Starting modifier Flashcards
When adjusted for body weight, children of various age groups in the United States have a caffeine intake that ranges from 36 to 58 percent of the average amount consumed by adults.
A. children of various age groups in the United States have a caffeine intake that ranges from 36 to 58 percent of the average amount consumed by adults
B. the caffeine intake of children of various age groups in the United States ranges from 36 to 58 percent of the average amount consumed by adults
C. various age groups of children in the United States range in caffeine intake from 36 to 58 percent of that consumed by the average adult
D. in the United States, children of various age groups have a caffeine intake that ranges from 36 to 58 percent of the average adult’s consumption
E. in the United States, the caffeine intake of children in various age groups ranges from 36 to 58 percent of that consumed by the average adult
Ans B
Back to back modifiers - There should not be any ambiguity
A star will compress itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole after it passes through a red giant stage, depending on mass.
A. A star will compress itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole after it passes through a red giant stage, depending on mass.
B. After passing through a red giant stage, depending on its mass, a star will compress itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole.
C. After passing through a red giant stage, a star’s mass will determine if it compresses itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole.
D. Mass determines whether a star, after passing through the red giant stage, will compress itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole.
E. The mass of a star, after passing through the red giant stage, will determine whether it compresses itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole.
What are the errors in this statement ?
ans = D
- Modifiers
- Pronoun Its,It
Since the 1930s aircraft manufacturers have tried to build airplanes with frictionless wings, shaped so smoothly and perfectly that the air passing over them would not become turbulent.
A. wings, shaped so smoothly and perfectly
B. wings, wings so smooth and so perfectly shaped
C. wings that are shaped so smooth and perfect
D. wings, shaped in such a smooth and perfect manner
E. wings, wings having been shaped smoothly and perfectly so
ans = B
The sentence as written is not stated clearly. For example, it is unclear what is shaped so smoothly and perfectly; it could be either the airplanes or the wings. Upon considering the likely intended meaning, along with a review of the other answer choices, it seems most likely that the phrase is intended to modify frictionless wings.
Next, we need to consider whether it makes more sense to say that the wings are smooth or shaped smoothly. This issue can be determined only by considering the most plausible intended meaning rather than by considering just the grammar of the sentence. The idea of being smoothly shaped would seem already to be part of the idea of being shaped perfectly, and therefore it is redundant. On the other hand, having a surface that is very smooth would be crucial in a quest to make an airplane wing frictionless; for this reason, it makes sense to point out that the wings themselves are smooth.
Correct. Given the repetition of the word wings, it is clear that what follows modifies wings and not airplanes. Describing the wings as smooth and perfectly shaped clearly conveys what is most likely intended.
Aerugo, also known as verdigris, is the green “bloom” visible on many copper items, and is produced, like iron rust, over the course of time by the exposure of the metal to the oxygen in the atmosphere.
(A) visible on many copper items, and is produced
(B) that is visible on many copper items, and which produces
(C) visible on many copper items, and produces
(D) that is visible on many copper items, and that produces
(E) which is visible on many copper items, and which is produced
Ans = A
E is wrong coz which makes it non essential modifier but the meaning of an essential modifier
when you have an opening verb ed/Verb ing modifier , that modifier is going to directly associate with the subject of the sentence
When you have a prepositional phrase opening modifier, associates with the entire clause and not just the subject
QUESTION - Added to the increase in hourly wages requested last July, the railroad employees are now seeking an expanded program of retirement benefits.
(A) Added to the increase in hourly wages requested last July, the railroad employees are now seeking an expanded program of retirement benefits.
(B) Added to the increase in hourly wages which had been requested last July, the employees of the railroad are now seeking an expanded program of retirement benefits.
(C) The railroad employees are now seeking an expanded program of retirement benefits added to the increase in hourly wages that were requested last July.
(D) In addition to the increase in hourly wages that were requested last July, the railroad employees are now seeking an expanded program of retirement benefits.
(E) In addition to the increase in hourly wages requested last July, the employees of the railroad are now seeking an expanded program of retirement benefits.
Ans E
What does “that” in C and D refers to as C and D have subject verb error.
Increase in hourly wages that were requested last July -> That refers to “increase” and not “wages” as it was not wages that were requested(they must be getting wages earlier also|) but increase in wages
Noun modifiers modifying slightly far away nouns
https://gmatclub.com/forum/noun-modifiers-can-modify-slightly-far-away-noun-135868.html
- The committee chose Mr. Smith of Left Block, who was the most experienced member, to lead all the management-related operations.
We have already seen how “who” correctly modifies “Mr. Smith” in this sentence. Compare this with the following sentence:
- The committee chose Mr. Smith in the last meeting, who was the most experienced member, to lead all the management-related operations.
If you notice, structurally there is no difference between sentences 1 and 2. In both, “Mr. Smith” is followed by prepositional phrase. However, the second sentence is not correct. Here “who” ends up modifying immediately preceding noun “the last meeting”, resulting in modifier error.
This is so because “in the last meeting” does not modify “Mr. Smith”. It rather modifies the action “chose”. When did the committee choose? It did in the last meeting. This prepositional phrase can actually be placed right in the beginning of the sentence, after “The committee”, or before “Mr. Smith” to convey the intended meaning. Hence, here “who” cannot jump over the preceding noun. Notice how per the context of this sentence, the expression “Mr. Smith in the last meeting” is not a noun phrase. Contrast this with the noun phrase in the original sentence “Mr. Smith of Left Block”.
Plausible though it sounds, the weakness of the hypothesis is that it does not incorporate all relevant evidence.
A. Plausible though it sounds, the weakness of the hypothesis
B. Even though it sounds plausible, the weakness of the hypothesis
C. Though plausible, the hypothesis’ weakness
D. Though the hypothesis sounds plausible, its weakness
E. The weakness of the hypothesis which sounds plausible
Ans = D
Here more than the opening modifier , the pronoun “IT” helps us to eliminate-> It cannot refer to weakness logically and there is another it in the non underlined portion that also logically refers to hypothesis instead of weakness
An archaeological excavation at what might have been a workshop where statues were reproduced yielded 1,532 fragments of human figures, including 7 intact statues.
(A) what might have been a workshop where statues were reproduced yielded 1,532 fragments of human figures, including
(B) what might have been a workshop where statues were reproduced yielded 1,532 fragments of human figures and
(C) the site of a possible workshop where statues were reproduced yielded 1,532 fragments of human figures and
(D) the site of a possible workshop where statues were reproduced yielded 1,532 fragments of human figures, including
(E) the site of a possible workshop where statues might have been reproduced yielded 1,532 fragments of human figures, including
I simply rejected A and B thinking that where cannot refer to “workshop” as it is not a location BUT THAT IS WRONG . Workshop can be a location
What is completely wrong is the term “possible workshop” because possible is not a characteristic of workshop.
Also very important and I did think of that - IS INCLUDING -> How can fragments include Intact statues , they are both mutually exclusive so just by this logic we can easily eliminate 3 answer choices
A natural response of communities devastated by earthquake or flood is to rebuild on the same site, overlooking the possibility that the forces that caused it could be repeated.
(A) overlooking the possibility that the forces that caused it could be repeated
(B) overlooking the possibility that the forces causing it could be repeated
(C) overlooking that the forces that caused the disaster could also cause another one
(D) without considering that the forces causing the disaster could be repeated
(E) without considering that the forces that caused the disaster could also cause another such disaster
I initially got this wrong bit it was simple
On re-examining the question, I could understand a solid reason (which I missed in my previous post) that option E is the best answer.
Comma + present participle modifier should refer to the subject of the previous clause or the effect of the entire clause. Here “Overlooking …. “ wrongly suggests that “A natural response” (subject of the previous clause) overlooks, not the “communities”. Hence option A, B And C can be eliminated.
The intended meaning is that the disaster, not the forces, would be repeated. Hence option A, B AND D can be eliminated.
Option E is the correct answer.
Because 70 percent of the people of India use wood as their sole fuel, ten million acres of forest have been lost there since 1960, resulting in wood now costing eight times as much to collect and distribute than in 1960.
(A) resulting in wood now costing eight times as much to collect and distribute than
(B) resulting in wood now costing eight times as much to collect and distribute as
(C) resulting in wood now costing eight times as much to collect and distribute than it did
(D) and as a result wood now costs eight times as much to collect and distribute as it did
(E) and wood now costs eight times as much as a result to collect and distribute than
Good question! The phrase “resulting in,” because it contains a preposition, should introduce a noun or noun phrase that is a result. For example,
“Tim fed undercooked burritos to the neighbor’s children, resulting in mass indigestion.” –> What was the result of Tim’s culinary negligence? Mass indigestion. Makes sense.
Now look at the relevant portion in (B):
“Ten million acres of forest have been lost there since 1960, resulting in wood…”
The result of 10 million acres of forest disappearing was…wood? No. That’s illogical. So (B) is out.
The phrase “as a result” will introduce a full clause. Again, poor beleaguered Tim will will help illustrate:
“Tim fed undercooked burritos to the neighbor’s children, and as a result, everyone in town hates him.” –> What was the result of Tim poisoning the neighborhood kids? The clause: everyone hates him. Of course they do.
“Ten million acres of forest have been lost there since 1960, and as a result wood now costs eight times as much to collect and distribute as it did.”
What is the result of the 10 million acres of forest disappearing? It’s the entire clause: wood now costs eight times as much as it used to. Makes perfect sense. Because (D) is logical and (B) is nonsense, (D) is our winner.
Almost like clones in their similarity to one another, the cheetah species’ homogeneity makes them especially vulnerable to disease.
(A) the cheetah species’ homogeneity makes them especially vulnerable to disease
(B) the cheetah species is especially vulnerable to disease because of its homogeneity
(C) the homogeneity of the cheetah species makes it especially vulnerable to disease
(D) homogeneity makes members of the cheetah species especially vulnerable to disease
(E) members of the cheetah species are especially vulnerable to disease because of their homogeneity
here it is the “their” which calls for the subject to follow the modifier
ompanies are relying more and more on networked computers for such critical tasks as inventory management, electronic funds transfer, and electronic data interchange, in which standard business transactions are handled via computer rather than on paper.
(A) in which standard business transactions are handled via computer rather than on paper
(B) where computers handle standard business transactions rather than on paper
(C) in which computers handle standard business transactions instead of on paper
(D) where standard business transactions are handled, not with paper, but instead via computer
(E) in which standard business transactions are being handled via computer, in place of on paper
(E) in which standard business transactions are being handled via computer, in place of on paper
of + on is wrong
When an opening modifier starts with a preposition and then an –ing word, it describes something that the subject of the sentence is doing. For instance, in the sentence In studying for the GMAT, Raya learned a lot about herself, the subject, Raya, did the studying.
The emerging field of architectural climatology centers on the potential of as-yet-undeveloped architecture and landscaping to alter, redirect, or dissipate weather systems; for instance, hurricanes prevented from forming by artificial “reefs” of precisely shaped marine platforms.
A)systems; for instance, hurricanes prevented from forming by artificial “reefs” of precisely shaped marine platforms
B)systems; for example, artificial “reefs” of precisely shaped marine platforms that could prevent hurricanes from forming
C)systems, such as hurricanes, which artificial “reefs” of precisely shaped marine platforms prevent forming
D)systems, such as artificial “reefs” of precisely shaped marine platforms that can prevent hurricanes from forming
E)systems; for example, hurricanes could be prevented from forming by artificial “reefs” of precisely shaped marine platforms
Apart from E , none of the other options has IC after Semicolon
