The first time that Larry walked down the ramp, laden with packages

Hi Arun,
The link that I mentioned in my earlier post deals with Verb-ing and Verb-ed modifiers. Following are the rule sets for these modifiers according to their placement in the sentence:

1. Verb-ed modifiers always modify the preceding noun entity. It can be a single-word noun entity or a noun-phrase.

2. When a verb-ed modifier appears in the beginning of the sentence, it modifies the subject of the following clause.

3. When a verb-ing modifier appears after a clause preceded by a comma, then it modifies the preceding clause. It presents either extra information about the preceding clause or the result of the preceding clause.

4. When a verb-ing modifier appears after a clause without any comma before it, then it modifiers the preceding noun entity.

5. When a verb-ing modifier appears in the beginning of the subject, then it modifies either the subject or the entire following clause, depending upon the context the sentence.

Now let’s analyze the examples you have provided.

1. Sachin is one of the best players of badminton game, surpassed only by James and Amie.

In this sentence, “surpassed” is the verb-ed modifier. This means that it modify the preceding noun entity. Now, it does not make sense for “surpassed” to modify “badminton game”. Also notice that “one of the best players of badminton game” is a one big noun phrase. None of the element of this phrase can be written elsewhere in the sentence to communicate logical meaning. Hence, here “surpassed” is modifying “one of the best players of badminton game”. This is a correct modification. That’s what the sentence means.

2. Sachin is the best player, playing for Indian Badminton team.
Here we have a verb-ing modifier “playing” that appears after a clause preceded by a comma. That means that modifier modifies the entire preceding clause. This sentence means that Sachin is the best player and he plays for Indian Badminton team. Here the verb-ing modifier is presenting additional information about the preceding clause.

If you want to see more examples for the all the rule sets mentioned above and practice some quizzes, log on to e-gmat.com, register for free and view Verb-ing Modifiers concept file in our free trial concepts.

Hope this helps.
Thanks.
Shraddha
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Hi Arun,

The first time that Larry walked down the ramp, laden with packages, he tripped and nearly dislocated his shoulder.

It is clear that you get the intended meaning of the sentence. You agree that “laden with packages” should modify “Larry”.

According to GMAT, the verb-ed modifier is a noun modifier that should be placed to the entity it modifies as close as possible. Generally, verb-ed modifiers modify the immediate preceding noun or noun phrase.

In this sentence, “laden” is a verb-ed modifier which is places next to ramp. Even if it separated from “ramp” by comma, “ramp” is the immediate preceding noun and per the GMAT, “laden” will modify “ramp”. But this is certainly not the intended meaning of the sentence. Hence, we must put “laden” close to Larry so that there is no modification error.

You can also read this post for the correct usage of verb-ed modifiers:
verb-ed-modifiers-vs-verb-ing-modifiers-125611.html?fl=similar

I do agree that in Choice D, we need a comma after “ramp”. However, placement of comma alone has never been the deterministic issue for eliminating an answer choice. GMAT exclusively does not test the correct placement of punctuations. Moreover, to avoid a punctuation error, which is not even an error per GMAT, we are committing a graver error of modification by choosing A. Now modifiers are certainly deterministic errors to eliminate an answer choice.
Hence, we must choose the most ideal answer choice and that is choice D.

Hope this helps.
Thanks.
Shraddha
_________________

D
A is incorrect since a ramp cannot be laden with packages.

I too for D.
A should not be the answer reasons-
The first time that Larry walked down the ramp, laden with packages, he tripped and nearly dislocated his shoulder.
A says first time that larry walked..means that for the first time in the life larry walked..and another--ramp was loaded with packages..

E also should not the answer reasons-
The first time that Larry, laden with packages, had walked down the ramp,he tripped and nearly dislocated his shoulder.
Here we are using parallelism.. see the three actions happened one after another and almost similar..
walked down the ramp
he tripped
dislocated his shoulder
I guess if we can remove the part he tripped from the sentence..then one might argue for the past perfect ..had walked down the ramp..let me know if someone has other ideas on this.

Hi,

The first time that Larry walked down the ramp, laden with packages, he tripped and nearly dislocated his shoulder.

(A) Larry walked down the ramp, laden with packages,
(B) Larry walked, laden with packages, down the ramp
(C) Larry walked down the ramp, with laden packages,
(D) Larry, laden with packages, walked down the ramp
(E) Larry, laden with packages, had walked down the ramp,


I am not sure but I guess for 'D' to be a correct , a comma is required at the end of option D.............

and option A is written beautifully,correctly explaining the scenario and 'laden with packages' correctly modifying Larry..............

Please correct me if I am wrong !!

Thnx alot Shraddha for the explaination.....

From What I have understood, I am writing a few examples.......
Please let me know whether my understading is correct.


1. If we have a sentence with a prepositional phrase with in noun clause preceding the modifier then the modifier modifies the noun of the sentence

ex : Sachin is one of the best players of badminton game, surpassed only by James and Amie.

2. If we have a sentence without a prepositional phrase preceding the modifier then the modifier modifies the closest noun..
ex : Sachin is the best player,playing for Indian Badminton team.

Straight D.

"Laden with packages" should modify Larry, and nothing else.

Cheers,
Der alte Fritz.

Posted from my mobile device

Hi Shraddha ,

I'm just thinking out loud here, but why can't the answer choice be B. -- Larry walked, laden with packages, down the ramp . In this sentence , is it not possible to interpret it as Larry fell down the first time he walked with packages down the ramp. Or are there any indicators in the sentence that I am missing ?

Hi Arvind,
This is the sentence with choice B:

The first time that Larry walked, laden with packages, down the ramp he tripped and nearly dislocated his shoulder.

This choice is incorrect for two reasons:

1. “laden” is a verb-ed modifier. These modifiers are noun modifiers and hence must be placed as close to the entity they modify as possible. In this choice, “laden” is placed after the verb “walked”. This is not accepted in GMAT.
2. “walked down” is a verb phrase. It does not make sense to split this phrase by inserting a modifier in between. This structure makes the entire sentence awkward.

Hope this helps.
Thanks.
Shraddha
_________________

Why isn't the answer E? Wouldn't we want to show the difference between in timing of two events?

@myvitalsign

(E) complicates the sentence with a "past-past" tense phrase "had walked"...there is no change in timing so no change in tense needed

You use "had walked" if the sentence said something like "When Larry walked down the ramp, he remembered he had tripped at this same spot 5 years ago"....
Here with the word "remembered"--it suggests a transition to the past...therefore you use the "past-past tense"..

Isn't "laden with packages" an absolute phrase that tells "how Larry walked down the ramp".

Hi Marcab,

In this sentence, "laden with packages" is verb-ed modifier. On GMAT, a verb-ed modifier only modifies the preceding noun entity and not the entire preceding clause. Now, per the context of the sentence and grammatically also, "laden with packages" should modify "Larry" only and not the whole clause as to how he walked down the ramp.

Hope this helps.
Thanks.
Shraddha
_________________

D is correct. Here's why:

(A) Larry walked down the ramp, laden with packages, --> we're trying to say Larry was carrying a heavy load; this makes it sound like the ramp had all the packages - WRONG

(B) Larry walked, laden with packages, down the ramp --> walked should be after laden phrase

(C) Larry walked down the ramp, with laden packages, --> laden is describing packages, not Larry - WRONG

(D) Larry, laden with packages, walked down the ramp --> CORRECT; laden is describing the state Larry is in

(E) Larry, laden with packages, had walked down the ramp, --> incorrect tense

Hi egmat - could you please comment on why "had" is not necessary to show the sequencing of timing between "walked" and "tripped" which are two past tense events? I understand logically we know one came before the other, but is that sufficient to omit had?

thx!

Hi Madhavi1990,

E is incorrect because, as he walked down, he tripped and fell .., so they are occuring at same time, not in time sequence, so usage of past perfect is incorrect.

However, i chose A, and i was wrong. I think A would have next best choice to go to, had D committed any error. D wins over A, by placing the noun modifier as close as possible.

Thanks

Can anyone explain as to why E is incorrect? What is wrong in using Had?

Hi Akshita

The usage of the past perfect tense "had walked" is necessary only when the sentence is talking about two events happening in the past and wants to show the order of occurrence of those two events.

For example:

I arrived at the airport at 6pm.
The flight left at 5pm.

The above can be written as:

By the time I arrived at the airport, the flight had left.

In the above sentence, no such ordering between two events occurring in the past is being shown. Hence, "had walked" is unnecessary and incorrect. Hope this clarifies.
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Answer is D. Larry - Who was "laden with packages", "walked down the ramp"