In a cardboard representation of nucleotide subunits, Watson and Crick

anothermillenial , got it, thank you

generis VeritasKarishma GMATNinja AjiteshArun egmat

I know that verb-ed modifiers modify the noun and here Watson and Crick are the noun.

Don't you think when you read option E, you feel the sentence is a run on?

Kindly help.

Read the text below using the option E.

In a cardboard representation of nucleotide subunits, Watson and Crick, elaborated on other scientists’ theories which had failed to explain the nucleotide structures and pairings in their entirety,accurately modeled the double-helix DNA.

arpitkansal - so sorry! I missed this tag.
If I do not answer within 48-72 hours (we have a lot of questions ) please, PM me.

arpitkansal , JS1290 , AishwaryaV12 , Leonaann , 2asc , and applebear -

I hope that the analysis below helps. You can find it HERE.

Again, apologies.

josico111 , I know that this rule is taught by at least one major test prep company.

True: comma + verbING usually modifies the previous clause.
Not always.

comma + ING can modify an immediately preceding noun(s) or noun phrase, the subject of the previous clause (rare),
or the entire clause.

[spoiler alert: part of reasoning behind a correct answer to official question revealed]

OG VR 2019 contains a problem in which comma + ING


You can find that very recent problem HERE.

Takeaway: comma + ING can modify the previous clause or an immediately preceding noun.

Further, what do you do about the incorrect construction of (E)?

Answer A is correct.

In addition to the official example cited, see also Quirk et al. A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language. (2010 [1985)). §17.34

Hi Mudit27021988 , this question's original OE was confusing.

Regarding the highlighted part, you should always reject an answer that is a comma splice.
A comma splice is wrong 100% of the time. No exceptions.

medus18 , yes.

On the GMAT, which begins a non-essential modifier and should be set off by a comma or by commas.

Occasionally you will see "of which" without commas, but that construct is different.

This source has a habit of using the British English approach, but that approach is not
the way that GMAT tests the issue.

British English: which and that are interchangeable
U.S. English: a debate, although most dictionaries note that formal U.S. writing experts require that for essential modifiers
On the GMAT and in many conventional grammarians' minds: that and which are not interchangeable.
that is for essential modifiers
which is for non-essential modifiers

All of the options in this question contain the same error,
so we can say that (A) is the best of the lot.

If the GMAT authors suddenly decide that which can take the place of that,
the authors almost certainly will not give you a choice.

They, too, will put which in all the answer choices.
I do not believe that such a change is coming anytime soon.

Hope that helps.

Hi generis

Got it finally! thanks a ton

Hi warrior1991,

generis is right: there are plenty of decision points around elaborated.
1. If elaborated is a modifier, the meaning is wrong.
2. If elaborated is a verb, there should be an and before accurately modeled and there should be no comma after Crick.
3. If elaborated is a verb, the meaning is not very clear. Did they do two separate things (elaborated and modeled)?

However, we are not looking at a run-on (a run-on involves at least two clauses). Also, have you been told that "-ed modifiers" can modify only nouns? If yes, that is not correct.

I am still confused why ing modifier will not be accepted here...Can someone please clarify..
Thanks

AjiteshArun Yes, I knew that '-ed' modifiers only modify the noun. But thanks for bringing this to light.

generis As usual, thank you for a fast and comprehensive response.

Debashis Roy - on the first page of the thread, other people
incorrectly rejected the ING modifier because
1) the OA was incorrectly listed as (E) rather than (A);

2) posters were trying to justify the [then incorrect] official answer; and

3) in their attempts to justify (E), posters used a very common misconception to justify (E).

People have been taught incorrectly that

comma + present participle phrase
can modify only a previous clause, not a noun.

They also incorrectly believe that only
comma + verbED
can modify a noun.

Those beliefs reflect at least one major prep company's approach, and apparently, Princeton's too.

The posters on the first page of the thread were repeating
inaccurate information in part because they had an inaccurate OA.

For their sake, I noted in this post above, that

comma + verbING can modify the immediately preceding noun.
It makes sense to you. It did not make sense to them when the OA was incorrectly listed as (E).

I hope that the earlier debate is now clear.

generis
Thanks I got it...I also selected A as the correct choice since E doesnt make sense in its structure

Debashis Roy , I know that you understand which answer is correct.

Perhaps I am mistaken, but you seemed to be wondering
why many others were not choosing as you did and
what all the hullabaloo was about.

I thought when you wrote, "Please clarify,"
you were asking for an explanation of much debate surrounding
what seemed to you to be a straightforward issue.

So I gave you the explanation that I thought you asked for.

If I misunderstood your question, please rephrase it.
I'll amend my answer above to make sure that it looks as if I am speaking of others. Regards.

generis

You got me perfectly! I was indeed confused seeing so many responses in favour of E...and you have clarified the matter regarding the wrongly listed correct answer...I appreciate your help..
Thanks again and cheers!

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