Last visit was: 01 May 2026, 13:59 It is currently 01 May 2026, 13:59
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
User avatar
bkpolymers1617
Joined: 01 Sep 2016
Last visit: 11 Dec 2017
Posts: 124
Own Kudos:
1,229
 [2]
Given Kudos: 33
GMAT 1: 690 Q49 V35
Products:
GMAT 1: 690 Q49 V35
Posts: 124
Kudos: 1,229
 [2]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
bkpolymers1617
Joined: 01 Sep 2016
Last visit: 11 Dec 2017
Posts: 124
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 33
GMAT 1: 690 Q49 V35
Products:
GMAT 1: 690 Q49 V35
Posts: 124
Kudos: 1,229
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
0akshay0
Joined: 19 Apr 2016
Last visit: 14 Jul 2019
Posts: 192
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 59
Location: India
GMAT 1: 570 Q48 V22
GMAT 2: 640 Q49 V28
GPA: 3.5
WE:Web Development (Computer Software)
GMAT 2: 640 Q49 V28
Posts: 192
Kudos: 658
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
avatar
Abantika
Joined: 21 Mar 2017
Last visit: 24 Mar 2018
Posts: 10
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 190
Posts: 10
Kudos: 2
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hi,
As per my knowledge,we can use ing-modifier to express result of an action.So while solving I thought that the realization must have resulted to demolish the human conceit.Can someone please explain why am I wrong.
avatar
godot53
Joined: 14 Mar 2011
Last visit: 02 Jun 2025
Posts: 131
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 317
GMAT 1: 760 Q50 V42
Products:
GMAT 1: 760 Q50 V42
Posts: 131
Kudos: 290
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Abantika
Hi,
As per my knowledge,we can use ing-modifier to express result of an action.So while solving I thought that the realization must have resulted to demolish the human conceit.Can someone please explain why am I wrong.

Your understanding of ing modifier is perfect. But, you have to realize that "its the discovery" that demolished the misconception, not the "realization".

If the sentence have been written as :

Nicolaus Copernicus discovered that .........., demolishing... : it would have been correct.


Quote:

A COMMA + VERBing modifier refers not only to the preceding subject but also to the preceding VERB.
When correctly used, a COMMA + VERBing modifier serves to express an action that is an INTRINSIC PART OF THE PRECEDING ACTION.
For this reason, a COMMA + VERBing modifier should pass what I call THE INTRINSIC TEST:
If the COMMA + VERBing modifier is reversed, the action in the main clause will be CONTRADICTED

Cheers !!
User avatar
linakherchi
Joined: 16 Mar 2017
Last visit: 05 Aug 2018
Posts: 5
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 136
GMAT 1: 640 Q48 V30
GPA: 3.87
GMAT 1: 640 Q48 V30
Posts: 5
Kudos: 8
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
A) Nicolaus Copernicus realized that they were not stars but were satellites that orbit the giant planet in much the same way the planets themselves travel around the Sun, a discovery that finally demolished the human conceit that Earth is the center of the solar system, even the universe.

D) Nicolaus Copernicus realized that they were not stars but satellites that orbit the giant planet in much the same way the planets themselves travel around the Sun, a discovery that finally demolished the human conceit that Earth is the center of the solar system, even the universe.


Why D and not A? Why would we choose "that they were not stars but satellites" over "that they were not stars but were satellites"?

Thanks
User avatar
ydmuley
User avatar
Retired Moderator
Joined: 19 Mar 2014
Last visit: 01 Dec 2019
Posts: 807
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 199
Location: India
Concentration: Finance, Entrepreneurship
GPA: 3.5
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Nicolaus Copernicus realized that they were not stars but were satellites that orbit the giant planet in much the same way the planets themselves travel around the Sun, a discovery that finally demolished the human conceit that Earth is the center of the solar system, even the universe.

A) Nicolaus Copernicus realized that they were not stars but were satellites that orbit the giant planet in much the same way the planets themselves travel around the Sun, a discovery that finally demolished the human conceit that Earth is the center of the solar system, even the universe.

B) Nicolaus Copernicus realized that they were not stars but satellites that orbit the giant planet in much the same way the planets themselves travel around the Sun, finally demolishing the human conceit that Earth is the center of the solar system, even the universe.

C) Nicolaus Copernicus realized that they were not stars but were satellites orbiting the giant planet in much the same way the planets themselves travel around the Sun, a discovery finally demolishing the human conceit that Earth is the center of the solar system, even the universe.

D) Nicolaus Copernicus realized that they were not stars but satellites that orbit the giant planet in much the same way the planets themselves travel around the Sun, a discovery that finally demolished the human conceit that Earth is the center of the solar system, even the universe.

E) Nicolaus Copernicus had realized that they were not stars but satellites that orbit the giant planet in much the same way the planets themselves travel around the Sun, a discovery to finally demolish the human conceit that Earth is the center of the solar system, even the universe.[/quote]
User avatar
ydmuley
User avatar
Retired Moderator
Joined: 19 Mar 2014
Last visit: 01 Dec 2019
Posts: 807
Own Kudos:
917
 [1]
Given Kudos: 199
Location: India
Concentration: Finance, Entrepreneurship
GPA: 3.5
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
linakherchi
A) Nicolaus Copernicus realized that they were not stars but were satellites that orbit the giant planet in much the same way the planets themselves travel around the Sun, a discovery that finally demolished the human conceit that Earth is the center of the solar system, even the universe.

D) Nicolaus Copernicus realized that they were not stars but satellites that orbit the giant planet in much the same way the planets themselves travel around the Sun, a discovery that finally demolished the human conceit that Earth is the center of the solar system, even the universe.


Why D and not A? Why would we choose "that they were not stars but satellites" over "that they were not stars but were satellites"?

Thanks

Hello linakherchi - The correct IDIOM is - "Not X But Y"

"Not X But Were Y" is incorrect.

Hope this helps.
User avatar
VerbalBot
User avatar
Non-Human User
Joined: 01 Oct 2013
Last visit: 04 Jan 2021
Posts: 19,432
Own Kudos:
Posts: 19,432
Kudos: 1,010
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Automated notice from GMAT Club VerbalBot:

A member just gave Kudos to this thread, showing it’s still useful. I’ve bumped it to the top so more people can benefit. Feel free to add your own questions or solutions.

This post was generated automatically.
Moderators:
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
7391 posts
513 posts
363 posts