A South American bird that forages for winged termites and

Question

A South American bird that forages for winged termites and other small insects while swinging upside down from the foliage of tall trees, the  graveteiro belongs to the ovenbird family, a group of New World tropical birds that includes more than 230 species and that are  represented in virtually every kind of habitat.

A. graveteiro belongs to the ovenbird family, a group of New World tropical birds that includes more than 230 species and that are

B. graveteiro belongs to the ovenbird family, a group of New World tropical birds that includes more than 230 species and is

C. graveteiro belongs to the ovenbird family, a group of New World tropical birds that include more than 230 species and is

D. graveteiro, which belongs to the ovenbird family, a group of New World tropical birds that includes more than 230 species and that are

E. graveteiro, which belongs to the ovenbird family, a group of New World tropical birds that includes more than 230 species and is

TommyWallach · Accepted Answer

Hey All,

I got asked to take this on, though it looks like many of you have already reached the correct endpoint. However, to clarify this issue:

Yes, the relative pronouns "that" and "which" always modify whatever they touch. What confuses some people is that some words get modified TWICE. When this happens, we really have no choice. Both modifiers can't touch the noun at once. For example:

The king of Russia, who is coming to town tomorrow, is fat.

In this example, "of Russia" is a prepositional phrase modifying "king". The relative clause "who is coming to town tomorrow" is ALSO modifying "king" (it clearly isn't modifying "Russia", because that wouldn't make any sense). So we would argue that it's actually modifying the entire modified noun "The king of Russia" (in which case, the rule still applies, because the modifier is touching the modifiee).

The sentence at issue here is exactly the same.

B. graveteiro belongs to the ovenbird family, a group of New World tropical birds that includes more than 230 species and is

In this choice, the prepositional phrase "of New World tropical birds" is modifying "group". However, clearly it is the "group" and not the "birds" that includes 230 species. This means that the relative clause beginning "that includes more..." must ALSO be modifying "group", OR, you could describe it as modifying the entire modified noun "a group of New World tropical birds" (in which case, the rule still applies again, because the modifier is touching the modifiee).

Hope that helps!

-t

daagh · Answer

There is a simple way to look at it. D and E are instant untouchables because they are fragments. Among A, B and C,

A. graveteiro belongs to the ovenbird family, a group of New World tropical birds that includes more than 230 species and that are--- that includes and that are - one is singular verb and for the same pronoun , the other noun is plural; - A classic S-V mismatch. Drop m

B. graveteiro belongs to the ovenbird family, a group of New World tropical birds that includes more than 230 species and is – that includes and that is – both are singular; keep it

C. graveteiro belongs to the ovenbird family, a group of New World tropical birds that include more than 230 species and is--- A group that include - plural verb ) and is ( singular) ; both not in tandem --in addition that is missing leading un//ism drop

nusmavrik · Answer

Tommy
Until I saw your post, I was convinced that generalization on "which" is hopeless - I couldn't generalize anything about the which "physical touch".

And I was following these rules about which
1. which can refer a noun (non living, animal but not human being)
2. which cannot modify a sentence / clause. To modify preceding clause use comma + ing 
3. which without comma is fatal.
4. which may not physically touch the modifiee

See these sentences :
 a canoe  about twenty feet long and two feet wide, with small ribs and rails of cedar,  which   could carry four persons or eight hundred pounds ----> which modifies canoe.

A substance   from the licorice plant,  which   was recently discovered to be 50 times sweeter than sucrose ---> which modifies "substance"

The Great Palace  of Siam,  which   was built in 1250, is beautiful. ---> which modifies Great Palace

Straight one -
A newly developed  jumbo rocket, which  is expected to carry the United States into its next phase of space exploration, will be able to deliver a heavier load of instruments into orbit than the space shuttle can, and at a lower cost. ---> which modifies rocket.

But then your post -
 
The king of Russia, who is coming to town tomorrow, is fat. --->
it's actually modifying the entire modified noun "The king of Russia"

Kind of enlightening !

TommyWallach · Answer

Hey Nusma,

Glad to help! And in your examples, you can see how the rule applies:

a canoe about twenty feet long and two feet wide, with small ribs and rails of cedar, which could carry four persons or eight hundred pounds ----> which modifies canoe.

A substance from the licorice plant, which was recently discovered to be 50 times sweeter than sucrose ---> which modifies "substance"

The Great Palace of Siam, which was built in 1250, is beautiful. ---> which modifies Great Palace

Sweet!

-t

hirendhanak · Answer

Hi Tommy,

Thanks for your clarification.

I wish to understand if there are two answer choices given for this question . which one will u choose and why

1) graveteiro belongs to the ovenbird family, a group of New World tropical birds that includes more than 230 species and is

2) graveteiro, which belongs to the ovenbird family, a group of New World tropical birds that includes more than 230 species and is

The only reason to ask this is that i wish to understand how important is which in these options or which can't at all be chosen as an answer choice.

Thanks,

TommyWallach · Answer

Hey Hirendhanak,

The problem with the second example is that the sentence never actually resolves (with a verb). Watch. Everything in brackets is a modifier...
 
 , the graveteiro,  .

See? We are now missing the actual verb that goes with the subject "the graveteiro". In the other answer choice, the verb "belongs" is a main verb, so it creates a full sentence. Does that make sense?

-t

crashVcrush · Answer

A South American bird that forages for winged termites and other small insects while
swinging upside down form the foliage of tall trees, the graveteiro belongs to the
ovenbird family,  a group  of New World tropical birds  that includes more than 230
species and that are represented in virtually every kind of habitat.

thus the reduced stem : A group THAT includes more than 230 species and THAT are represented in .................

The intent : The sentence reveals something about a Group = WHAT?

1. A group THAT..................includes more than 230 species

2. A group THAT..................are represented in every kind of habitat

A group ( SINGULAR ) ============== should pair with SINGULAR VERB

Vertical scan revals only B to fit :

B : A Group ........THAT INCLUDES........................AND.....................THAT IS represented = (Parallel & A group - Sin pairs perfectly with Sing verbs includes & IS )

saikarthikreddy · Answer

B is correct .A group is always singular .I am not sure whether the rule you have mentioned is correct.Where did you come across it .?

Gian Franco Dy · Answer

A South American bird that forages for winged termites and other small insects while swinging upside down form the foliage of tall trees, the graveteiro belongs to the ovenbird family, a group of New World tropical birds that includes more than 230 species and that are represented in virtually every kind of habitat. , the graveteiro (with comma) is our main enemy here. :evil:

It confuses us to determine the main verb of the whole sentence ! :twisted:

If we take a look at the sentence once more without , the graveteiro here what it looks like

: A South American bird that forages for winged termites and other small insects while swinging upside down form the foliage of tall trees belongs to the ovenbird family, a group of New World tropical birds that includes more than 230 species and that are represented in virtually every kind of habitat. So the sentence above is clearer. If we try once more removing the , the graveteiro

on the choices A. belongs to the ovenbird family, a group of New World tropical birds that includes more than 230 species and that are B. belongs to the ovenbird family, a group of New World tropical birds that includes more than 230 species and is C. belongs to the ovenbird family, a group of New World tropical birds that include more than 230 species and is D. , which belongs to the ovenbird family, a group of New World tropical birds that includes more than 230 species and that are E. , which belongs to the ovenbird family, a group of New World tropical birds that includes more than 230 species and is Now, through correct comprehension that the main verbs are belongs and is represented We know that these comprehensions are wrong: :lol:

1. a group is represented 2. tropical birds include .... sounds really funny here :lol:

It's like saying "Birds are including humans." So now we are between B and C with s-v agreement issues. :?:

Hence, B.

alokkumargupta · Answer

In option E

graveteiro, which belongs to the ovenbird family, a group of New World tropical birds that
includes more than 230 species and is

which - refers to graveteiro.
a group of - refers to graveteiro.

Grammatically too, it make sense to me. Can someone help me here with my understanding and way of approaching?

EducationAisle · Answer

In option E, if we notice the structure of the sentence, the sentence with option E does not have any Independent clause (in other words, there is no main verb in the sentence). So, option E is not a sentence at all. Let’s look at the structure more closely. With option E, the sentence is: A South American bird that forages for winged termites and other small insects while swinging upside down form the foliage of tall trees, the graveteiro, which belongs to the ovenbird family, a group of New World tropical birds that includes more than 230 species and is represented in virtually every kind of habitat . By deconstructing the sentence: Phrase () Dependent clause (), Phrase (), Dependent clause (), Phrase () Dependent clause () . As we see, there is no Independent clause in this sentence. Hence, it is incorrect. On the other hand, option B has an Independent clause: graveteiro belongs to the ovenbird family . p.s. Our book EducationAisle Sentence Correction Nirvana discusses Dependent/Independent clauses , their application and examples in significant detail. If someone is interested, PM me your email-id, I can mail the corresponding section.

SonGoku · Answer

Hmm..
A and D are eliminated straight away
c is a trap
 I have a small doubt in eliminating choice E.
 I was down to 2 options B and E;
 I have eliminated E because Which is a non essential modifier. So we read the sentence as

graveteiro,  which belongs to the ovenbird family , a group of New World tropical
birds that includes more than 230 species and is

Now , group in the sentence is referring to graveteiro which is not the correct reference!.

Please correct me if my thought process is wrong.

NinetyFour · Answer

I had a question regarding C. If it said "A group of birds that include more than 230 species and that are" that would be correct, right? Since that points to birds.

If this question were to appear on the test and the example I listed above appeared vs Answer Choice B, which one would be correct?

MartyTargetTestPrep · Answer

Actually, the version you suggested would not be correct, because it is not the birds that include species, it's the group that includes species. So, you need the singular "includes" and "is."

Further, you don't need a second "that" in this situation. You need to repeat "that" in constructing a list only in certain cases, such as when the later elements of a list are complete clauses.

OK, so here is the correct version:

a group of birds that includes more than 230 species and is

Of all things, the correct version = version B.

Arro44 · Answer

I got the right answer by following the clues, but I am super confused by the "but" behind the comma, is that really correct?

AjiteshArun · Answer

You're right. It can't be.  Form  is also not correct ( down form the foliage ).

Skywalker18 · Answer

A South American bird that forages for winged termites and other small insects while swinging upside down form the foliage of tall trees, but the  graveteiro belongs to the ovenbird family, a group of New World tropical birds that includes more than 230 species and that are  represented in virtually every kind of habitat.

A. graveteiro belongs to the ovenbird family, a group of New World tropical birds that includes more than 230 species and that are

B. graveteiro belongs to the ovenbird family, a group of New World tropical birds that includes more than 230 species and is

C. graveteiro belongs to the ovenbird family, a group of New World tropical birds that include more than 230 species and is- subject-verb agreement issue- a group of New World tropical birds that include

D. graveteiro, which belongs to the ovenbird family, a group of New World tropical birds that includes more than 230 species and that are - no verb

E. graveteiro, which belongs to the ovenbird family, a group of New World tropical birds that includes more than 230 species and is- no verb

1. 
A. a group of New World tropical birds that includes more than 230 species and that are - Do we reject option A based on subject-verb agreement issue? A group is singular and needs that is?
B. a group of New World tropical birds that includes more than 230 species and is -

2. Also, in cases like option A, is it possible for parallel that clauses to modify two different nouns? As in the first 'that' modifies group and the second modifies birds?

3. In the overall sentence structure, do we have a verb before Comma , but here?

AjiteshArun  ,  GMATNinja  ,  MagooshExpert  ,  GMATGuruNY  ,  VeritasPrepBrian  ,  MartyTargetTestPrep  ,  DmitryFarber  ,  VeritasKarishma  ,  generis  ,  jennpt  , other expert - please enligthen

MartyTargetTestPrep · Answer

Your analysis is correct. The only situation in which we would not eliminate this choice is one in which the question had no completely correct answer and in which we were forced to choose this choice because it was better than the others.

I'm pretty sure that you already know the answer to your question. Is such a structure logical?

No, and it appears that an error was made in the transcription of the question and that that "but" should not be present.

Gmat20201 · Answer

A South American bird that forages for winged termites and other small insects while swinging upside down from the foliage of tall trees,  the graveteiro belongs to the ovenbird family, a group of New World tropical birds that includes more than 230 species and that are  represented in virtually every kind of habitat.

A. graveteiro belongs to the ovenbird family, a group of New World tropical birds  that  includes more than 230 species and  that  are
-  That Refers to subject " a group" which is singular, while second part of the sentence uses "are" - SVA error so eliminate

B. graveteiro belongs to the ovenbird family, a group of New World tropical birds that includes more than 230 species and is
-  Correct

C. graveteiro belongs to the ovenbird family, a group of New World tropical birds that  include  more than 230 species and is
-  That Refers to subject " a group" which is singular, while verb " include" is plural- SVA error Eliminate 
 
D. graveteiro, which belongs to the ovenbird family, a group of New World tropical birds that includes more than 230 species and  that are 
 -  Same error as in Choice A . So we quickly eliminate this choice

E. graveteiro, which belongs to the ovenbird family, a group of New World tropical birds that includes more than 230 species and is
 -  This sentence does not have independent clause. Hence its not complete sentence . So we eliminate this. 
 
To further understand break the complete sentence with choice E as below

A South American bird -  phrase 
that forages for winged termites and other small insects while swinging upside down from the foliage of tall trees, graveteiro, -  Relative Clause 
which belongs to the ovenbird family, a group of New World tropical birds -  Again Relative clause 
that includes more than 230 species and is represented in virtually every kind of habitat.-  Again Relative clause

Independent clause is missing in choice E so we eliminated it.
 
Ans is Choice B

Hope that helps!

A South American bird that forages for winged termites and

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A South American bird that forages for winged termites and

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