Architects and stonemasons, huge palace and temple clusters were built

Pls explain, How is this sentence incorrect?

I understood the meaning of the sentence that
Mayan population built temples and palaces without...wheel.

What is the relevance of the modifier "Architects and Stonemasons" before the comma? What does it modify?

Pls, explain why 'E' is wrong other than the fact that 'Architects...' should be immediately followed by a suitable noun/pronoun.

Thanks

I cannot wrap my head around this:

(1) Scientists and engineers, the Russians built a huge rocket.
How is this not a fragmented sentence?

(2) Scientists and engineers, were the Russians who, ... , built a huge rocket.
Though the , is clearly wrong here, I've seen GMAT use commas to mark pauses arbitrarily.
If that's the case, would this option be more valid?

Hi shyam30, I can understand the confusion. Scientists and engineers are actually nouns; however, in this sentence, they are in some sense describing who the Russians are/were. So, the phrase Scientists and engineers is used as a modifier here, modifying the Russians.

Hence, it is not a fragmented sentence.

p.s. Our book EducationAisle Sentence Correction Nirvana discusses Fragmented sentences, their application and examples in significant detail. If you or someone is interested, PM me your email-id; I can mail the corresponding section.

Hi DmitryFarber GMATNinja Abhi077 generis

It seems like in E -- were the Maya who is not a modifier according to E

If that is indeed the case, why is were the Maya who in between comma's in E?

Also, where can i read more about this part quoted by DmitryFarber - The part in question begins with a verb, so it's not a modifier. - i thought as long as anything is in between two comma's -- we can assume it's a modifier

Hi jabhatta2,

Unfortunately, we can't do that. You could try this question and this question and then go through these posts: 1 and 2.

Abhi077

Wouldn't "without the benefit..." be a prepositional phrase describing 'temple clusters and palaces' and therefore illogical or at the very least ambiguous if you said it could refer to architects and stonemansons?

(C) the Maya built huge palace and temple clusters without the benefit of animal transport or the wheel

Thank you for the response.

My counterpoint would be below:

We saw a tiger on they way to the store.

Did we see a tiger while we were going to the store or did we see a tiger on his way to the store?

Obliviously the later is a bit nonsensical but it does leave ambiguity (I think you would argue it's adverbial in this case). Similarly from the question above can't
the same be said that its ambiguous?

Hi GMATNinja

It would be really helpful if you could post a detailed solution to this question.
Also, what is the role of 'architects and stonemasons'

[quote="jitendra"]Architects and stonemasons, huge palace and temple clusters were built by the Maya without benefit of the wheel or animal transport.


(A) huge palace and temple clusters were built by the Maya without benefit of the wheel or animal transport

(B) without the benefits of animal transport or the wheel, huge palace and temple clusters were built by the Maya

(C) the Maya built huge palace and temple clusters without the benefit of animal transport or the wheel

(D) there were built, without the benefit of the wheel or animal transport, huge palace and temple clusters by the Maya

(E) were the Maya who, without the benefit of the wheel or animal transport, built huge palace and temple clusters


GMATNinja

I have come across two official problems that treat the descriptor of a noun at the beginning of the sentence being offset by a comma or no comma differently.
In this problem, there is a comma --> "Architects and stonemasons, the Maya".

In number 868 in the Official Guide 2020 version, there is no comma--> "Jazz pianist and composer Thelonious Monk produced..."

How should I go about this?

Thank you I trust your words of wisdom.

Im seeing a lot of detail oriented explanations but for the sake of simplicity this is a way of looking at the question that will get you the right answer 80% of the way. If you are down to C & E (which you should be) think about the rules of restrictive and non restrictive modifiers. Nonrestrictive modifiers are always surrounded by commas & usually begin the modifier with the word 'which'. Unlike nonrestrictive modifiers, restrictive modifiers are usually not surrounded by commas and always change the meaning of the sentence.

(E) were the Maya who, without the benefit of the wheel or animal transport, built huge palace and temple clusters

Looking at answer choice E, "without the benefit of the wheel or animal transport" is an essential part of this sentence and will change the meaning of the sentence if it is not there. Thats great that mayans built huge palace and temple clusters, but it is exceptional that mayans built huge palace and temple clusters without the use of the wheel or animal transport. E has a restrictive modifier disguised as a nonrestrictive modifier and that is enough to choose answer choice C over E

Hello GMATNinja AjiteshArun VeritasKarishma AndrewN Skywalker18

I agree with all the problems mentioned above. I wanted to know whether we have a problem with "without the benefit of the wheel or animal transport" in option E. I think there's a problem as in option E it acts as a non-essential modifier. However, this fragment is essential for the meaning of the sentence. Am I correct? If not, could you please correct me?
Thanking you in advance!

Thank you for the prompt response AndrewN

I have a follow-up question. Please see if you can help me on this. I would understand in case you don't help on unofficial questions.

1. Architects and stonemasons, the Maya built huge palace and temple clusters without the benefit of animal transport or the wheel.

2. Architects and stonemasons, the Maya, without the benefit of animal transport or the wheel, built huge palace and temple clusters.

If you have choice between 1 and 2, then you wouldn't reject either? Or would you choose 1 because of the better quality?

Thank you!

Awesome! Thank for helping me out, AndrewN

C makes the most sense as a sentence but it looks like there's a typo in transcription of the question.

brianmontanaweb

What typo are you seeing?