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05 Apr 2020, 00:25
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Difficulty:
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72% (01:36) correct
28%
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The paintings of Caravaggio (Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio) combines a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, with a dramatic use of lighting, had a formative influence on Baroque painting.
A) Caravaggio) combines a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, with a dramatic use of lighting,
B) Caravaggio), which combine a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, with a dramatic use of lighting,
C) Caravaggio), which combine a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, to dramatically used lighting,
D) Caravaggio) combine a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, with a dramatic use of lighting,
E) Caravaggio) which combine a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, with a dramatic use of lighting and
05 Apr 2020, 00:34
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OFFICIAL EXPLANATION
The paintings of Caravaggio combines a realistic observation of the human state with a dramatic use of lighting had a formative influence on Baroque painting.
• Split #1 - subject/verb agreement
Who or what combines a realistic observation of the human state with a dramatic use of lightning?
The paintings.
(GMAC is not terribly consistent about the rule that things can't have human agency.
Furthermore, in certain areas such as art and literature, in English we do actually say that the art "does" something even though the person responsible is the artist or author.)
The paintings [by Caravaggio] (plural).
We need the plural verb combine.
Option A incorrectly uses the singular combines.
Eliminate A
•Split #2: fragments
Remember to keep glancing at the prompt and that there is non-underlined text after the text of the options.
In option D, we need a [comma + which] right after "Caravaggio" in order to set off everything that follows as nonessential so that the verb had (an infuence) makes sense. As option D stands, it is a fragment.
Option A is also a fragment. Neither A nor D uses "which."
Option E creates a fragment in a different way. The placement of and before the verb had creates a fragment because it deprives the sentence of a main verb
Insert (E) into the stripped sentence:
The paintings of Caravaggio, which combine a realistic observation of the human state with a dramatic use of lighting and had a formative influence on Baroque painting.
"And" means that there should be another verb.
The paintings did X and Y. Just one problem. No "X" (other verb) exists.
Eliminate E
• Split #3 - combine TO is not idiomatic
Option C uses combine ... to
We combine A with B, or
We combine A and B.
Combine A to B is not idiomatic.
"Combine" connotes "mix together," not "attach."
The phrasing in C is weird and not as parallel as the phrasing in B.
B) which combine a realistic observation of the human state [noun, prepositional phrase]... with a dramatic use of lighting [noun, prepositional phrase]
C) which combine a realistic observation of the human state [noun, prepositional phrase]. . . to dramatically used lighting [adverb, participial adjective, noun]
Eliminate C
The answer is B
(And in option B, you can remove the non-essential material set off by [comma + which]. The sentence will still make sense.
COMMENTS
sauravleo123 and abcdddddd , again, welcome.
This kind of sentence can be challenging because it has so many words.
You all tracked well, keeping your eye on the "prize": the subject and the main verb or verbs.
These explanations range from good to outstanding.
eakabuah , I am bumping you to Best Community Reply.
Kudos to all. Nice work.
Quote:
The paintings of Caravaggio (Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio) combines a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, with a dramatic use of lighting, had a formative influence on Baroque painting.
A) Caravaggio) combines a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, with a dramatic use of lighting,
B) Caravaggio), which combine a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, with a dramatic use of lighting,
C) Caravaggio), which combine a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, to dramatically used lighting,
D) Caravaggio) [, which] combine a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, with a dramatic use of lighting,
E) Caravaggio) which combine a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, with a dramatic use of lighting and
Strip the sentence, this way:A) Caravaggio) combines a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, with a dramatic use of lighting,
B) Caravaggio), which combine a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, with a dramatic use of lighting,
C) Caravaggio), which combine a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, to dramatically used lighting,
D) Caravaggio) [, which] combine a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, with a dramatic use of lighting,
E) Caravaggio) which combine a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, with a dramatic use of lighting and
The paintings of Caravaggio combines a realistic observation of the human state with a dramatic use of lighting had a formative influence on Baroque painting.
• Split #1 - subject/verb agreement
Who or what combines a realistic observation of the human state with a dramatic use of lightning?
The paintings.
(GMAC is not terribly consistent about the rule that things can't have human agency.
Furthermore, in certain areas such as art and literature, in English we do actually say that the art "does" something even though the person responsible is the artist or author.)
The paintings [by Caravaggio] (plural).
We need the plural verb combine.
Option A incorrectly uses the singular combines.
Eliminate A
•Split #2: fragments
Remember to keep glancing at the prompt and that there is non-underlined text after the text of the options.
In option D, we need a [comma + which] right after "Caravaggio" in order to set off everything that follows as nonessential so that the verb had (an infuence) makes sense. As option D stands, it is a fragment.
Option A is also a fragment. Neither A nor D uses "which."
Option E creates a fragment in a different way. The placement of and before the verb had creates a fragment because it deprives the sentence of a main verb
Insert (E) into the stripped sentence:
The paintings of Caravaggio, which combine a realistic observation of the human state with a dramatic use of lighting and had a formative influence on Baroque painting.
"And" means that there should be another verb.
The paintings did X and Y. Just one problem. No "X" (other verb) exists.
Eliminate E
• Split #3 - combine TO is not idiomatic
Option C uses combine ... to
We combine A with B, or
We combine A and B.
Combine A to B is not idiomatic.
"Combine" connotes "mix together," not "attach."
The phrasing in C is weird and not as parallel as the phrasing in B.
B) which combine a realistic observation of the human state [noun, prepositional phrase]... with a dramatic use of lighting [noun, prepositional phrase]
C) which combine a realistic observation of the human state [noun, prepositional phrase]. . . to dramatically used lighting [adverb, participial adjective, noun]
Eliminate C
The answer is B
(And in option B, you can remove the non-essential material set off by [comma + which]. The sentence will still make sense.
COMMENTS
sauravleo123 and abcdddddd , again, welcome.
This kind of sentence can be challenging because it has so many words.
You all tracked well, keeping your eye on the "prize": the subject and the main verb or verbs.
These explanations range from good to outstanding.
eakabuah , I am bumping you to Best Community Reply.
Kudos to all. Nice work.
05 Apr 2020, 21:24
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I settled on B.
Quote:
A) The paintings of Caravaggio (Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio) combines a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, with a dramatic use of lighting, had a formative influence on Baroque painting.
The plural subject paintings does not agree in number with the singular verb combines. In addition, we are unclear what the modifying phrase had a formative influence on Baroque painting modifies. Does it modify paintings or does it modify lighting?Quote:
B) The paintings of Caravaggio (Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio), which combine a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, with a dramatic use of lighting, had a formative influence on Baroque painting.
Stripped-down version: The paintings of Caravaggio had a formative influence on Baroque painting. Everything seems fine. No S-V agreement error. The modification issue in the original sentence is avoided. Keep B.Quote:
C) The paintings of Caravaggio (Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio), which combine a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, to dramatically used lighting, had a formative influence on Baroque painting.
Combine a realistic observation to dramatically used lighting is unidiomatic and thus incorrect. Dramatically used lighting? Eliminate C.Quote:
D) The paintings of Caravaggio (Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio) combine a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, with a dramatic use of lighting, had a formative influence on Baroque painting.
The unclear modifier issue in A is repeated in D although the S-V agreement error is corrected. Eliminate D.Quote:
E) The paintings of Caravaggio (Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio) which combine a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, with a dramatic use of lighting and had a formative influence on Baroque painting.
This option does not have a working verb since the verb had is made parallel to combine. Stripped-down version: The paintings of Caravaggio. Eliminate E. 
