Hailed as a key discovery in the science of evolution, the fossils of

I need some help determining why E is not correct. Can we get a expert to elaborate?

Hailed as a key discovery in the science of evolution, the fossils of a large scaly creature resembling both a fish and a land-animal provide evidence of a possible link in the evolutionary chain from water-based to land-based organisms.
a. the fossils of a large scaly creature resembling both a fish and a land-animal provide evidence of -> PERFECT -> IMO
b. a large scaly creature resembling both a fish and a land-animal provides fossils that are evidence -> ELIMINATE since key discovery is fossils and not the large scaly creature
c. a large scaly creature, whose fossils resemble both a fish and a land-animal, provides evidence of -> eliminate .. same reason as written in (b)
d. the fossils of a large scaly creature, which resembles both a fish and a land-animal, provides evidence of -> fossils ... proivides violates SVA. -> ELIMINATE
e. the fossils of a large scaly creature resemble both a fish and a land-animal and provide evidence of -> This is INCORRECT since here
here its said fossils resemble the fish and land animal. But actually the creature does,Not its fossil.hence ELIMINATE

the fossils of a large scaly creature resemble both a fish and a land-animal and provide evidence of

= the fossils of X and provide evidence of...
( "and" is not required here)..

As someone above posted, the problem with E is the faulty comparison between the fossils and fish and land-based creatures. The fossils don't resemble a fish or a land animal...they are feakin fossils! The fossils resembles the fossils of fish and land-based creatures, though.

This original sentence is correct as written. The word "fossils" is correctly placed as the subject of the opening modifier "hailed as a key discovery in the science of evolution." Also, the plural noun "fossils" agrees with the plural verb "provide."

(A) CORRECT. This choice is correct as it repeats the original sentence.

(B) In this choice, "a large scaly creature" is incorrectly placed as the subject of the opening modifier "hailed as a key discovery in the science of evolution." The fossils of the creature – not the creature itself – were discovered. Moreover, the phrase "a large scaly creature . . . provides fossils that are a possible link" distorts the meaning of the sentence by nonsensically suggesting that the creature "provides" its fossils; in fact the fossils were simply discovered by scientists.

(C) In this choice, "a large scaly creature" is incorrectly placed as the subject of the opening modifier "hailed as a key discovery in the science of evolution." The fossils of the creature – not the creature itself – were discovered.

(D) This choice correctly places the word "fossils" as the subject of the opening modifier "hailed as a key discovery in the science of evolution." However, this choice incorrectly employs the singular verb "provides," which does not agree with the plural noun "fossils."

(E) This choice subtly changes the meaning of the original sentence. The use of the word "and" in the phrase "the fossils resemble . . . and provide" creates two distinct points: first, that the fossils resemble x, and, second, that the fossils provide y. In contrast, in the original phrase "the fossils of a large scaly creature resembling both a fish and a land-animal provide evidence of . . .," the focus is clearly on how the fossils provide evidence. The modifying phrase "resembling both a fish and a land-animal" demonstrates how the fossils provide that evidence – it is not intended as a separate, unrelated point.

Hailed as a key discovery in the science of evolution, the fossils of a large scaly creature resembling both a fish and a land-animal provide evidence of a possible link in the evolutionary chain from water-based to land-based organisms.

(A) the fossils of a large scaly creature resembling both a fish and a land-animal provide evidence of

(B) a large scaly creature resembling both a fish and a land-animal provides fossils that are evidence

(C) a large scaly creature, whose fossils resemble both a fish and a land-animal, provides evidence of

(D) the fossils of a large scaly creature, which resembles both a fish and a land-animal, provides evidence of

(E) the fossils of a large scaly creature resemble both a fish and a land-animal and provide evidence of

Hailed as a key discovery in the science of evolution, the fossils of a large scaly creature resembling both a fish and a land-animal provide evidence of a possible link in the
evolutionary chain from water-based to land-based organisms.

Non underlined part is a past participle modifier
So it must modify the subject, the fossils
To test this we can write
The fossils AREHailed as a key discovery in the science of evolution - This makes sense

Again , the meaning here is that 'the fossils' provide evidence and hence it is hailed as a key discovery.
This meaning is also expressed properly by the stem.

So (A) is correct.

The fossils...shouldn't this be singular?
Don't we use 'The' to refer to very specific item?

"The" is used for "specific items" true but only for "singular items'' that's not correct.
For example: The oranges that are kept on the table are sour. <--In this example "The" is used to point to the specific oranges(plural items) that are kept on the table.

Hey!

I chose the option c in this question because "as a key discovery" refers to singular number, whereas "fossils" refer to plural. Could you please help explain where am I going wrong?

Thanks

As per the intended meaning, this key discovery refers to a 'discovery of fossils of a large creature' and not a discovery of a large creature.

Hope it helps.

Hey, thanks for your reply. After going through the explanation, I do understand the argument of intended meaning. However, judging by purely SVA, isn't the use of "fossils" instead of "fossil" incorrect?

Hi,
hailed as a key discovery....., is a modifier and modifying ‘the discovery of fossils/fossils’. ‘Hailed as a key discovery.....’ is not a sentence here but a modifier, so there is no SVA error.

Hope it helps.

(A) the fossils of a large scaly creature resembling both a fish and a land-animal provide evidence of

(B) a large scaly creature resembling both a fish and a land-animal provides fossils that are evidence

(C) a large scaly creature, whose fossils resemble both a fish and a land-animal, provides evidence of

(D) the fossils of a large scaly creature, which resembles both a fish and a land-animal, provides evidence of

(E) the fossils of a large scaly creature resemble both a fish and a land-animal and provide evidence of


Using POE, we have different decision points to reject the wrong answer choices.

A. Clear and concise. According to the meaning of the original sentence, fossils of some creature are discovered. So we need "the fossils" after comma and not "a large scaly creature".

B. First of, we need "the fossils" after comma. Also, now the meaning becomes "creature provides fossils that are evidence of xyz". This meaning is nonsensical. There is no need to add another "that clause" at the end.

C. Subject - Verb error - The fossils + provides (wrong). We need "provide". Also, we need "the fossils" after comma and not "a large scaly creature".

D. Subject - Verb error - The fossils + provides (wrong). We need "provide".

E. Here "resemble and provide" are verbs, and their subject is "the fossils". Though there is no SV error, but the meaning changes. It says that fossils resemble and provide evidence of xyz, and that is not the intended meaning.

According to the original sentence , the creature resembles both a fish and a land-animal, and not "the fossils" themselves.

Real difference b\w option A and E lies in the line "Hailed as a key discovery"

The actual meaning\intent of the line is:-
"..Hailed as a key discovery, the fossils provide evidence of a possible link in the evolutionary chain.."

The non-essential modifier is:-
"resembling both a fish and a land-animal"


Option A correctly states the intent.

Option E changes meaning by using the coordinating conjunction "and", which denotes that both events - "fossils resemble" and "fossils provide evidence" - are hailed as a key discovery.

What's "hailed as a key discovery in the scienc eof evolution"? Based on all answers below, it makes more sense to be the "fossils". So B and C are out.

And comparing among A, D and E, the major difference is the placement of modifier for "creature". In E it's phrased as "the fossils... resemble both a fish...", "resemble" illogically modifies "fossils" instead of "creatures". While in D, the main verb is "provides" which didn't agree in number with "fossils".

So correct answer is A.

Hi @Daagh/@GMATNinja,

Had a query. Generally speaking, in option 'D', how to we differentiate if 'provides' modifies discovery or fossils( especially when we have so many commas)

Srikar