The renewable energy sector is experiencing rapid transformation. Solar and wind technologies _____ more cost-effective than traditional fossil fuels ...
GMAT Standard English Conventions : (Grammar) Questions
The renewable energy sector is experiencing rapid transformation. Solar and wind technologies _____ more cost-effective than traditional fossil fuels in many regions. Industry experts predict this trend will continue for the foreseeable future.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
became
will become
are becoming
will have become
Let's begin by understanding the meaning of this sentence. We'll use our understanding of pause points and segment the sentence as shown - understanding and assimilating the meaning of each segment bit by bit!
Sentence Structure
Sentence 1:
- The renewable energy sector is experiencing rapid transformation.
Sentence 2:
- Solar and wind technologies (?) more cost-effective than traditional fossil fuels in many regions.
Sentence 3:
- Industry experts predict this trend will continue for the foreseeable future.
Understanding the Meaning
The first sentence tells us:
- The renewable energy sector is experiencing rapid transformation.
- 'Is experiencing' tells us this transformation is happening right now - it's ongoing, in progress.
Now we get to the second sentence with our blank:
- Solar and wind technologies _____ more cost-effective than traditional fossil fuels in many regions.
This is where we have the blank. Let's look at the choices:
- A. became (past tense)
- B. will become (future tense)
- C. are becoming (present progressive)
- D. will have become (future perfect)
To see what works here, let's read the third sentence and understand what it's saying!
The third sentence adds:
- Industry experts predict this trend will continue for the foreseeable future.
Now let's understand what this complete picture is telling us:
- Sentence 1: The sector 'is experiencing' transformation
- This is present progressive - something happening now and ongoing
- Sentence 3: 'This trend will continue'
- 'This trend' points back to what's described in Sentence 2
- 'Will continue' means the trend is already happening now and will keep happening into the future
So Sentence 2 needs to describe something that:
- Is happening currently (to match Sentence 1's present time frame)
- Is an ongoing process or trend (so that Sentence 3's 'this trend will continue' makes logical sense)
What do we notice about what's needed?
- All three sentences work together to describe a present, ongoing situation
- Sentence 1 uses present progressive ('is experiencing')
- Sentence 3 refers to a trend that's currently happening and will continue
- We need a verb form that shows:
- Current action happening right now
- An ongoing process, not something completed or purely future
The correct answer is C: are becoming
This present progressive form:
- Shows the technologies are in the process of becoming more cost-effective - it's happening now
- Matches the tense in Sentence 1 ('is experiencing')
- Creates a current trend that Sentence 3 can logically say 'will continue'
GRAMMAR CONCEPT APPLIED
Using Present Progressive to Show Ongoing Processes
The present progressive tense (am/is/are + verb-ing) is used to describe actions or changes that are happening right now and are still in progress. This tense is particularly useful for describing:
- Ongoing changes or trends: Things that are in the process of developing
- Example: 'Temperatures are rising due to climate change.'
- (Not 'rose' - past, or 'will rise' - future, but actively rising now)
- Current situations that haven't finished: Actions happening at the present moment
- Example: 'Scientists are discovering new species in the rainforest.'
- (The discovery process is ongoing, not complete)
In this question:
- The passage needs to describe a current, ongoing trend
- Sentence 1 uses 'is experiencing' (present progressive) to show ongoing transformation
- Sentence 3 says 'this trend will continue' - meaning it's already happening
- Therefore, Sentence 2 needs 'are becoming' (present progressive) to show technologies are currently in the process of becoming more cost-effective
The key: When multiple sentences work together, they need consistent time frames. If one sentence describes something happening now with present progressive, related sentences should maintain that present, ongoing perspective.
became
✗ Incorrect
- This is simple past tense, meaning the change already happened and finished
- It contradicts Sentence 1, which describes transformation happening now with 'is experiencing'
- It makes Sentence 3 illogical - you can't continue a trend that already completed in the past
will become
✗ Incorrect
- This is simple future tense, suggesting the change will happen later but isn't happening now
- It contradicts Sentence 1, which describes transformation happening in the present
- It makes Sentence 3 confusing - if it's purely future, there's no current trend to 'continue'
are becoming
✓ Correct
Correct as explained in the solution above.
will have become
✗ Incorrect
- This is future perfect tense, suggesting completion before some future point
- It contradicts the present time frame established in Sentence 1
- It doesn't establish an ongoing trend - it suggests a completed action at a future time
- The tense is too complex and specific for this context