abhishekmayank wrote:
Hi All,
I find it strange that sometime we become too sacrosanct about something to even complaint about it.
True, A is officially correct answer choice. Accepted.
When bitter managerial conflicts plague a small company,
conflicts that in the past might have led to dissolution of the business, executives are likely to turn to outside professional counselors to help resolve disagreement.
Could anyone explain that if the highlighted part is an appositive modifier - as explained in so many replies - why is it not following the noun modifier touch rule ? Why this appositive modifier is placed too far to the modified one "conflicts" in the sentence ? Whereas the official explanation has been gracefully accepted that it is awkward in the option E that subject "conflicts" and the verb "plague" is placed too far with each other, as if it is bolt from the blue. There are umpteen examples in both official and non-official questions where the subjects and verbs are not coupling together side-by-side, but rather placed apart with some sentence fragments. Are we overlooking the fact the
OG itself constructs such sentences in which it places subject and verb far apart to hide the S-V agreement ?
Experts, could you please pitch in ? Thanks for your consideration !!
AjiteshArunVeritasKarishmadaaghGMATNinjaThe purpose of language is to communicate clearly. There are millions and millions of ideas that need to be communicated. There are few absolute rules (such as subject verb agreement) because different circumstances require to be handled differently.
We don't give you "rules" because "logic" trumps "rules" any day! This means that you cannot use some mechanical set of rules on every question.
Appositive modifiers usually appear right next to what they are modifying so that there is no confusion regarding what they are modifying.
But in option (A) there is anyway no confusion.
(A) When managerial conflicts plague a small company, conflicts that in the past might have led to dissolution of the business, ...
The noun modifier renames the noun that it is modifying. We know it is talking about managerial conflicts. It tells us more about these conflicts - what would happen in the past.
The whole thing is relevant to conflicts that plague a small company. These conflicts could lead to dissolution of the business.
(E) When managerial conflicts, which in the past might have led to its dissolution, plague a small company, ...
What does "its" refer to?
If I am going to tell you something extra about managerial conflicts, I can't use a pronoun which refers to nothing. 'Its' is inside a non essential modifier. They need to convey a complete meaning at the time they are said. They cannot depend on the rest of the sentence since they are not an integral part of the sentence.
When managerial conflicts, conflicts among top managers, ... (makes sense)
When managerial conflicts, which in the past might have led to its dissolution, ... (doesn't make sense)
You cannot connect a non essential modifier to the rest of the sentence. The non essential modifier only tells you more about what it is modifying in the current context. It needs to make sense when it is said. It is said as an aside - "on a side note".