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555-605 Level|   Modifiers|      
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DIII
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The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed 02 Nov 2017, 21:29
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In one of his videos, Ron Purewal says that "including" doesn't work like any other verb-ing, and that "including" modifies the noun before the comma.
Can someone clarify this?
see around the 57-minute mark.
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The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed 03 Nov 2017, 09:58
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DIII
In one of his videos, Ron Purewal says that "including" doesn't work like any other verb-ing, and that "including" modifies the noun before the comma.
Can someone clarify this?
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Dear DIII,

I'm happy to respond. :-)

The great Mr. Ron Purewal is certainly a genius, but I am going to disagree slightly. :-)

First of all, modifying the previous noun is not categorically unlike any other present participle. Participles are very flexible, sometimes acting as noun modifier and sometimes, as verb modifiers. Certainly there are instances in which we find [noun] [comma] [present participle} when the participle is acting as a modifier for the noun.
When I walked in, I saw the detective, leaning against a pillar and smoking a cigarette.
Of course, that's less a GMAT SC sentence and more one from a tawdry thriller novel, but the grammar is the same.

Also, I would say that, for the majority of the time, the participle "including" acts as a noun modifier and modifies the noun it touches. Occasionally, a vital noun modifier would come between the participle and the target noun, and it is possible that this vital noun modifier is a long clause. That's precisely what is happening in the OA of this question.
(E) The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed instructions that the company hopes will help merchants confirm a check’s authenticity, including reminders to watch the endorsement, compare signatures, and view the watermark while holding the check to the light.
Notice that the purple part, from "that" to "authenticity," is a giant adjectival clause, a noun-modifying clause, all modifying the phrase "printed instructions." That phrase is the target of the participle "including."

Usually, when the word "including" is going to be used as a verb modifier, it's in the gerund form following the preposition "by."
Maxwell described the first unified field, electromagnetism, by including Faraday's Law and expanding Ampere's Law.

Does all this make sense?
Mike :-)
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The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed 03 Nov 2017, 10:12
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Thank you, makes sense now.
Do you think "which" can also modify in a similar way (by skipping over a vital modifier)?
I sometimes get confused about the exceptions in the usage of "which".
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The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed 03 Nov 2017, 13:21
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DIII
Thank you, makes sense now.
Do you think "which" can also modify in a similar way (by skipping over a vital modifier)?
I sometimes get confused about the exceptions in the usage of "which".
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Dear DIII,

I'm happy to respond. :-)

Yes. In fact, any noun modifier can skip over a vital modifier for the same noun. See:
Modifiers on the GMAT Sentence Correction

Mike :-)
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The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed 03 Nov 2017, 13:24
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DIII
Thank you, makes sense now.
Do you think "which" can also modify in a similar way (by skipping over a vital modifier)?
I sometimes get confused about the exceptions in the usage of "which".
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Hello DIII,

I will be glad to help you out with this one. :-)

Yes. all the noun modifiers can be used the way including has been used in the correct answer choice of the relevant official sentence. At e-GMAT, we call such modification a slightly far-away noun modification by a noun modifier.

In fact, we have authored a very famous article on the topic that includes details, examples, a exceptions to the usage of such modification. You can review this article named Noun Modifiers can Modify slightly far away noun in the following link:
https://gmatclub.com/forum/noun-modifiers-can-modify-slightly-far-away-noun-135868.html

Also, here is my two cents on the usage of including on GMAT SC.

It is true that comma + verb-ing modifiers modify the preceding action. But including is an exception to this rule. Preceded by a comma or not and placed after a clause or not, including works as a noun modifier only.

There are several GMAT SC that uses including as a noun modifier only.


Hope this helps. :-)
Thanks.
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The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed 15 Jan 2019, 10:32
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@GMATNinja:-Hi Gmatninja, I'm absolutely confused between C & E, i read in this thread that by is never used with a comma, is this always true?

Secondly is reminders for watching,viewing wrong? should it always be to reminders to?
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The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed Updated on: 21 Jan 2020, 10:15
Originally posted by thangvietnam on 18 Jan 2019, 01:40.
Last edited by thangvietnam on 21 Jan 2020, 10:15, edited 1 time in total.
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quantum
The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed instructions that the company hopes will help merchants confirm a check’s authenticity, which includes reminders to watch the endorsement, compare signatures, and view the watermark while holding the check to the light.


(A) which includes reminders to watch the endorsement, compare signatures, and view

(B) which include reminders for watching the endorsement, to compare signatures and view

(C) by including reminders for watching the endorsement, comparing signatures, and viewing

(D) including reminders to watch the endorsement, comparing signatures and viewing

(E) including reminders to watch the endorsement, compare signatures, and view
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comma+by doing dose not exist in english.
comma+doing can refer to a preceding set to be a preposition phrase or a preceding clause to be an adverbial. in choice E, including work not as preposition but as participle phrase which is adverbial.
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The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed 20 Jan 2019, 04:18
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quantum
The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed instructions that the company hopes will help merchants confirm a check’s authenticity, which includes reminders to watch the endorsement, compare signatures, and view the watermark while holding the check to the light.


(A) which includes reminders to watch the endorsement, compare signatures, and view --> authenticity cannot includes reminders to watch the endorsement, compare signatures doesn't make any sense

(B) which include reminders for watching the endorsement, to compare signatures and view --> authenticity cannot includes reminders to watch the endorsement, compare signatures doesn't make any sense

(C) by including reminders for watching the endorsement, comparing signatures, and viewing

(D) including reminders to watch the endorsement, comparing signatures and viewing --> to watch, comparing signatures and viewing are not parallel

(E) including reminders to watch the endorsement, compare signatures, and view
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HI GMATNinja,

In E how does including refers to printed instructions but not the nearest noun that is Company?
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The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed 25 Jan 2019, 12:49
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quantum
The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed instructions that the company hopes will help merchants confirm a check’s authenticity, which includes reminders to watch the endorsement, compare signatures, and view the watermark while holding the check to the light.


(A) which includes reminders to watch the endorsement, compare signatures, and view --> authenticity cannot includes reminders to watch the endorsement, compare signatures doesn't make any sense

(B) which include reminders for watching the endorsement, to compare signatures and view --> authenticity cannot includes reminders to watch the endorsement, compare signatures doesn't make any sense

(C) by including reminders for watching the endorsement, comparing signatures, and viewing

(D) including reminders to watch the endorsement, comparing signatures and viewing --> to watch, comparing signatures and viewing are not parallel

(E) including reminders to watch the endorsement, compare signatures, and view

HI GMATNinja,

In E how does including refers to printed instructions but not the nearest noun that is Company?
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Good question! This is a good reminder that anytime we have the following construction: NOUN + NOUN MODIFIER + COMMA + NOUN MODIFIER, the second noun modifier might refer either to the first noun modifier or to the original noun. You have to use logic and context to determine which.

In this case, our noun is the "series of printed instructions." The first modifier ("that the company hopes will help...") describes the series of printed instructions, and so we have to ask ourselves what the second modifier ("including reminders to watch the endorsement, compare signatures...") is logically referring to. It makes sense for the instructions to include these reminders; it really doesn't make sense for the company to include reminders.

Takeaway: though the touch "rule" generally works, be careful about applying it too rigidly, since there are plenty of exceptions. It's better to ask whether the modifier is reasonably close to a logical referent. (And you can find a brief discussion of exceptions to the "touch rule" -- specifically in the context of modifiers beginning with "that" -- in this article and this video.)

I hope this helps!
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The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed 01 Feb 2019, 06:32
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egmat daagh GMATNinja DmitryFarber
Why C is wrong ?
I understand there is a subtle change in meaning with C But how do we know the intended meaning
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The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed 01 Feb 2019, 08:25
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teaserbae
Quote:
Why C is wrong?
I understand there is a subtle change in meaning with C But how do we know the intended meaning
Show more


(
Quote:
C) by including reminders for watching the endorsement, comparing signatures, and viewing
(E) including reminders to watch the endorsement, compare signatures, and view
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Perhaps you will agree that the redesigning was done for some purpose. That intended purpose is the original meaning indicator and that intention is best expressed by an infinitive of purpose, but not by indicative gerund. That is the difference between E and C.
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The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed 08 Mar 2019, 20:34
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quantum
The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed instructions that the company hopes will help merchants confirm a check’s authenticity, which includes reminders to watch the endorsement, compare signatures, and view the watermark while holding the check to the light.


(A) which includes reminders to watch the endorsement, compare signatures, and view - "which" is modifying check's authenticity, which is wrong

(B) which include reminders for watching the endorsement, to compare signatures and view - "which" is modifying check's authenticity, which is wrong

(C) by including reminders for watching the endorsement, comparing signatures, and viewing - for watching is inferior to "to watch"

(D) including reminders to watch the endorsement, comparing signatures and viewing - Not parallel

(E) including reminders to watch the endorsement, compare signatures, and view - Parallel
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E is the correct answer
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The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed 05 May 2019, 04:40
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quantum
The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed instructions that the company hopes will help merchants confirm a check’s authenticity, which includes reminders to watch the endorsement, compare signatures, and view the watermark while holding the check to the light.


(A) which includes reminders to watch the endorsement, compare signatures, and view

(B) which include reminders for watching the endorsement, to compare signatures and view

(C) by including reminders for watching the endorsement, comparing signatures, and viewing

(D) including reminders to watch the endorsement, comparing signatures and viewing

(E) including reminders to watch the endorsement, compare signatures, and view
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chetan2u , VeritasKarishma , GMATNinja , egmat,

Will you please explain this SC question ?
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The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed 08 May 2019, 08:00
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What's wrong in saying that "The feature will help merchants confirm a check's authenticity, which includes..."
I mean which here modifies authenticity and what's wrong in it? Can't we consider that reminders to watch the endorsement/compare signatures etc... under authenticity?
On the other way, if I wanted to modify authenticity how I can do that. I believe that/which should suffice. Please assist me what am I missing.
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The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed Updated on: 17 Apr 2020, 07:09
Originally posted by thangvietnam on 21 May 2019, 00:54.
Last edited by thangvietnam on 17 Apr 2020, 07:09, edited 1 time in total.
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quantum
The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed instructions that the company hopes will help merchants confirm a check’s authenticity, which includes reminders to watch the endorsement, compare signatures, and view the watermark while holding the check to the light.


(A) which includes reminders to watch the endorsement, compare signatures, and view

(B) which include reminders for watching the endorsement, to compare signatures and view

(C) by including reminders for watching the endorsement, comparing signatures, and viewing

(D) including reminders to watch the endorsement, comparing signatures and viewing

(E) including reminders to watch the endorsement, compare signatures, and view
Show more

we dont need to know what "including" in choice D and E is to go to official answer choice E . but discuss for fun

permit me to post second time. my posting this time contradict with my previous posting.

including can work as an adverb, which refer to subject of the previous clause and modifies the previous clause. the previous clause is " that (instructions) will help merchant confirm".

why including can not work as an adverb here. ? it is quite good for including to do so.

if including works as an adjective here, including is too far from "instructions".

though some noun modifier can modify a slightly far noun, modifying too far noun is a problem.

second thing is

if including can modify a far noun, why "which clause" in choice A and B can not do so. the reason for which we eliminate choice A and B is that "which clause" is too far from the noun modified.

I conclude that "including" in choice E works as an adverb, not adjective".

instructions help merchants confirm authenticity, including the reminders to watch endorsement.

I think this sentence is good.

am i correct?
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The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed 29 May 2019, 13:36
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krishnabalu
What's wrong in saying that "The feature will help merchants confirm a check's authenticity, which includes..."
I mean which here modifies authenticity and what's wrong in it? Can't we consider that reminders to watch the endorsement/compare signatures etc... under authenticity?
On the other way, if I wanted to modify authenticity how I can do that. I believe that/which should suffice. Please assist me what am I missing.
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"Including" typically designates membership in a group, so when we encounter this construction, our job is go back and see if there's a group that the relevant elements can be part of.

Take another look at (E): "The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed instructions that the company hopes will help merchants confirm a check’s authenticity, including reminders to watch the endorsement, comparing signatures and viewing the watermark while holding the check to the light." So now have to ask ourselves: what group are these "reminders" a part of? Scanning back, we can see that "the series of printed instructions" must be the group that contains the "reminders." Nothing else really makes sense.

As for how you'd modify, "authenticity," the answer is any way you want, so long as it's logical. "Authenticity" can't contain reminders - this is how we know that the modifier "including" must refer to something else. However, I could write something like, "The check's authenticity, which has been verified by dozens of experts, is no longer in doubt." Now it makes perfect sense for "which" to refer to "authenticity," because it's logical for authenticity to be verified by experts.

The takeaway: do not try to memorize every scenario about how modifiers can potentially work! Once you've absorbed what kind of modifiers describe nouns and what kind describe actions or clauses, just bear in mind two questions: 1) is the modifier reasonably close to the thing it's describing? and 2) is the construction logical? The only way to answer those questions is to consider context and meaning.

I hope that helps!
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The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed 29 May 2019, 21:53
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Quote:
The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed instructions that the company hopes will help merchants confirm a check’s authenticity, which includes reminders to watch the endorsement, compare signatures, and view the watermark while holding the check to the light.


(A) which includes reminders to watch the endorsement, compare signatures, and view

(B) which include reminders for watching the endorsement, to compare signatures and view

(C) by including reminders for watching the endorsement, comparing signatures, and viewing

(D) including reminders to watch the endorsement, comparing signatures and viewing

(E) including reminders to watch the endorsement, compare signatures, and view
Show more

The right answer here should be E.

The first step is to note that the pronoun "which" refers to the noun before. So A & B are OUT, since it is not the authenticity that is including anything.

C - "including reminders for watching" is incorrect, if you have two verbs in the same tense together the second one must be in the infinitive, so "reminders to watch"

D - This is simply not parallel. "to watch" and "comparing" dont go together.

Hence E is correct.
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The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed 05 Jun 2019, 18:05
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... printed instructions ... will help merchants confirm a check’s authenticity, which includes reminders to watch the endorsement, compare signatures, and view the watermark ...

(A) which includes reminders to watch the endorsement, compare signatures, and view
(B) which include reminders for watching the endorsement, to compare signatures and view
(C) by including reminders for watching the endorsement, comparing signatures, and viewing
(D) including reminders to watch the endorsement, comparing signatures and viewing
(E) including reminders to watch the endorsement, compare signatures, and view

1) which vs. by including/including
A) & B) relative pronoun "which" refers back to the preceding noun, which is "authenticity." These ACs wrongly state that the "authenticity" is what includes the features, rather than the "printed instructions"
C) is wrong because "by including" makes it sound like the "printed instructions" are doing the action of "including"
B) & C) "reminders for" is wrong, needs "to" instead (reminder to do X)

2) Parallel lists
D) is wrong because you cannot mix infinitive "to watch" with participles "comparing" & "viewing"
E) correct use of participle "including" to modify previous clause & correct parallel structure
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The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed 24 Dec 2019, 03:20
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GMATNinja , many thanks for your explanations above which explain how "including" is functioning in the OA. Would be great if you could shed some light on why exactly is C wrong? Why is the use of "by" wrong ?.. Or is there any other parallelism issue in C? :think: Thank you!
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The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed 05 Jan 2020, 16:49
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kabsar
GMATNinja , many thanks for your explanations above which explain how "including" is functioning in the OA. Would be great if you could shed some light on why exactly is C wrong? Why is the use of "by" wrong ?.. Or is there any other parallelism issue in C? :think: Thank you!
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Good question! I see two reasons to eliminate (C):

1) Peculiar comma usage. Others on this thread have referred to this problem. Consider the following:

    Tim attempted to repair the hole in his roof by using his daughter's Pay-Doh as a kind of caulk, much to the chagrin of the entire family.

Notice that we have an action "attempted to repair" and a modifier describing that action "by using..." In this case, there's no need for a comma before the "by" phrase, as this phrase is crucial to the meaning of the sentence, rather than being incidental information that we just happen to toss in. In (C), it's hard to understand why we would need the comma before "by."

Here's the problem: comma usage rarely involves hard rules. So even though this does seem to be an issue, I'd rather find something a little more concrete than a faulty comma.

2) Meaning. In (C), we have the following:

    A series of printed instructions that the company hopes will help merchants confirm a check’s authenticity, by including reminders for watching the endorsement, comparing signatures, and viewing the water mark..."

So the instructions will help confirm a check's authenticity three ways. By:

    1) including reminders for watching the endorsement
    2) comparing signatures
    3) viewing the water mark

The first element seems okay: instructions can certainly include reminders. But how on earth could the instructions compare signatures or view a water mark? This is illogical.

Compare this with (E):

    A series of printed instructions that the company hopes will help merchants confirm a check’s authenticity, including reminders to watch the endorsement, compare signatures, and view the watermark

Now the instructions include three reminders:

    1) to watch the endorsement
    2) to compare signatures
    3) to view the watermark

It's perfectly logical for the instructions to contain three types of reminders. So (E), ultimately, is a better option than the incoherent meaning we have in (C).

I hope that helps!
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