Named a member of the committee to draw up a Declaration of Independen

Named a member of the committee to draw up a Declaration of Independence, the basic draft was completed by Thomas Jefferson in a week.

What does "named a member of the committee" modify? Thomas Jefferson or the basic draft.
The basic draft can't named. So, it is Thomas Jefferson who named a member of the committee. So we are left with D and E.

"in a week" must modify completed. So D is the correct answer choice

In choice E, in a week seems to modify Thomas, which make the sentence awkward.

We are between the contenders D and E. Although it is true that an adverb modifies generally what follows, In the case of adverbial phrases this rule can be relaxed for the sake of clarity or easy flow.

D is better in flow than E, althouh both are grammatically ok.

The chocie must be Ok.

Imo D
We need subject after, thats is member name

D arrangement is better

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Named a member of the committee to draw up a Declaration of Independence, the basic draft was completed by Thomas Jefferson in a week.

Sentence starts with a Verb-ed modifier a noun must come after the comma. Meaning-wise it should be Thomas Jefferson hence only D and E are left after eliminating A,B and C.
A. the basic draft was completed by Thomas Jefferson in a week. – WRONG. ‘The basic draft’ can’t be a member because it does not makes sense.
B. the basic draft Thomas Jefferson completed in a week. – WRONG. Similar error as option ‘A’. Not a sentence.
C. the basic draft which was completed by Thomas Jefferson in a week. – WRONG. Similar error as option ‘A’.
D. Thomas Jefferson completed the basic draft in a week. – CORRECT.
E. Thomas Jefferson in a week completed the basic draft. – WRONG. Prepositional phrase ‘in a week’ incorrectly placed. Better option available in the form of ‘D’.

Answer (D).

MEANING: who was named a member of the committee? THOMAS, not the draft.

A. "named…, the basic draft" misplaced mod;
B. "named…, the basic draft" misplaced mod;
C. "named…, the basic draft" misplaced mod; "draft which was completed…" fragment;
E. "thomas in a week [prep]" the prep phrase must mod the preceding noun/n-phrase, misplaced mod;

Answer (D)

The Answer is D. Modifies Jefferson, and "who in a week" is an awkward construction.

Named a member of the committee to draw up a Declaration of Independence, the basic draft was completed by Thomas Jefferson in a week.

A. the basic draft was completed by Thomas Jefferson in a week.
B. the basic draft Thomas Jefferson completed in a week.
C. the basic draft which was completed by Thomas Jefferson in a week.
D. Thomas Jefferson completed the basic draft in a week.
E. Thomas Jefferson in a week completed the basic draft.

IMO D is the right answer as Thomas Jefferson was named a member of the committee and he completed the basic draft in a week.

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Named a member of the committee to draw up a Declaration of Independence, the basic draft was completed by Thomas Jefferson in a week.

A. the basic draft was completed by Thomas Jefferson in a week. - Modifier error
B. the basic draft Thomas Jefferson completed in a week. - Modifier error
C. the basic draft which was completed by Thomas Jefferson in a week. - Modifier error
D. Thomas Jefferson completed the basic draft in a week.
E. Thomas Jefferson in a week completed the basic draft.

A. the basic draft was completed by Thomas Jefferson in a week. - Incorrect "Named ..." incorrectly modifies the basic draft it should modify "Thomas Jefferson"
B. the basic draft Thomas Jefferson completed in a week. - Incorrect Same as A
C. the basic draft which was completed by Thomas Jefferson in a week. - Incorrect Same as A
D. Thomas Jefferson completed the basic draft in a week. Correct
E. Thomas Jefferson in a week completed the basic draft. - Incorrect Modifier error

A. the basic draft was completed by Thomas Jefferson in a week.-Modifier error
B. the basic draft Thomas Jefferson completed in a week.-modifier error
C. the basic draft which was completed by Thomas Jefferson in a week.-modifier error
D. Thomas Jefferson completed the basic draft in a week.-right answer
E. Thomas Jefferson in a week completed the basic draft. -awkward, changes meaning

Named a member of the committee to draw up a Declaration of Independence, the basic draft was completed by Thomas Jefferson in a week.

Named a member of the committee.....should be referring to a person/modify something ime Thomas Jefferson.
Only options D & E fits in. Option D correctly states complete clause that Thomas Jefferson completed the draft in a week.

In option E,it looks like week completed the basic draft.

Option D is the answer.

Official Explanation

Correct Answer: D

The best answer is D. The sentence starts with the adjectival phrase, Named a member of the committee to draw up a Declaration of Independence. That phrase is supposed to modify the noun that comes immediately after it, making A, B, and C incorrect. E is incorrect because in a week incorrectly comes between the noun and verb.

Named a member of the committee to draw up a Declaration of Independence, the basic draft was completed by Thomas Jefferson in a week.

A. the basic draft Was completed by Thomas Jefferson in a week. - incorrect as named a member (verb-ed modifier) should refer to a personl
B. the basic draft Thomas Jefferson completed in a week. - same error as A
C. the basic draft which was completed by Thomas Jefferson in a week. - same error as A
D. Thomas Jefferson completed the basic draft in a week.......CORRECT- Rectifies the modifier error where the verb-ed modifier refers to a person
E. Thomas Jefferson in a week completed the basic draft. - misplaced modifier - in a week

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