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Normally a bone becomes fossilized through the action of groundwater 19 May 2020, 02:19
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himanshuaurora
Isn't 'them' in option A ambiguous?
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Wonder why you say that Himanshu. Isn't organic components the only eligible antecedent of them?
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Normally a bone becomes fossilized through the action of groundwater 24 May 2020, 17:25
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GMATNinja How is E here incorrect? I am unable to understand how option E is altering the meaning ?
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The problem with choice (E), as described in this post, is that all three "-ing" modifiers (permeating, washing, and replacing) seem to modify the preceding clause: "Normally a bone becomes fossilized through the action of groundwater."

So do all three of these actions ("permeating", "washing", and "replacing") happen as a result of the fossilization process? Does the bone itself do those three things while the bone is becoming fossilized??

Instead, it's the groundwater that permeates the bone, washes away its organic components, and replaces them with minerals. This logical meaning is clearer in choice (A).

I hope that helps!
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Normally a bone becomes fossilized through the action of groundwater 23 Jun 2020, 00:50
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here in option A.. them goes for organic substances .. then how come replaces is used as replaces represent singular and them is for plural
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Normally a bone becomes fossilized through the action of groundwater 23 Jun 2020, 01:56
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pragya007
here in option A.. them goes for organic substances .. then how come replaces is used as replaces represent singular and them is for plural
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Hi Pragya, the structure of A is:

....of groundwater, which permeates the bone, washes away its organic components, and replaces them with minerals.

So, which (referring to singular groundwater) is the subject for the verb replaces.

Basically, the sentence is conveying that groundwater replaces organic components with minerals.
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Normally a bone becomes fossilized through the action of groundwater 16 Jul 2020, 12:30
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Normally a bone becomes fossilized through the action of groundwater, which permeates the bone, washes away its organic components, and replaces them with minerals.
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Doesn't this sentence violate the rule - 1 clause cannot have more than 1 verb?
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Normally a bone becomes fossilized through the action of groundwater 16 Jul 2020, 16:43
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rsrighosh
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Normally a bone becomes fossilized through the action of groundwater, which permeates the bone, washes away its organic components, and replaces them with minerals.

Doesn't this sentence violate the rule - 1 clause cannot have more than 1 verb?
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Hmm, I'm not sure what rule you're talking about.

  • "Tim likes to eat, drink, and be fat and drunk." - Here's an independent clause with three verbs.
  • "Tim likes to hang out with people who eat sushi, drink whiskey, and dance the lambada." - Here we have a "who" clause that contains three verbs.

Either of these examples is completely fine, as is choice (A) in this question.

If that doesn't quite answer your question, let us know!
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Normally a bone becomes fossilized through the action of groundwater 16 Jul 2020, 21:54
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Quote:

rsrighosh wrote:
Quote:
Normally a bone becomes fossilized through the action of groundwater, which permeates the bone, washes away its organic components, and replaces them with minerals.


Doesn't this sentence violate the rule - 1 clause cannot have more than 1 verb?

Hmm, I'm not sure what rule you're talking about.

"Tim likes to eat, drink, and be fat and drunk." - Here's an independent clause with three verbs.
"Tim likes to hang out with people who eat sushi, drink whiskey, and dance the lambada." - Here we have a "who" clause that contains three verbs.

Either of these examples is completely fine, as is choice (A) in this question.

If that doesn't quite answer your question, let us know!
Show more

GMATNinja

Thank you for your response.

Let me rephrase my question:-Doesn't A violate the rule:- One subject cannot have more than one verb.
Let me give an example:-

I saw a question:-

Considered one of the most intelligent of the New World monkeys, capuchins cleverly create an insecticide and crush millipedes, rubbing the remains of the bugs over its back.

A) capuchins cleverly create an insecticide and crush millipedes, rubbing the remains

B) capuchins cleverly create an insecticide, they crush millipedes, and with such rub the remains

C) capuchins use their cleverness to create an insecticide, crush millipedes, and rub the remains

D) the capuchin cleverly creates an insecticide, crushes millipedes, and it rubs the remains

E) the capuchin cleverly creates an insecticide, crushing millipedes and rubbing the remains

Here option E is right but D is not. As per my understanding, D contains two verbs for the subject capuchin "creates" and "crushes" which makes the sentence incorrect

why A is correct in this situation but D is incorrect in the Capuchin question.

In your examples:-
"Tim likes to eat, drink, and be fat and drunk."
"Tim likes to hang out with people who eat sushi, drink whiskey, and dance the lambada."

The main verb for Tim is "likes" which is a single verb.
Also, in the second sentence "who" = "people"... and "people" is having 3 verbs - eat, drink, dance... isn't this structure incorrect? -- or am i wrong in understanding the rule?
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Normally a bone becomes fossilized through the action of groundwater 17 Aug 2020, 09:25
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rsrighosh
Quote:

rsrighosh wrote:
Quote:
Normally a bone becomes fossilized through the action of groundwater, which permeates the bone, washes away its organic components, and replaces them with minerals.


Doesn't this sentence violate the rule - 1 clause cannot have more than 1 verb?

Hmm, I'm not sure what rule you're talking about.

"Tim likes to eat, drink, and be fat and drunk." - Here's an independent clause with three verbs.
"Tim likes to hang out with people who eat sushi, drink whiskey, and dance the lambada." - Here we have a "who" clause that contains three verbs.

Either of these examples is completely fine, as is choice (A) in this question.

If that doesn't quite answer your question, let us know!

GMATNinja

Thank you for your response.

Let me rephrase my question:-Doesn't A violate the rule:- One subject cannot have more than one verb.
Let me give an example:-

I saw a question:-

Considered one of the most intelligent of the New World monkeys, capuchins cleverly create an insecticide and crush millipedes, rubbing the remains of the bugs over its back.

A) capuchins cleverly create an insecticide and crush millipedes, rubbing the remains

B) capuchins cleverly create an insecticide, they crush millipedes, and with such rub the remains

C) capuchins use their cleverness to create an insecticide, crush millipedes, and rub the remains

D) the capuchin cleverly creates an insecticide, crushes millipedes, and it rubs the remains

E) the capuchin cleverly creates an insecticide, crushing millipedes and rubbing the remains

Here option E is right but D is not. As per my understanding, D contains two verbs for the subject capuchin "creates" and "crushes" which makes the sentence incorrect

why A is correct in this situation but D is incorrect in the Capuchin question.

In your examples:-
"Tim likes to eat, drink, and be fat and drunk."
"Tim likes to hang out with people who eat sushi, drink whiskey, and dance the lambada."

The main verb for Tim is "likes" which is a single verb.
Also, in the second sentence "who" = "people"... and "people" is having 3 verbs - eat, drink, dance... isn't this structure incorrect? -- or am i wrong in understanding the rule?
Show more
Choice (D) in the "capuchin" example has a parallelism issue.

Instead of writing three short, choppy sentences ("The capuchin creates an insecticide. The capuchin crushes millipedes. The capuchin rubs the remains."), we can use a parallel list of verbs, each of which can be tied back to the subject "the capuchin": "the capuchin (1) creates an insecticide, (2) crushes millipedes, and (3) rubs the remains." You are absolutely allowed to use multiple parallel verbs with the same subject.

But if we stick the pronoun "it" before the third verb ("rubs"), we no longer have a parallel list of verbs. Instead, we have TWO verbs and ONE pronoun: "The capuchin [verb 1], [verb 2], and [pronoun] [verb 3]." This is a parallelism error.

    "Tim eats, drinks, and dances." - Totally fine. This is a parallel list of three verbs that share the subject "Tim."
    "Tim eats, drinks, and he dances." - No good. The pronoun "he" needs to be removed to maintain parallelism.

For more on parallelism, check out this video.
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Normally a bone becomes fossilized through the action of groundwater 20 Nov 2020, 10:17
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Hello guys,

Can someone please explain how "which" is used to refer to an entire clause ??

According to GMAT rules, "which" can only refer to the noun immediately preceding it and not the entire clause.
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Normally a bone becomes fossilized through the action of groundwater 21 Nov 2020, 06:57
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AP6931
Hello guys,

Can someone please explain how "which" is used to refer to an entire clause ??

According to GMAT rules, "which" can only refer to the noun immediately preceding it and not the entire clause.
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Hi AP6931, which is referring to groundwater.
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Normally a bone becomes fossilized through the action of groundwater 06 May 2021, 16:41
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I understand that answer choice A is probably the best option among all the answer choices, but I am having difficulties locating the antecedent of "them". what is "them" referring to? it can't be the bone since it is singular, right?
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Normally a bone becomes fossilized through the action of groundwater 06 May 2021, 20:30
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MartyTargetTestPrep GMATNinja

I understand that answer choice A is probably the best option among all the answer choices, but I am having difficulties locating the antecedent of "them". what is "them" referring to? it can't be the bone since it is singular, right?
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‘Them’ refers to ‘organic components.’

Washes away organic components means removes organic components and replaces them(organic components) with minerals.
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Normally a bone becomes fossilized through the action of groundwater 08 May 2021, 10:06
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EMPOWERgmatVerbal
Hello Everyone!

We’ve got a list. parallelism! Any time you see a list on the exam, that means there will be a few unparallel options that you’ll be able to quickly dump, and that will help us get to the right option even faster.

So what could the parallel structure be here?

Permeates, washes, and replaces
-or-
Permeating, washing, and replacing (but there are some problems with this one...more to come on that later)

Let’s see how each answer holds up:

(A) which permeates the bone, washes away its organic components, and replaces them → CORRECT
(B) which permeates the bone, washes away its organic components, and those are replaced → INCORRECT
(C) which permeates the bone, washing away its organic components, to be replaced → INCORRECT
(D) permeating the bone, washing away its organic components, to be replaced → INCORRECT

(E) permeating the bone, washing away its organic components and replacing them → INCORRECT

So why else is option E incorrect, even though it uses parallel structure? The GMAT requires the use of the serial comma (aka the Oxford comma) for every item in a list, including the last item in a list of 3+ items. Answer E doesn’t use a serial comma for the third item, so it’s wrong.

But even more fundamentally, (options D and E), insert “permeating” as an -ing modifier right after the comma, which opens up a confusing ambiguous reference because “permeating” could mean that:

1) groundwater permeates the bone
2) the action of groundwater permeates the bone
3) or even the fossilization through the action of groundwater permeates the bone

A is both parallel, and retains the intended message.

Don’t study for the GMAT. Train for it.
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Hi EMPOWERgmatVerbal EducationAisle VeritasKarishma GMATNinja, why is the verb-ing modifier could mean to modify three things as mentioned above? Based on my understanding the verb-ing modifier modifies the subject of the preceding clause/action done in the preceding clause. So the action of groundwater is fossilization, which in turn could permeate the bone. I fail to understand why it could modify three things as pointed above?
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Normally a bone becomes fossilized through the action of groundwater 10 May 2021, 00:06
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RohitSaluja
EMPOWERgmatVerbal
Hello Everyone!

We’ve got a list. parallelism! Any time you see a list on the exam, that means there will be a few unparallel options that you’ll be able to quickly dump, and that will help us get to the right option even faster.

So what could the parallel structure be here?

Permeates, washes, and replaces
-or-
Permeating, washing, and replacing (but there are some problems with this one...more to come on that later)

Let’s see how each answer holds up:

(A) which permeates the bone, washes away its organic components, and replaces them → CORRECT
(B) which permeates the bone, washes away its organic components, and those are replaced → INCORRECT
(C) which permeates the bone, washing away its organic components, to be replaced → INCORRECT
(D) permeating the bone, washing away its organic components, to be replaced → INCORRECT

(E) permeating the bone, washing away its organic components and replacing them → INCORRECT

So why else is option E incorrect, even though it uses parallel structure? The GMAT requires the use of the serial comma (aka the Oxford comma) for every item in a list, including the last item in a list of 3+ items. Answer E doesn’t use a serial comma for the third item, so it’s wrong.

But even more fundamentally, (options D and E), insert “permeating” as an -ing modifier right after the comma, which opens up a confusing ambiguous reference because “permeating” could mean that:

1) groundwater permeates the bone
2) the action of groundwater permeates the bone
3) or even the fossilization through the action of groundwater permeates the bone

A is both parallel, and retains the intended message.

Don’t study for the GMAT. Train for it.

Hi EMPOWERgmatVerbal EducationAisle VeritasKarishma GMATNinja, why is the verb-ing modifier could mean to modify three things as mentioned above? Based on my understanding the verb-ing modifier modifies the subject of the preceding clause/action done in the preceding clause. So the action of groundwater is fossilization, which in turn could permeate the bone. I fail to understand why it could modify three things as pointed above?
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What permeates the bone? The groundwater.
Hence, "permeating" should modify "groundwater". But as you pointed out, comma+ing at the end of a clause modifies the subject/action of the previous clause. 'Groundwater' is certainly not the subject/action of the previous clause. Hence, we use "which" to modify the preceding noun "groundwater".

To modify "groundwater" with the -ing form, we would need to use it without a comma.
e.g.
The groundwater permeating the bone is responsible for ...
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Normally a bone becomes fossilized through the action of groundwater 10 May 2021, 02:52
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RohitSaluja
So the action of groundwater is fossilization, which in turn could permeate the bone.
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This is incorrect interpretation of the intended meaning of the sentence. For that reason, a good understanding of intended meaning is important.

The sentence is explaining how a bone turns into a fossil.

So, fossilization does not cause anything (like permeating the bone, as you have suggested); in fact, fossilization is the end-result of the three actions (groundwater permeating the bone, washing away the bone's organic components, and replacing organic components with minerals) that are performed on the bone.
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Normally a bone becomes fossilized through the action of groundwater 21 May 2021, 02:03
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Normally a bone becomes fossilized through the action of groundwater, which permeates the bone, washes away its organic components, and replaces them with minerals.

(A) which permeates the bone, washes away its organic components, and replaces them

(B) which permeates the bone, washes away its organic components, and those are replaced

(C) which permeates the bone, washing away its organic components, to be replaced

(D) permeating the bone, washing away its organic components, to be replaced

(E) permeating the bone, washing away its organic components and replacing them

NEW question from GMAT® Official Guide 2019


(SC01595)

Show Spoiler
https://www.oakton.edu/user/4/billtong/eas100/real_jurassic_park.pdf

When the team brought the dinosaur into the lab, we noticed that some parts deep inside the long bone of the leg had not completely fossilized. Normally a bone becomes fossilized with the help of groundwater, which permeates it, washes away its organic components and replaces them with minerals. But water also interacts with DNA and protein molecules, breaking apart the bonds that hold them together. One possible explanation was that not much water had gotten into this T. rex. If that was true, then some biomolecules could remain. It was a long shot but clearly worth checking out.
Show more


Hello experts,

I have noticed sometimes the verbing modifier doesn't make sense with the Subject of the preceding clause, because of which I am confused.

I chose E because I thought E is providing the "how?" aspect for preceding clause. But going throught VeritasKarishma post, it is clear why E is incorrect. But I am confused with the use of verb ing.


Can you please confirm whether I'm right?

The following are the uses of comma +verb ing:

1. Modify the previous clause by providing additional information. In this case it should make sense with the subject of that clause. Right?

2. Provide cause and effect relationship. In this case is it necessary to make sense with the subject of that clause?

3. Provide information, which answers the "how?" question. In this case is it necessary to make sense with the subject of that clause?


When can coma + verbing NOT make sense with the subject of the preceding clause and still make sense?

All the concepts were clear earlier, but now I am all over the place.

GMATNinja VeritasKarishma EducationAisle

Thank you in advance!
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Normally a bone becomes fossilized through the action of groundwater 21 May 2021, 03:18
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Bunuel
Normally a bone becomes fossilized through the action of groundwater, which permeates the bone, washes away its organic components, and replaces them with minerals.

(A) which permeates the bone, washes away its organic components, and replaces them

(B) which permeates the bone, washes away its organic components, and those are replaced

(C) which permeates the bone, washing away its organic components, to be replaced

(D) permeating the bone, washing away its organic components, to be replaced

(E) permeating the bone, washing away its organic components and replacing them

NEW question from GMAT® Official Guide 2019


(SC01595)

Show Spoiler
https://www.oakton.edu/user/4/billtong/eas100/real_jurassic_park.pdf

When the team brought the dinosaur into the lab, we noticed that some parts deep inside the long bone of the leg had not completely fossilized. Normally a bone becomes fossilized with the help of groundwater, which permeates it, washes away its organic components and replaces them with minerals. But water also interacts with DNA and protein molecules, breaking apart the bonds that hold them together. One possible explanation was that not much water had gotten into this T. rex. If that was true, then some biomolecules could remain. It was a long shot but clearly worth checking out.


Hello experts,

I have noticed sometimes the verbing modifier doesn't make sense with the Subject of the preceding clause, because of which I am confused.

I chose E because I thought E is providing the "how?" aspect for preceding clause. But going throught VeritasKarishma post, it is clear why E is incorrect. But I am confused with the use of verb ing.


Can you please confirm whether I'm right?

The following are the uses of comma +verb ing:

1. Modify the previous clause by providing additional information. In this case it should make sense with the subject of that clause. Right?

2. Provide cause and effect relationship. In this case is it necessary to make sense with the subject of that clause?

3. Provide information, which answers the "how?" question. In this case is it necessary to make sense with the subject of that clause?


When can coma + verbing NOT make sense with the subject of the preceding clause and still make sense?

All the concepts were clear earlier, but now I am all over the place.

GMATNinja VeritasKarishma EducationAisle

Thank you in advance!
Show more

Quote:
All the concepts were clear earlier, but now I am all over the place.
Show more
Yes, a case of "the more you know, the more you know you don't know"!

Check these two posts first:
https://www.gmatclub.com/forum/veritas-prep-resource-links-no-longer-available-399979.html#/2014/1 ... -the-gmat/
https://www.gmatclub.com/forum/veritas-prep-resource-links-no-longer-available-399979.html#/2014/1 ... modifiers/

A general advice - Try to rely as little as possible on "rules". Evaluate what makes sense in the situation. GMAT does not test your in depth understanding of grammar rules. It expects you to figure out how best to frame sentences based on what you want to convey - the practical aspect.

When the present participle comes at the end of a clause separated by a comma, it modifies the entire previous clause (or sometimes it makes better sense with the subject alone). It tells us more about the subject/situation. Or it gives the effect of the verb.

This is all you need to know.
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EducationAisle
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Normally a bone becomes fossilized through the action of groundwater 21 May 2021, 03:48
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ashmit99
I have noticed sometimes the verbing modifier doesn't make sense with the Subject of the preceding clause, because of which I am confused.
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Would be curious to know which official questions you are alluding to.

Let's take an example:

Teacher arrived early in the classroom, surprising students.

A case can be made that the subject (Teacher) is not the direct doer of the participial phrase surprising students; after all, it was the teacher's arrival, and not the teacher herself that surprised students.

However, since it was the teacher who arrived, the participial phrase (surprising students) definitely does correctly modify teacher, in the sense that an act committed by this subject (in this case, early arrival) triggered the participial phrase.
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Normally a bone becomes fossilized through the action of groundwater 11 May 2022, 01:11
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Bone becomes fossilized by groundwater(GW)
GW does 3 things:
1. permeates the bone
2. washes organic components(OC)
3. replaces them (OC)

GW is the subject for all 3 actions.
Hence A.
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Normally a bone becomes fossilized through the action of groundwater 03 Jul 2022, 07:53
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EMPOWERgmatVerbal

Hi,

Had I had option C as -

- ''which permeates the bone and washes away its organic components, to be replaced with minerals''

Here permeates is parallel to 'washes'. I am confused with the phrase '' to be replaced'' Is this a verb or adverbial modifier or acting as a noun modifier.

It would be very helpful to explain the significance and usage of this expression, please.

EMPOWERgmatVerbal
Hello Everyone!

We’ve got a list. parallelism! Any time you see a list on the exam, that means there will be a few unparallel options that you’ll be able to quickly dump, and that will help us get to the right option even faster.

So what could the parallel structure be here?

Permeates, washes, and replaces
-or-
Permeating, washing, and replacing (but there are some problems with this one...more to come on that later)

Let’s see how each answer holds up:

(A) which permeates the bone, washes away its organic components, and replaces them → CORRECT
(B) which permeates the bone, washes away its organic components, and those are replaced → INCORRECT
(C) which permeates the bone, washing away its organic components, to be replaced → INCORRECT
(D) permeating the bone, washing away its organic components, to be replaced → INCORRECT

(E) permeating the bone, washing away its organic components and replacing them → INCORRECT

So why else is option E incorrect, even though it uses parallel structure? The GMAT requires the use of the serial comma (aka the Oxford comma) for every item in a list, including the last item in a list of 3+ items. Answer E doesn’t use a serial comma for the third item, so it’s wrong.

But even more fundamentally, (options D and E), insert “permeating” as an -ing modifier right after the comma, which opens up a confusing ambiguous reference because “permeating” could mean that:

1) groundwater permeates the bone
2) the action of groundwater permeates the bone
3) or even the fossilization through the action of groundwater permeates the bone

A is both parallel, and retains the intended message.

Don’t study for the GMAT. Train for it.
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