Lack of fresh water is an ongoing problem in the outposts, and it i

Do not over-complicate it. In D, “problem” refers to “fresh water”, but that is not the problem. The problem is the lack of fresh water – this is clear in E.
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The reason given for option 'B' is wrong. Which has a clear antecedent 'ongoing problem'. The problem is the usage of tense here and not the modifier. Present tense should be used here

Is it ok to use "a" lack of fresh water as in option E?

why can't it refer back to problem in A?

I feel that D must be the answer since E is wordy - 'outposts have a lack of fresh water'

OFFICIAL EXAMPLE: OG 12#118 (with correct answer choice C)

The world wildlife fund has declared that global warming, a phenomenon most scientsts agree to be caused by human beings in burning fossil fuels, will create havoc among migratory birds by altering the enviroment in ways harmful to their habitats.

a) A phenomenon most scientists agree to be caused by human beings in burning fossil fuels,
b) a phenomenon most scientists agree that is caused by fossil fuels burned by human beings,
c) a phenomenon that most scientists agree is caused by human beings' burning of fossil fuels
d) which most scientists agree on as phenomenon caused by human beings who burn fossil fuels,
e) which most scientsts agree to be a phenomenon caused by fossil fuels burned by human beings

Why option D is incorrect in qus" Lack of Fresh water" while said qus is on same ground

D vs E.

D changes the meaning as it says "the outposts lack fresh water" - it means no fresh water, then what's the problem stated earlier?

MartyMurray , sayantanc2k , daagh

There is some confusion between D and E. From the previous posts, it seems that the concept of absolute phrase vs appositive is being tested. D is being eliminated on the grounds that in D fresh water is being modified instead of entire clause(as required). My doubt is that why can't the modifier "a problem that is expected to......." (which is by the way a noun+noun modifier modify the preceding clause? Why is it rendered an appositive?

"a problem that is expected to continue until reinforcements arrive" in D and "a problem expected to continue until reinforcements arrive" in E are virtually identical, in that they use essentially the same components, a noun followed by a modifier modifying that noun. So, basically, we can't really differentiate between D and E based on what follows the comma in each, though what follows the comma in E is slightly more concise than what follows the comma in D.

So, let's see whether we can differentiate D from E by considering what precedes the comma in each.

In D, "The outposts lack fresh water" more concisely and clearly conveys a meaning than does "The outposts have a lack of fresh water" in E.

That difference in conciseness and clarity is the only clear difference between choice D and choice E.

The idea that what appears after the comma in D modifies "water," while what appears after the comma in choice E modifies the entire clause does not really make sense. In considering either D or E, we could argue that what follows the comma modifies the noun that precedes the comma or that what follows the comma modifies the entire clause that precedes the comma.

If we were to choose to argue that what follows the comma modifies the noun that precedes the comma, then, yes, the version created via the use of E would make more sense, as what follows the comma more logically modifies "a lack of water" than "water."

However, given the context, we could argue that what follows the comma, in both cases, modifies the preceding clause, in which case, the construction of the main clause is what matters for differentiating the two versions.

I prefer the latter interpretation, as context dictates that, in choice D, the modifier that follows the comma does not modify "water" but rather modifies the entire preceding clause. So, probably, D is the better choice.

Here is an official SC question in which the correct version ends with a modifier that works in a way similar to the way in which the modifier in D works. Notice, only context dictates that the closing modifier modifies the entire clause rather than the noun that precedes the comma. https://gmatclub.com/forum/women-are-ex ... 82261.html
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(D) The outposts lack fresh water, a problem that is expected to continue until reinforcements arrive.

"a problem" is a prefect example of a noun modifier modifying the preceding clause .... don;t understand why some ppl think it's incorrect

no one has a convincing answer

I don't think that in the option D and E, out of following highlighted phrases - one is appositive and other is absolute phrase. Both must be absolute phrase.

Absolute phrase construction is noun + noun modifier (it could be participle, the relative clause or others) and it should modify the entire preceding clause. In this definition, both of these phrases qualify as absolute phrases

D) The outposts lack fresh water, a problem that is expected to continue until reinforcements arrive.

(E) The outposts have a lack of fresh water, a problem expected to continue until reinforcements arrive.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

In the (D) version, the modifier that follows the comma is an abstract appositive that renames what is described in the preceding clause.

In the (E) version, the modifier that follows the comma could be considered a noun phrase appositive that renames "a lack of fresh water." However, it's also possible to consider the modifier that follows the comma an abstract appositive that renames the entirety of what's describes in the preceding clause. Which it is is not clear.


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