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705-805 (Hard)|   Modifiers|   Pronouns|      
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CrackverbalGMAT
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Indian English, after North American and British the most widely spoke Updated on: 06 Jun 2019, 02:25
Originally posted by CrackverbalGMAT on 06 Jun 2019, 02:16.
Last edited by CrackverbalGMAT on 06 Jun 2019, 02:25, edited 1 time in total.
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Asad
Quote:
Also, could you help me to figure out what the most widely spoken of the many global varieties of English modifies in this sentence?
Show more
This modifies "Indian English" . What they intend to say in the question is :
Widely spoken English
1. American English
2. British English
3. Indian English

Quote:
^^ This sentence resembles rules number 4/
Again,
If we take out modifier (the most widely spoken of the many global varieties of English) with two side's COMMA, we have the following..
Show more

You are absolutely correct. A modifier is in fact a descriptor ,one of the basic ingredients in a cohesive sentence. A descriptor requires something that it can describe.

Quote:
The highlighted part is the whole point for asking the questions. How do someone will be convinced that [varieties] is implied in this case? The term by "North American and British" does not mean that they're talking about [varieties of English] ; they may talk about "north American people" and "the people of Britain".
One another important thing:
"after North American and British [varieties of English]" and "the most widely spoken of the many global varieties of English" are two different modifiers. So far I know that 2 consecutive modifiers CAN'T modify one single things (Indian English) at a time.
Show more


- The varieties of English is implicit in this case as the people or nationalities cannot be spoken, It has to be the variety in language.
- There is no such rule that 2 modifiers cannot modify one subject. Take the basic role of adjectives or verbs, they are modifiers too. The same subject can have more than one adjective and more than one verb.

AkshdeepS
Quote:
Indian English, after North American and British (English), the most widely spoken of the many global varieties of English, is evolving into one of the world's distinctive tongues.

You meant this construction is correct. If we don't put a comma after British, how does it affect the meaning. Please clarify.
Show more

The reason the comma is required after the British is to separate and clarify the ambiguity that comes in due to run on sentence. With the comma, the intent of the question is clear :
Widely spoken English
1. American English
2. British English
3. Indian English

Without the comma, the meaning of the sentence is read as "and British the most ......", making "British" out to be a verb. For e.g: He Briticised the tea time . Instead of a nice laid-back affair, it turned out to be a very formal sit-down ceremony. :)
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Indian English, after North American and British the most widely spoke 06 Jun 2019, 02:22
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MonikaCrackVerbal
Asad
Quote:
Also, could you help me to figure out what the most widely spoken of the many global varieties of English modifies in this sentence?
This modifies "Indian English" . What they intend to say in the question is :
Widely spoken English
1. American English
2. British English
3. Indian English

Quote:
^^ This sentence resembles rules number 4/
Again,
If we take out modifier (the most widely spoken of the many global varieties of English) with two side's COMMA, we have the following..

You are absolutely correct. A modifier is in fact a descriptor ,one of the basic ingredients in a cohesive sentence. A descriptor requires something that it can describe.

Quote:
The highlighted part is the whole point for asking the questions. How do someone will be convinced that [varieties] is implied in this case? The term by "North American and British" does not mean that they're talking about [varieties of English] ; they may talk about "north American people" and "the people of Britain".
One another important thing:
"after North American and British [varieties of English]" and "the most widely spoken of the many global varieties of English" are two different modifiers. So far I know that 2 consecutive modifiers CAN'T modify one single things (Indian English) at a time.


- The varieties of English is implicit in this case as the people or nationalities cannot be spoken, It has to be the variety in language.
- There is no such rule that 2 modifiers cannot modify one subject. Take the basic role of adjectives or verbs, they are modifiers too. The same subject can have more than one adjective and more than one verb.

AkshdeepS
Quote:
Indian English, after North American and British (English), the most widely spoken of the many global varieties of English, is evolving into one of the world's distinctive tongues.

You meant this construction is correct. If we don't put a comma after British, how does it affect the meaning. Please clarify.

The reason the comma is required after the British is to separate and clarify the ambiguity that comes in due to run on sentence. With the comma, the intent of the question is clear :
Widely spoken English
1. American English
2. British English
3. Indian English

Without the comma, the meaning of the sentence is read as "and British the most ......", making "British" out to be a verb. For eg : He Britished the tea time . Instead of a nice laid back affair, it turned out to be a very formal sit down ceremony. :)
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Now I understood. I never scrutinised that deep. :-D
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Indian English, after North American and British the most widely spoke 06 Jun 2019, 03:38
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MonikaCrackVerbal

- There is no such rule that 2 modifiers cannot modify one subject. Take the basic role of adjectives or verbs, they are modifiers too. The same subject can have more than one adjective and more than one verb.
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Thank you so much MonikaCrackVerbal for this clarification.
Actually, I talked that rules when they're as like as the following NOT the highlighted part (use of adjective, verb) at all.
Here is the perfect rules for using modifier:
1/ _____, modifier, _____ ---->ok
2/ _____ modifier _____ ---> ok
3/ _____, modifier _____ ---> NOT ok
4/ _____ modifier, _____ ---> NOT ok
NOTE: We can't have a COMMA on only one side of a modifier UNLESS the modifier begins or ends the sentence!
So, may I have any official sentence from GMAC where two consecutive (two modifiers stayed side by side) modifiers modify one specific thing? Your help will be appreciated.
Here is the correct sentence again-->
Quote:
Indian English, after North American and British, the most widely spoken of the many global varieties of English, is evolving into one of the world's distinctive tongues.
Show more
^^ According to you,
after North American and British modifies "Indian English"
the most widely spoken of the many global varieties of English modifies "Indian English", too.
The above are the 2 consecutive modifiers.
MonikaCrackVerbal
Quote:
Now, if we take out modifier (after North American and British) with two side's COMMA, we have the following..
Quote:
Indian English the most widely spoken of the many global varieties of English, is evolving into one of the world's distinctive tongues.
^^ This sentence resembles rules number 4/
You are absolutely correct. A modifier is in fact a descriptor ,one of the basic ingredients in a cohesive sentence. A descriptor requires something that it can describe.
Show more


If you think that I'm absolutely right here, it indicates that this sentence resembles rules number 4, which is the wrong use of modifier. This happens for the use of 2 consecutive modifiers.
Most importantly, if you think that I'm absolutely right here (the wrong use of modifier, which implies rules number 4), then the official correct sentence (after modified by generis and YOU) is wrong.
So, what's your conviction in this case?
Thanks__
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Indian English, after North American and British the most widely spoke 06 Jun 2019, 05:21
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MonikaCrackVerbal
Asad
Quote:
Also, could you help me to figure out what the most widely spoken of the many global varieties of English modifies in this sentence?
This modifies "Indian English" . What they intend to say in the question is :
Widely spoken English
1. American English
2. British English
3. Indian English
Show more
Expert MonikaCrackVerbal , after DmitryFarber and generis , the most active expert in the SC forum of gmatclub, is going to make comments in this topic.
--> This makes sense to me.

Expert jennpt , after AjiteshArun and GMATNinja , the most active expert in the SC forum of gmatclub, will introduce the basic part of modifier in this topic.
--> This also makes sense to me.
Expert Bunuel , after MartyTargetTestPrep and ccooley, the most active expert in the SC forum of gmatclub, will introduce the basic part of inequality in DS topic.
--> This one also makes sense IF the most active expert in the SC forum of gmatclub modifies only MartyTargetTestPrep and ccooley NOT bunuel at all, because bunuel is not the expert of SC forum; s/he ( I'm struggling with #12 here again-this underlined part is not the part of this SC topic )is quant expert. In this example, Bunuel, MartyTargetTestPrep, ccooley MUST contribute in introducing the basic part of inequality in DS topic
Note: Both MartyTargetTestPrep and ccooley make comment on quant part.
The following sentence (official one) is same as the last one I made in my example.
Quote:
Indian English, after North American and British, the most widely spoken of the many global varieties of English, is evolving into one of the world's distinctive tongues.
Show more
Here,
Why Indian English is evolving?
Indian English is evolving into one of the world's distinctive tongues. , because "Indian English" is NOT "the most widely spoken". So, "the most widely spoken of the many global varieties of English" CAN'T be the modifier of "Indian English"!!
IF the most widely spoken of the many global varieties of English is the modifier of Indian English, then it'll hit the rules of modifier# 4 (which is the wrong use of modifier). Also, it'll be faulty for using 2 consecutive modifiers at a time.
Am I missing anything?
Thank you__
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Indian English, after North American and British the most widely spoke 09 Jun 2019, 18:58
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Asad
The following sentence (official one) is same as the last one I made in my example.
Quote:
Indian English, after North American and British, the most widely spoken of the many global varieties of English, is evolving into one of the world's distinctive tongues.
Here,
Why Indian English is evolving?
Indian English is evolving into one of the world's distinctive tongues. , because "Indian English" is NOT "the most widely spoken". So, "the most widely spoken of the many global varieties of English" CAN'T be the modifier of "Indian English"!!
IF the most widely spoken of the many global varieties of English is the modifier of Indian English, then it'll hit the rules of modifier# 4 (which is the wrong use of modifier). Also, it'll be faulty for using 2 consecutive modifiers at a time.
Am I missing anything?
Thank you__
Show more
You are missing that a variety of English that is widely spoken is not necessarily a distinctive (clearly different from others) tongue. It could be widely spoken and at the same time similar to other varieties. Thus, by evolving, that variety, which is already widely spoken, could become distinct (or different) from the others.

Regarding "two consecutive modifiers," actually you have one modifier. This modifier, "after North American and British, the most widely spoken of the many global varieties of English," modifies "Indian English."

Notice, you could reverse the phrases, and the modifier would still work as "the most widely spoken of the many global varieties of English after North American and British."
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Indian English, after North American and British the most widely spoke 16 Oct 2022, 10:26
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Was there a comma missing after british?
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Indian English, after North American and British the most widely spoke 17 Oct 2022, 05:27
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Panther2596
Was there a comma missing after british?
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Hello Panther2596,

We hope this finds you well.

To answer your query, no; the entire modifying phrase that acts upon "Indian English" is "after North American and British the most widely spoken of the many global varieties of English".

We hope this helps.
All the best!
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