Seeking a competitive advantage over Suburban Designer, Urban Dresser'

Seeking a competitive advantage over Suburban Designer,
Urban Dresser's new strategy will be discussed by the
management team in a meeting this quarter.


(A) Urban Dresser's new strategy will be discussed by the
management team in a meeting this quarter The phrase before the comma at the beginning of the sentence is a noun modifier for "Urban Dresser" and not "Urban Dresser's new strategy" so this is wrong

(B) Urban Dresser's meeting for the management team to
discuss a new strategy will happen this quarter Same problem as A

(C) its new strategy, that of Urban Dresser, will be discussed
by the management team, meeting this quarter Misplaced noun modifier

(D) Urban Dresser's management team will hold a meeting
this quarter to discuss a new strategy

(E) the meeting, in which Urban Dresser's new strategy will be
discussed, is what the management will hold this quarter Misplaced noun modifier

D

Official Explanation - Choice D is the answer because Seeking a competitive advantage... describes Urban Dresser or its management team, not the new strategy or the meeting. In A and in C, the first noun after the comma is strategy because the possessives Urban Dresser's and its are not nouns. In B and E, the first noun after the comma is meeting. Also, watch out for sentences that make comparisons. If the nouns compared are described by possessives, make sure that the correct nouns in the sentence are being compared.

Dear Friends,

Here is a detailed explanation to this question-



Choice A: This answer choice incorrectly modifies the noun "new strategy " with the phrase "Seeking a competitive advantage over Suburban Designer"; this modification causes the sentence to illogically imply that the "new strategy", a non-living entity, is seeking a competitive advantage. Thus, this answer choice is incorrect.

Choice B: This answer choice incorrectly modifies the noun "meeting " with the phrase "Seeking a competitive advantage over Suburban Designer"; this modification causes the sentence to illogically imply that the "meeting", a non-living entity, is seeking a competitive advantage. Thus, this answer choice is incorrect.

Choice C: This answer choice repeats the error seen in Option A. Additionally, this answer choice also presents vital information between two commas; if the phrases "that of Urban Dresser" and "will be discussed by the management team" are removed, the sentence will be incomplete. Thus, this answer choice is incorrect.

Choice D: This answer choice uses the phrase "Seeking a competitive advantage over Suburban Designer" to modify the noun "management team"; in doing so, this answer choice conveys the logical, intended meaning of this sentence. Additionally, this answer choice is quite concise. Thus, this answer choice is correct.

Choice E: This answer choice repeats the error found in Option B. Additionally, the use of the passive voice in this sentence renders it quite wordy and awkward. Thus, this answer choice is incorrect.

Hence, D is the best answer choice.

To understand the concept of "Extra Information Between two Commas on GMAT", you may want to watch the following video (~1 minute):



All the best!
Experts' Global Team

EASY , MODIFIERS


[quote="avohden"]Seeking a competitive advantage over Suburban Designer, Urban Dresser's new strategy will be discussed by the management team in a meeting this quarter.


(A) Urban Dresser's new strategy will be discussed by the management team in a meeting this quarter ------- Incorrect modifier. "Seeking a competitive advantage" is not something a "strategy" can do.


(B) Urban Dresser's meeting for the management team to discuss a new strategy will happen this quarter ------- Modifer incorrectly modifies the noun "meeting".


(C) its new strategy, that of Urban Dresser, will be discussed by the management team, meeting this quarter -------- Incorrect modifier. "Seeking a competitive advantage" is not something a "strategy" can do.


(D) Urban Dresser's management team will hold a meeting this quarter to discuss a new strategy ------ CORRECT


(E) the meeting, in which Urban Dresser's new strategy will be discussed, is what the management will hold this quarter ------- Modifer incorrectly modifies the noun "meeting".

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