Butterflies come in more than 17,000 species, displaying a wing patter

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Here is a detailed explanation to this question-



Choice A: This answer choice features a subtle example of pronoun ambiguity; "each one" could refer to either "species" or "butterflies". Thus, this answer choice is incorrect.

Choice B: This answer choice displays the same pronoun ambiguity seen in Option A, due to the use of the phrase "in each". Thus, this answer choice is incorrect.

Choice C: This answer choice changes the meaning of the sentence by modifying the verb "displaying" with the adverb "uniquely"; the intended meaning of the sentence is that each species of butterfly displays a unique wing pattern, but this answer choice implies that each species displays a wing pattern in a unique way. This answer choice also displays the pronoun ambiguity seen in Options A and B. Thus, this answer choice is incorrect.

Choice D: This answer choice maintains proper pronoun use and preserves the intended meaning of the sentence. Thus, this answer choice is correct.

Choice E: This answer choice repeats the meaning-related error seen in Option C. Thus, this answer choice is incorrect.

Hence, D is the best answer choice.

One important thing to note here is how Options E and D resolve the pronoun ambiguity error by using the word "which"; by employing the phrase "each of which", these answer choices make it clear that the modifying phrases apply to the noun directly before the comma.

To understand the concept of "Avoiding Pronoun Ambiguity on GMAT", you may want to watch the following video (~1 minute):



To understand the concept of "Which, Who, Whose, Where on GMAT", you may want to watch the following video (~1 minute):



All the best!
Experts' Global Team

Butterflies come in more than 17,000 species, displaying a wing pattern unique to each one.

For this question, the best way to progress is to think about the intended meaning of the sentence before reading the answer choices. So here, the butterflies don’t really come displaying a wing pattern, right? What the sentence wants to say is that each species has a unique design/pattern.
With this in mind, let’s look at the options.

(A) displaying a wing pattern unique to each one
Here the comma + present participle modifier (verb-ing) describes the entire preceding clause/subject. If we delete the prepositional phrase and try reading the sentence, we can see that it is awkward: Butterflies come in more than 17,000 species, displaying…. It is not the butterflies but the species that come with unique patterns. Thus, we can eliminate.

(B) displaying a unique wing pattern in each
Although the placement of ‘unique’ expresses the right intent, the modifier with a comma has the same problem as that of option A. Eliminate.

(C) each uniquely displaying a wing pattern
Here the meaning that comes through is erroneous. Butterflies aren’t uniquely showing or displaying patterns. Thus, we can eliminate.

(D) each of which displays a unique wing pattern
This option corrects all the errors that we see in the earlier options. This is correct.

(E) each of which uniquely displays a wing pattern
It is not the species that is ‘uniquely displaying’ their wings; the pattern is what is unique/different. Eliminate.

Hope this helps!

Can anyone tell , why E is not correct

Lets compare D and E

(D) each of which displays a unique wing pattern
(E) each of which uniquely displays a wing pattern

As per D, the wing pattern is unique.

However, E doesn't specify that the pattern is unique. It says that the way the pattern is displayed by the different species is unique, which doesn't make much sense.

Tthe wing pattern is unique whereas E says that the display is unique

(A) displaying a wing pattern unique ((to)) ((each one)) - thus sentence means that the butterflies display their unique wedding pattern to someone (each one). Who is each one ?? Ambiguous. Eliminate.

(B) displaying a //unique wing pattern// in ((each)) - in each... In which ??

(C) each ((uniquely displaying)) a wing pattern - this means the display is unique. Meaning changes. Eliminate.

(D) each of //which// displays a //unique wing pattern// - looks good. No errors.

(E) each of which ((uniquely displays)) a wing pattern - meaning change. Same as C.

Thus, D is best.

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Why is A wrong?

Butterflies come in more than 17,000 species, displaying a wing pattern unique to each one.

(A) displaying a wing pattern unique to each one
(B) displaying a unique wing pattern in each
(C) each uniquely displaying a wing pattern
(D) each of which displays a unique wing pattern
(E) each of which uniquely displays a wing pattern

Please can u clarify why A is wrong?
I marked A because the verb-ing modifier correctly modifies the preceding clause.
The subject "Butterflies" is doing the action of displaying.

If it was "displaying a unique wing pattern to each one" Then i understand that it is INCORRECT.
But otherwise A seems fine to me.

blitzkriegxX - Always be reasonable with meaning of a sentence. This is the only correct approach to solve a SC question. Rest every thing will fall in its place. Lets pick this choice on these lines.

regarding choice A and B.
displaying refer to butterflies. this is wrong. it should refers to species.
second error is that
if displaying refer to butterflies, we need add "each".
each displaying a unique wing pattern.
the butterflied each display a unique wing pattern
without "each", sentence is not logic because all butterflied can not display a unique wing pattern.
this is the second error.

hI daagh !!!!!


1. iN D, each of which is acting as a subject and sdsiplays is the verb. Then how can we jon two independent clauses without semi colon or FANBOYS. Is this a dependent clause or a relative clause ?



2. In C , each of which displaying ... This is absolute phrase . Per my understanding, besides wrong placement of unique, there is nothing wrong in the absolute phrase.


Am i correct with my above contentions ? Kindly enlighten


Regards

1. 'Each of which displays a unique wing pattern' -This is a relative clause and not an IC. Each is a noun but because of the inclusion of the relative pronoun, it becomes the subject of a relative clause. and has now necessarily to fall back on whatever the word, 'which' refers to. We cannot join a relative clause by a semicolon or fanboys with the main clause. This is the structure of a complex sentence.
2. A wrong word error is unacceptable in GMAT, if it changes the original intent. Hence, we have to consign C to the bin.

(A) displaying a wing pattern unique to each one
(B) displaying a unique wing pattern in each
(C) each uniquely displaying a wing pattern
(D) each of which displays a unique wing pattern
(E) each of which uniquely displays a wing pattern

IMO D

I have one issue in option D. "Butterflies come in more than 17,000 species" and " each of which displays a unique wing pattern" are two independent clauses which are separated by comma. How is this possible? Two independent clauses can only be possible either with FANBOYS or semicolon. and each of which is neither of them.

Hi harshsaini, "each of which displays a unique wing pattern" is not an independent clause; it's a dependent clause (since it starts with a relative pronoun which).

You can watch our video on independent & dependent clauses.

Hi! The word “species” in this case is singular? I got confused with the verb “displays”. I thought species was plural and the correct verb was “display”

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Hi, MartyTargetTestPrep AndrewN
I almost chose D, which was the best. but
In D each is the subject and displays is the verb, giving us an IC, which needs to be connected with either ; or ,conjuction.

Why grammer is failing here,

note that which is not the subject, if it was, the verb would have been display (which is referring to species-plural). so its not a relative clause!

Wow, What do you say?

Hello, dcoolguy. It may be helpful to think of [noun] of which as a trigger that creates a subordinate clause. Unless you are dealing with dialogue, something the GMAT™ never tests in SC questions, you will not see of which form an independent clause. By the way, another manner in which (a similar construct that also subordinates) you might see the end of the sentence written in a different question is each of them displaying a unique wing pattern. The same grammatical conventions apply: you would use a comma ahead of each. I would not worry too much about why the comma is used in this case. Just learn the convention and move on. There are bigger fish to fry, as the saying goes (and to return to a recent dialogue we shared on a different question).

Thank you for thinking to ask.

- Andrew