Last visit was: 17 May 2026, 18:40 It is currently 17 May 2026, 18:40
Home
Messages
Tests
Schools
Events
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Go to My Error Log Learn more
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
Back to Forum
Create Topic
   1   2   3 
User avatar
Skywalker18
User avatar
Retired Moderator
Joined: 08 Dec 2013
Last visit: 15 Nov 2023
Posts: 1,972
Own Kudos:
10,210
Given Kudos: 171
Status:Greatness begins beyond your comfort zone
Location: India
Concentration: General Management, Strategy
GPA: 3.2
WE:Information Technology (Consulting)
Products:
My Reviews
Posts: 1,972
Kudos: 10,210
The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed 08 Jan 2020, 04:42
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
GMATNinja
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!
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!
Show more

I was down to options C and E and chose E( option C uses a comma before preposition by and uses for instead of to)

GMATNinja ,
In option C, how do we eliminate the following interpretation-
by including reminders for
1. watching the endorsement,
2. comparing signatures,
3. and viewing

AjiteshArun , GMATNinja , MagooshExpert , GMATGuruNY , VeritasPrepBrian , MartyTargetTestPrep , DmitryFarber , VeritasKarishma , generis , other experts - please enlighten
avatar
Diya52
avatar
Joined: 21 Nov 2018
Last visit: 26 May 2025
Posts: 112
Own Kudos:
130
Given Kudos: 123
Location: India
GPA: 3.5
Products:
My Reviews
Posts: 112
Kudos: 130
The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed 15 Feb 2020, 01:42
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
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- use of includes leads to SV agreement error. which incorrectly modifies authenticity.

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

which incorrectly modifies authenticity. include reminders 1.for watching the endorsement 2. To compare 3. View. List is not parallel.

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

The printed instructions ‘by including’ is incorrect.
A sentence where by including makes sense – I informed Sam about the discussion by including him in the group conversation.


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

The printed instructions including reminders 1. To watch the endorsement 2. Comparing signatures 3. Viewing the watermark. List is not parallel.


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

The printed instructions including reminders 1. To watch the endorsement 2. To compare signatures 3. To view the watermark. List is parallel. Correct answer.
User avatar
CrackverbalGMAT
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 03 Oct 2013
Last visit: 17 May 2026
Posts: 4,849
Own Kudos:
9,206
 [1]
Given Kudos: 227
Affiliations: CrackVerbal
Location: India
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 4,849
Kudos: 9,206
 [1]
The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed 20 Nov 2020, 04:37
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
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" incorrectly modifies "check's authenticity". Eliminate.

(B) which include reminders for watching the endorsement, to compare signatures and view Same error as (A). Also, "for watching" and "to compare" are not parallel. Eliminate.

(C) by including reminders for watching the endorsement, comparing signatures, and viewing Due to the comma just before the underline portion, beginning the modifier with "by" (making it a prepositional phrase) is incorrect. Eliminate.

(D) including reminders to watch the endorsement, comparing signatures and viewing "watch" and "comparing" are not parallel. Eliminate.

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

Hope this helps.
User avatar
KONDURI
User avatar
Joined: 15 Dec 2019
Last visit: 15 Jan 2023
Posts: 9
Own Kudos:
3
Given Kudos: 212
Posts: 9
Kudos: 3
The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed 04 Feb 2021, 19:41
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
In options A and B, 'WHICH' is correctly referring to printed instructions!

Is this correct?

Some of the answers mentioned above say that 'WHICH' refers to printed instructions but some say it refers to autheticity. can someone pls give clarification on this or which rule to follow?

thanks!
User avatar
EducationAisle
User avatar
Joined: 27 Mar 2010
Last visit: 16 May 2026
Posts: 3,921
Own Kudos:
3,586
 [2]
Given Kudos: 159
Location: India
Schools: ISB
GPA: 3.31
Expert
Expert reply
Schools: ISB
Posts: 3,921
Kudos: 3,586
 [2]
The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed 04 Feb 2021, 23:42
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
KONDURI
In options A and B, 'WHICH' is correctly referring to printed instructions!
Show more
Hi KONDURI,

(i) In option A, notice the structure which includes. The presence of singular verb includes mandates that which has to modify a singular noun. Hence, which cannot modify instructions.

(ii) In option B, notice the structure which include. The presence of plural verb include mandates that which has to modify a plural noun. While instructions is a plural noun, it is really far from which, making this a non-optimal construct.

p.s. Our book EducationAisle Sentence Correction Nirvana discusses modifier issues of "which", their application and examples in significant detail. If you or someone is interested, PM me your email-id; I can mail the corresponding section.
User avatar
Sravan95
User avatar
Joined: 08 Mar 2020
Last visit: 29 Nov 2023
Posts: 11
Given Kudos: 47
GMAT 1: 710 Q50 V35
GPA: 3.49
Products:
My Reviews
GMAT 1: 710 Q50 V35
Posts: 11
Kudos: 0
The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed 09 Jun 2022, 11:33
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
TommyWallach
Kaja
Hi, Tom, (well maybe you won't see this post anymore.I just try)

could you clarify the usage of Ving here?

I read some rules about the usage of this on Manhattan forum, which is following:

the "comma + ing" modifier should only be used when:

(A)
it MODIFIES THE ENTIRE ACTION of the preceding clause, and it APPLIES TO THE SUBJECT of that clause;
AND
(B)
one of the following is true:
(1) the "ing" action is SIMULTANEOUS with the main action;
- i ran down the sidewalk, flapping my arms wildly
(2) the "ing" action is a DIRECT CONSEQUENCE of the main action;
- i got a 100 on the most recent exam, bringing my average up to 91

But the Ving here in Choice E doesn't fit in the above rules, right?

Also, presuming the choise A is using "include", will it be the best answer? Thank you very much!

Hey Kaja,

It's not modifying the previous clause, per se, but it's modifying such an ENORMOUS noun (already modified), that the -ing helps us clarify it.:

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}])...

The part in parentheses is all one noun with modifiers set off by different parentheses. We want to modify that ENTIRE thing. Using just a relative pronoun wouldn't work, because it's so FAR from the word it's really modifying ("series"). And technically, the next modifier IS happening simultaneously (it's describing those very rules). I agree it's a bit of a stretch based on the rules we give, but it's far closer to the rules for -ing words than the rules for relative pronouns.

Hope that helps!

-t
Show more

Hello Tommy,
How to identify whether a ",Ving" modifier refers to the action of the main clause or as you said in the above case to a noun.
Please help.
Thanks in advance.

Regards,
User avatar
rikinmathur
User avatar
Joined: 14 Sep 2019
Last visit: 31 May 2024
Posts: 50
Own Kudos:
15
Given Kudos: 45
Location: United States
Schools: Columbia CBS '24 Sloan '24 Harvard '24 Wharton '24 Stanford '24
GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V42
Schools: Columbia CBS '24 Sloan '24 Harvard '24 Wharton '24 Stanford '24
GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V42
Posts: 50
Kudos: 15
The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed 19 Jul 2022, 20:35
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
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.
Show more

A,B,D are pretty easy to eliminate as noted by many ppl above

C. By including is unnecessary, you dont need a by + including since a prep phrase + verb-ing is needed when you are modifying the whole preceding clause and the action of that clause, here we are trying to describe a list so including is more appropriate by itself (remember including is the one exception the participle ing form where it describes usually a list and the most logical antecedent) , and the to + verb ing in is better in (E)

E. Nothing wrong with it, including logically modifies instructions and the infinitives to watch…compare…view are parallel!
User avatar
VerbalBot
User avatar
Non-Human User
Joined: 01 Oct 2013
Last visit: 04 Jan 2021
Posts: 19,427
Own Kudos:
1,012
Posts: 19,427
Kudos: 1,012
The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed 29 Jul 2023, 20:00
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Automated notice from GMAT Club VerbalBot:

A member just gave Kudos to this thread, showing it’s still useful. I’ve bumped it to the top so more people can benefit. Feel free to add your own questions or solutions.

This post was generated automatically.
   1   2   3 
Moderators:
GMATNinja
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
7393 posts
AbhishekP220108
575 posts
bhanu29
368 posts