difference between ideas
- But both sentences describe the same trend toward online shopping
- Would incorrectly suggest shoppers choosing online platforms contradicts the transition evidence
For example,
✗ Incorrect - 'For example' suggests the following information illustrates a broader point
- But the sentence describes the main trend itself, not an example of something else
- This represents a trap where students might think the specific shopper behavior is just an example of the broader transition, but it's actually the core evidence of that transition