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Studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experi 09 Sep 2016, 12:16
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jyotsnasarabu
D) By studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance and also a time-honored experimental subject, the secrets of how embryos develop are beginning to be unraveled by scientists.
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I just wana make sure that in D, we have a dangling modifier. I mean making the independent clause Passive doesn't fix that problem.. Right?
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Studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experi 09 Sep 2016, 13:58
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jyotsnasarabu
D) By studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance and also a time-honored experimental subject, the secrets of how embryos develop are beginning to be unraveled by scientists.

I just wana make sure that in D, we have a dangling modifier. I mean making the independent clause Passive doesn't fix that problem.. Right?
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Dear umg,

I'm happy to respond. :-) Yes, we have a dangling modifier in (D), because the "secrets of how ..." are not "studying the fruit fly." That is 100% wrong, a profound logical mistake.

The passive construction in the independent clause is lily-livered and indirect. That alone might be enough to doom this choice, but the logical problem with the modifier completely torpedoes it.

Notice, incidentally, if we rearranged the passive to active, we also would solve the modifier problem:
By studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance and also a time-honored experimental subject, scientists are beginning to unravel the secrets of how embryos develop.
This would be flawless, but this version is not an answer choice in the question.

Does all this make sense?
Mike
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Studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experi 23 Oct 2016, 01:11
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I have a question in option E

The study of the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, has enabled scientists to begin to unravel the secrets of how embryos develop.

In this, the subject is the study but the modifier "a household nuisance" modifies the fruit fly. Shouldn't this be wrong?
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Studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experi 23 Oct 2016, 05:27
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saaror
I have a question in option E

The study of the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, has enabled scientists to begin to unravel the secrets of how embryos develop.

In this, the subject is the study but the modifier "a household nuisance" modifies the fruit fly. Shouldn't this be wrong?
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It is alright. The standard rule is that a modifier modifies the noun it touches. Here the modifier "a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject" touches "fruit fly" and correctly modifies it. This is a standard placement of modifier.
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Studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experi 23 Oct 2016, 11:22
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option E shows the best way in which the modifier and sentence is logical.
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Studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experi 24 Oct 2016, 10:07
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saaror
I have a question in option E

The study of the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, has enabled scientists to begin to unravel the secrets of how embryos develop.

In this, the subject is the study but the modifier "a household nuisance" modifies the fruit fly. Shouldn't this be wrong?
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Dear saaror,

I see that my brilliant colleague sayantanc2k already responded, but I will add a few comments. :-)

Yes, the Modifier Touch Rule is a very big rule, a very important pattern in grammar. It's important to know this rule and its typical exceptions.

In this particular sentence, the noun modifier is something called an appositive phrase. This kind of noun modifier is a little more likely to follow the strict Touch Rule than are other kinds of noun modifiers.

Does all this make sense?
Mike :-)
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Studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experi 06 Jun 2017, 06:26
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Studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, has enabled the secrets of how embryos develop to begin to be unraveled by scientists.

A) Studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, has enabled the secrets of how embryos develop to begin to be unraveled by scientists.

Wrong - The intended meaning of the sentence is SCIENTISTS HAVE THE ABILITY TO UNRAVEL THE SECRETS. It's not "WHAT THE SECRETS CAN OR CAN NOT DO"

B) By the study of the fruit fly, a household nuisance and also a time-honored experimental subject, it was possible for the secrets of how embryos develop to begin to be unraveled by scientists.

Wrong - Like (A)

C) By studying a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, the fruit fly enabled scientists to begin to unravel the secrets of how embryos develop.

Wrong - The fly does not study anything.

D) By studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance and also a time-honored experimental subject, the secrets of how embryos develop are beginning to be unraveled by scientists.

Wrong - The secrets do not study anything.

E) The study of the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, has enabled scientists to begin to unravel the secrets of how embryos develop.

Right - Properly matches the intended meaning of the sentence - SCIENTISTS HAVE THE ABILITY TO UNRAVEL THE SECRETS.
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Studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experi 06 Jun 2017, 09:35
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SISDIT
Studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, has enabled the secrets of how embryos develop to begin to be unraveled by scientists.

A) Studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, has enabled the secrets of how embryos develop to begin to be unraveled by scientists.

Wrong - The intended meaning of the sentence is SCIENTISTS HAVE THE ABILITY TO UNRAVEL THE SECRETS. It's not "WHAT THE SECRETS CAN OR CAN NOT DO"

B) By the study of the fruit fly, a household nuisance and also a time-honored experimental subject, it was possible for the secrets of how embryos develop to begin to be unraveled by scientists.

Wrong - Like (A)

C) By studying a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, the fruit fly enabled scientists to begin to unravel the secrets of how embryos develop.

Wrong - The fly does not study anything.

D) By studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance and also a time-honored experimental subject, the secrets of how embryos develop are beginning to be unraveled by scientists.

Wrong - The secrets do not study anything.

E) The study of the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, has enabled scientists to begin to unravel the secrets of how embryos develop.

Right - Properly matches the intended meaning of the sentence - SCIENTISTS HAVE THE ABILITY TO UNRAVEL THE SECRETS.
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Hello SISDIT,


Very good analysis there, I must say. I am glad to see such a meaning-based approach to solve an SC problem. :)

I would just like to add that Choices B and D can also be rejected for the use of incorrect connector and in place of but.

The original sentence logically explains that a fruit-fly is a household nuisance, a characteristic negative in nature. Then it says that the fruit fly is a time-honored experimental subject, a characteristic positive in nature. Hence, use of but in the original sentence to join these two contrasting characteristics is correct.

With the use of and in choices B and D, this contrast is taken away.


Hope this helps. :-)
Thanks.
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Studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experi 09 Jun 2020, 09:52
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O got this all wrong on my mock but here is how I would solve it re looking at each of the questions..

Studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, has enabled the secrets of how embryos develop to begin to be unraveled by scientists.

approach - cancel -, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, - which now leaves us with

Studying the fruit fly has enabled the secrets of how embryos develop to begin to be unraveled by scientists.

Meaning. Scientist have studied FF which enables them to understand the secret of how embryos develop
Problems in the original sentence
- The subject is scientist right at the end
- The study has enabled the scientist to unravel secrets
- how embryos develop to begin

(A) Studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, has enabled the secrets of how embryos develop to begin to be unraveled by scientists.
because of the above reason a is out

(B) By the study of the fruit fly, a household nuisance and also a time-honored experimental subject, it was possible for the secrets of how embryos develop to begin to be unraveled by scientists.
same reason as above "how embryos develop to begin to be" + "by the study of" puts the entire sentence into the past tense

(C) By studying a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, the fruit fly enabled scientists to begin to unravel the secrets of how embryos develop.
"by the study of" puts the entire sentence into the past tense + the comma has been removed at the start

(D) By studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance and also a time-honored experimental subject, the secrets of how embryos develop are beginning to be unraveled by scientists.
originally I chose this but once I re-studied it I realised
"by the study of" puts the entire sentence into the past tense + beginning makes it past tense but the original sentence is present tence

(E) The study of the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, has enabled scientists to begin to unravel the secrets of how embryos develop.
right answer
- present tense
- remove the ing a red light always to re-evaluate the answer
- correct the awkward part of "how embryos develop to begin"
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Studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experi 05 Sep 2020, 19:22
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Studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, has enabled the secrets of how embryos develop to begin to be unraveled by scientists.

A. Studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, has enabled the secrets of how embryos develop to begin to be unraveled by scientists.
(1) modifier error: studying the fruit fly can’t enable the secrets; studying the fruit fly can enable SCIENTISTS to unravel or identify the secrets

B. By the study of the fruit fly, a household nuisance and also a time-honored experimental subject, it was possible for the secrets of how embryos develop to begin to be unraveled by scientists.
(1) improper comparison marker: “and also” doesn’t convey the proper comparison – “a household nuisance” is bad and “a time-honored experimental subject” is good;

C. By studying a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, the fruit fly enabled scientists to begin to unravel the secrets of how embryos develop.
(1) modifier error: the fruit fly didn’t study anything

D. By studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance and also a time-honored experimental subject, the secrets of how embryos develop are beginning to be unraveled by scientists.
(1) modifier error: “the secrets” didn’t study the fruit fly; (2) improper comparison marker: “and also” doesn’t convey the proper comparison – “a household nuisance” is bad and “a time-honored experimental subject” is good;

E. The study of the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, has enabled scientists to begin to unravel the secrets of how embryos develop.
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Studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experi 29 Jun 2021, 03:31
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A. 'Studying the fruit fly' needs to modify 'scientists' and not 'household nuisance'
B. 'it was possible for secrets to ... to unravel' is incorrect. Implies secrets unravel by themselves.
'it was possible .. for scientists' is the correct usage.
C. Implies that the fruit fly is 'studying'.
D. 'By studying' is modifying secrets which is incorrect.
E. Correct.
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Studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experi 06 Dec 2021, 02:18
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Dear EMPOWERgmatVerbal and MartyTargetTestPrep
could you enlighten why the preposition followed by adverb ?
Does the preposition ought to follow by object only? (noun/pronoun).

The study of the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, has enabled scientists to begin to unravel the secrets of how embryos develop.

Another question, are there rules that define the conditions:
1 Ver+ing Of noun - correct
2. Verb+ing Of noun - Incorrect
3. noun of Verb+ing - correct
4. noun of Verb+ing - Incorrect

Thank you in advance.
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Studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experi 06 Dec 2021, 05:09
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BLTN
could you enlighten why the preposition followed by adverb ?
Does the preposition ought to follow by object only? (noun/pronoun).

The study of the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, has enabled scientists to begin to unravel the secrets of how embryos develop.
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In in this case, "how embryos develop" is a noun clause.

So, since a noun clause is a clause that serves as a noun, it makes sense that the noun clause "how embryos develop" serves as the object of the preposition "of."
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Studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experi 08 Dec 2021, 06:58
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BLTN
Dear EMPOWERgmatVerbal and MartyTargetTestPrep
could you enlighten why the preposition followed by adverb ?
Does the preposition ought to follow by object only? (noun/pronoun).

The study of the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, has enabled scientists to begin to unravel the secrets of how embryos develop.

Another question, are there rules that define the conditions:
1 Ver+ing Of noun - correct
2. Verb+ing Of noun - Incorrect
3. noun of Verb+ing - correct
4. noun of Verb+ing - Incorrect

Thank you in advance.
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Hello BLTN,

We hope this finds you well.

Having gone through the question and your query, we believe we can resolve your doubt.

There is no error in the use of preposition ("of") in this sentence, as the phrase "how embryos develop" actually is a noun phrase. Here, "how" plays the role of a noun, referring to the process by which something ("embryos develop") happens.

We hope this helps.
All the best!
Experts' Global Team
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Studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experi 17 Nov 2025, 03:52
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