Last visit was: 20 Nov 2025, 06:57 It is currently 20 Nov 2025, 06:57
Home
GMAT
Messages
Tests
Schools
Events
Rewards
Chat
My Profile
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Go to My Error Log Learn more
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
Back to Forum
Create Topic
   1   2 
User avatar
EducationAisle
User avatar
Joined: 27 Mar 2010
Last visit: 20 Nov 2025
Posts: 3,891
Own Kudos:
3,579
 [1]
Given Kudos: 159
Location: India
Schools: ISB
GPA: 3.31
Expert
Expert reply
Schools: ISB
Posts: 3,891
Kudos: 3,579
 [1]
Sculpted boulders found at Lepenski Vir, an example of the 03 Aug 2017, 23:34
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
rma26
Why ''including...'' can't modify previous clause here? I considered that part a modifier and chose A, as I thought it gives a new meaning which is more meaningful!
Show more
Hi rma26, the property that you've mentioned (modify previous clause) is applicable for participial phrases.

The word including is actually a preposition (not a present participle) and hence, the normal rules of present participles do not apply to including.

p.s. Our book EducationAisle Sentence Correction Nirvana makes a special note of this usage of including. Have attached the corresponding section of the book, for your reference.
Attachments

including.pdf [10.85 KiB]
Downloaded 136 times

User avatar
thangvietnam
User avatar
Joined: 29 Jun 2017
Last visit: 09 Mar 2023
Posts: 768
Own Kudos:
418
 [3]
Given Kudos: 2,198
Posts: 768
Kudos: 418
 [3]
Sculpted boulders found at Lepenski Vir, an example of the 04 Aug 2017, 01:30
3
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
hfbamafan
Sculpted boulders found at Lepenski Vir, an example of the earliest monumental art known from central and western Europe, includes 15 figures with human features similar to Upper Paleolithic forms and to Middle Eastern Nantufian stone figurines.

(A) Vir, an example of the earliest monumental art known from central and western Europe, includes
(B) Vir, examples of the earliest monumental art known from central and western Europe, include
(C) Vir, earliest of monumental art known from central and western Europe, include
(D) Vir are examples of the earliest monumental art known from central and western Europe and includes
(E) Vir are examples of the earliest monumental art known from central and western Europe, including
Show more

look at choice C.
"boulders " can not be "art". this meaning/logic error is typical of gmat. be ready to see the frequency of this error on SC. frankly speaking, this kind of error is basis of gmat SC apart from grammar points.
gmat test this kind of error to make our formal written english logic. in spoken english, we say

5 eggs per week is good for health

this is wrong in formal written english because 5 eggs can not be good.

eating 5 eggs per week is good for health

this is logic.

this point is very simple and can be learned easily but is fatally important. we need to change our thinking of spoken english.
User avatar
AliciaSierra
User avatar
Joined: 17 Mar 2014
Last visit: 14 Jun 2024
Posts: 747
Own Kudos:
642
Given Kudos: 1,350
Products:
My Reviews
Posts: 747
Kudos: 642
Sculpted boulders found at Lepenski Vir, an example of the 10 Aug 2018, 22:02
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
thangvietnam
hfbamafan
Sculpted boulders found at Lepenski Vir, an example of the earliest monumental art known from central and western Europe, includes 15 figures with human features similar to Upper Paleolithic forms and to Middle Eastern Nantufian stone figurines.

(A) Vir, an example of the earliest monumental art known from central and western Europe, includes
(B) Vir, examples of the earliest monumental art known from central and western Europe, include
(C) Vir, earliest of monumental art known from central and western Europe, include
(D) Vir are examples of the earliest monumental art known from central and western Europe and includes
(E) Vir are examples of the earliest monumental art known from central and western Europe, including

look at choice C.
"boulders " can not be "art". this meaning/logic error is typical of gmat. be ready to see the frequency of this error on SC. frankly speaking, this kind of error is basis of gmat SC apart from grammar points.
gmat test this kind of error to make our formal written english logic. in spoken english, we say

5 eggs per week is good for health

this is wrong in formal written english because 5 eggs can not be good.

eating 5 eggs per week is good for health

this is logic.

this point is very simple and can be learned easily but is fatally important. we need to change our thinking of spoken english.
Show more

nice explanation.
User avatar
crazi4ib
User avatar
Joined: 19 Feb 2014
Last visit: 03 Apr 2020
Posts: 29
Own Kudos:
7
Given Kudos: 7
Posts: 29
Kudos: 7
Sculpted boulders found at Lepenski Vir, an example of the 26 May 2019, 00:59
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Gmat

Hi Shraddha, I am still unsure after reading your explanation. I picked answer choice E. You say that you can ignore modifiers and apply "including" to the noun. In this case, is "...from central and western Europe" not a modifier? Thanks!
User avatar
sakshamchhabra
User avatar
Joined: 09 Mar 2018
Last visit: 09 Nov 2020
Posts: 36
Own Kudos:
83
Given Kudos: 182
Location: India
Schools: CBS Deferred "24
Schools: CBS Deferred "24
Posts: 36
Kudos: 83
Sculpted boulders found at Lepenski Vir, an example of the 26 May 2019, 05:45
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
crazi4ib
Gmat

Hi Shraddha, I am still unsure after reading your explanation. I picked answer choice E. You say that you can ignore modifiers and apply "including" to the noun. In this case, is "...from central and western Europe" not a modifier? Thanks!
Show more

Greetings crazi4ib!

While the experts reply here are my 2 cents,

Yes, "including" can jump " from central and western Europe" but still it is of no good.

The logical noun to be modified is "Sculpted boulders", which is 1) pretty far, 2) due to presence of verb "are" "incluing" cannot modify "Sculpted boulders".

Please let me know If I missed out on something, I would be happy to expand more.
User avatar
crazi4ib
User avatar
Joined: 19 Feb 2014
Last visit: 03 Apr 2020
Posts: 29
Own Kudos:
7
Given Kudos: 7
Posts: 29
Kudos: 7
Sculpted boulders found at Lepenski Vir, an example of the 28 May 2019, 05:55
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
crazi4ib
Gmat

Hi Shraddha, I am still unsure after reading your explanation. I picked answer choice E. You say that you can ignore modifiers and apply "including" to the noun. In this case, is "...from central and western Europe" not a modifier? Thanks!
Show more

Gmat or any other experts please kindly advise!
User avatar
crazi4ib
User avatar
Joined: 19 Feb 2014
Last visit: 03 Apr 2020
Posts: 29
Own Kudos:
7
Given Kudos: 7
Posts: 29
Kudos: 7
Sculpted boulders found at Lepenski Vir, an example of the 31 May 2019, 23:35
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
egmat or other experts please kindly chime in on this!

(E) Vir are examples of the earliest monumental art known from central and western Europe, including

I picked answer choice (E) and interpreted 'including' to be referring to 'examples of the earliest monumental art known...'. I don't understand why this answer choice is wrong. How come the 15 figures must refer to the 'sculpted boulders'?
User avatar
DmitryFarber
User avatar
Manhattan Prep Instructor
Joined: 22 Mar 2011
Last visit: 08 Nov 2025
Posts: 3,020
Own Kudos:
8,564
Given Kudos: 57
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT Focus 1: 745 Q86 V90 DI85
Posts: 3,020
Kudos: 8,564
Sculpted boulders found at Lepenski Vir, an example of the 31 May 2019, 23:54
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
crazi4ib It's useful to notice that "comma + -ing" creates an adverbial modifier, not a noun modifier. So regardless of proximity, "including" can't modify "boulders" or "art." Rather, it would have to modify the previous action: "Boulders are examples." The "including" phrase doesn't add any depth, explanation, or result to the idea that the boulders are examples, so this doesn't work.
User avatar
crazi4ib
User avatar
Joined: 19 Feb 2014
Last visit: 03 Apr 2020
Posts: 29
Own Kudos:
7
Given Kudos: 7
Posts: 29
Kudos: 7
Sculpted boulders found at Lepenski Vir, an example of the 01 Jun 2019, 00:40
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
DmitryFarber

Thanks for your input. If 'comma-ing' is not a noun modifier, how come others are all saying that it seems 'including' is referring to 'central and western Europe'?
User avatar
crazi4ib
User avatar
Joined: 19 Feb 2014
Last visit: 03 Apr 2020
Posts: 29
Own Kudos:
7
Given Kudos: 7
Posts: 29
Kudos: 7
Sculpted boulders found at Lepenski Vir, an example of the 05 Jun 2019, 07:46
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
EducationAisle daagh KyleWiddison sayantanc2k egmat or other experts please kindly chime in on this!

(E) Vir are examples of the earliest monumental art known from central and western Europe, including

I picked answer choice (E) and interpreted 'including' to be referring to 'examples of the earliest monumental art known...'. I don't understand why this answer choice is wrong. How come the 15 figures must refer to the 'sculpted boulders'?
avatar
justice8511
avatar
Joined: 22 Feb 2020
Last visit: 08 Mar 2021
Posts: 12
Own Kudos:
2
Given Kudos: 14
Posts: 12
Kudos: 2
Sculpted boulders found at Lepenski Vir, an example of the 24 Apr 2020, 16:33
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
yeah this is such a poor explanation lol. the prerequisite definition she uses doesnt align consistently with any of her examples.

jmuduke08
egmat
Marcab
Hii Shraddha.
I need to ask one question. Doesn't the "including" modifies the subject of the preceding clause and I guess subject is "examples of the earliest monumental art".

Hi Marcab,

Sorry for getting back on this so late.
We know that when comma + verb-ing modifier appears after a clause, it modifies the entire preceding clause while making sense with the subject of that clause. However, "including" is an exception" to this rule. Preceded by a comma or not, "including" always modifies the preceding noun.

So basically, the thing to keep in mind is that "including" is a versatile NOUN modifier. It always modifies a NOUN. But it is usually separated by a comma. And it may modify a noun that is separated by modifiers as well. Here are a few official sentences:
Example 1: (GMATPrep)
A study by the Ocean Wildlife Campaign urged states to undertake a number of remedies to reverse a decline in the shark population, which includes the
establishment of size limits for shark catches, closing state waters for shark fishing during pupping season, and requiring commercial fishers to have federal shark permits.

D. including establishing size limits for shark catches, closing

Comma + Including modifies "REMEDIES". But look at the modifiers that lie between this modifier and the modified noun.

Example 2: (GMATPrep)
The new image of Stone Age people as systematic hunters of large animals, rather than merely scavenging for meat, have emerged from the examination of tools found in Germany including , three wooden spears that archaeologists believe to be about 400,000 years old.

E)mere scavengers of meat, has emerged from the examination of toolsfound in Germany, including

Comma + Including modifies "TOOLS". But look at the modifier that lie between this modifier and the modified noun.

Example 3: (GMATPrep & Verbal 2nd Edition #107)
Bluegrass musician Bill Monroe, whose repertory, views on musical collaboration, and vocal style were influential on generations of bluegrass artists, was also an inspiration to many musicians, that included Elvis Presley and Jerry Garcia, whose music differed significantly from his own.
Correct choice has , including where including modifies preceding noun

B) influenced generations of bluegrass artists, also inspired many musicians, including Elvis Presley and Jerry Garcia, whose music differed significantly from
Comma + Including modifies "musicians" - in this case the closest noun.

Hope this helps. :)
Thanks.

apologies for revisiting this thread but i am still a bit confused. you said that including always modifies a noun and in your examples it can modify a noun separated by modifiers. In this question, why arent we allowed to say including is describing sculpted boulders and the rest is modifying sculpted boulders?
Show more
User avatar
patto
User avatar
Joined: 22 Jun 2017
Last visit: 09 Jul 2021
Posts: 236
Own Kudos:
813
Given Kudos: 149
Location: Argentina
Schools: HBS '25 Wharton '25 Stanford '25
GMAT 1: 630 Q43 V34
GMAT 2: 710 Q50 V36 (Online)
Products:
My Reviews
Schools: HBS '25 Wharton '25 Stanford '25
GMAT 2: 710 Q50 V36 (Online)
Posts: 236
Kudos: 813
Sculpted boulders found at Lepenski Vir, an example of the 23 Jul 2020, 12:51
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
I still find it difficult to determine what is "examples of... modifying.." does it refer to the boulders or to the site lepavinvski
User avatar
Basshead
User avatar
Joined: 09 Jan 2020
Last visit: 07 Feb 2024
Posts: 925
Own Kudos:
302
Given Kudos: 432
Location: United States
Posts: 925
Kudos: 302
Sculpted boulders found at Lepenski Vir, an example of the 17 Nov 2020, 03:06
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Sculpted boulders found at Lepenski Vir, an example of the earliest monumental art known from central and western Europe, includes 15 figures with human features similar to Upper Paleolithic forms and to Middle Eastern Nantufian stone figurines.

(A) Vir, an example of the earliest monumental art known from central and western Europe, includes - SV agreement

(B) Vir, examples of the earliest monumental art known from central and western Europe, include -- Correct

(C) Vir, earliest of monumental art known from central and western Europe, include - changes the meaning

(D) Vir are examples of the earliest monumental art known from central and western Europe and includes - SV agreement

(E) Vir are examples of the earliest monumental art known from central and western Europe, \(including\) -- 'including' modifies the whole previous clause. Doesn't make sense.
User avatar
romasharma1998
User avatar
Joined: 13 Jan 2022
Last visit: 13 Apr 2025
Posts: 13
Own Kudos:
1
Given Kudos: 247
Location: India
Schools: Booth '25 CEIBS Darden '25 IESE '25 ISB '24 Kellogg '25 LBS '25 NUS '25 SDA Bocconi "24 Yale '25
Schools: Booth '25 CEIBS Darden '25 IESE '25 ISB '24 Kellogg '25 LBS '25 NUS '25 SDA Bocconi "24 Yale '25
Posts: 13
Kudos: 1
Sculpted boulders found at Lepenski Vir, an example of the 25 Nov 2022, 03:57
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Sculpted boulders found at Lepenski Vir, an example of the earliest monumental art known from central and western Europe, includes 15 figures with human features similar to Upper Paleolithic forms and to Middle Eastern Nantufian stone figurines.



eliminate a and d , subject verb error the subject is sculpted boulders plural and includes is singular verb
eliminate e , including modifies western europe
eliminate c meaning error
answer b
User avatar
VerbalBot
User avatar
Non-Human User
Joined: 01 Oct 2013
Last visit: 04 Jan 2021
Posts: 18,833
Own Kudos:
986
Posts: 18,833
Kudos: 986
Sculpted boulders found at Lepenski Vir, an example of the 23 Dec 2023, 15:32
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hello from the GMAT Club VerbalBot!

Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).

Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.
   1   2 
Moderators:
GMATNinja
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
7443 posts
GMATNinjaTwo
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
231 posts
miag
189 posts