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20 Jan 2021, 00:44
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D
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
5%
(low)
Question Stats:
79% (00:39) correct
21%
(01:00)
wrong
based on 515
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
Thought to be either symbolic or accurate descriptions, archaeologists have debated cave paintings for some time.
A) archaeologists have debated cave paintings for some time.
B) archaeologists have long debated the significance of cave paintings.
C) much time has been devoted to debating the significance of cave paintings.
D) cave paintings have been a subject of debate by archaeologists for some time.
E) cave paintings have debated by archaeologists for some time.
20 Jan 2021, 00:46
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OFFICIAL EXPLANATION
THE PROMPT
GMAT writers are kinda obsessed with dangling modifiers.
In this case, an adjective phrase (thought to be XYZ) introduces the sentence.
Adjective phrases modify nouns.
→ thought to be is a fairly common phrase in which thought is a past participle adjective (a verbED), not the past tense of "think."
Right after we read the phrase before the comma, we should be reading about whatever that phrase describes.
If something other than what the adjective describes follows the comma, then the modifier is "dangling": its noun is too far away or entirely absent.
In other words:
What were thought to be either symbolic or accurate descriptions [of something]?
If you would like to learn more about the six types of introductory modifier phrases, including introductory adjective phrases, and what each must modify, see my post here.
THE OPTIONS
→ archaeologists were not thought to be either symbolic or accurate descriptions.
Cave paintings were.
Cave paintings should follow the comma.
ELIMINATE A
• Dangling modifier
Same problem as that in option A.
ELIMINATE B
• Dangling modifier (sensing a theme here?)
→ Much time was not thought to be either symbolic or accurate descriptions.
ELIMINATE C
• I do not see any errors
KEEP D
→ [C]ave paintings have debated by archaeologists is nonsensical and not a sentence.
→ The verb should be have been debated, not have debated
ELIMINATE E
The answer is D
NOTES
• STRATEGY TIP about options A and B
Put aside the dangling modifier problem or pretend that you did not see it.
You can eliminate both (A) and (B) because the rest of the sentence is correct in both and you have no way to distinguish between them.
→ This tip will help at odd moments such as when you cannot remember a rule that governs one part of the option but you do remember rules about other parts of the options.
→ In this case, nothing is wrong with (A) have debated cave paintings for some time and nothing is wrong with (B) have long debated the significance of cave paintings. In two nearly identical sentences, because both verb phrases are correct, neither option can be the answer.
COMMENTS
Wow. These answers are range from excellent to outstanding.
I can't bump you all to Best Community Reply.
So, future readers: read the thread.
You will see different approaches and ways of explaining; all are correct.
Nice work, everyone.
Project SC Butler: Sentence Correction (SC1)
THE PROMPT
Quote:
• Dangling modifiers
GMAT writers are kinda obsessed with dangling modifiers.
In this case, an adjective phrase (thought to be XYZ) introduces the sentence.
Adjective phrases modify nouns.
→ thought to be is a fairly common phrase in which thought is a past participle adjective (a verbED), not the past tense of "think."
Right after we read the phrase before the comma, we should be reading about whatever that phrase describes.
If something other than what the adjective describes follows the comma, then the modifier is "dangling": its noun is too far away or entirely absent.
In other words:
What were thought to be either symbolic or accurate descriptions [of something]?
If you would like to learn more about the six types of introductory modifier phrases, including introductory adjective phrases, and what each must modify, see my post here.
THE OPTIONS
Quote:
• Dangling modifier
→ archaeologists were not thought to be either symbolic or accurate descriptions.
Cave paintings were.
Cave paintings should follow the comma.
ELIMINATE A
Quote:
• Dangling modifier
Same problem as that in option A.
ELIMINATE B
Quote:
• Dangling modifier (sensing a theme here?)
→ Much time was not thought to be either symbolic or accurate descriptions.
ELIMINATE C
Quote:
• the noun cave paintings correctly follows the adjective phrase thought to be either symbolic or accurate descriptions
• I do not see any errors
KEEP D
Quote:
• Verb tense error
→ [C]ave paintings have debated by archaeologists is nonsensical and not a sentence.
→ The verb should be have been debated, not have debated
ELIMINATE E
The answer is D
NOTES
• STRATEGY TIP about options A and B
Put aside the dangling modifier problem or pretend that you did not see it.
You can eliminate both (A) and (B) because the rest of the sentence is correct in both and you have no way to distinguish between them.
→ This tip will help at odd moments such as when you cannot remember a rule that governs one part of the option but you do remember rules about other parts of the options.
→ In this case, nothing is wrong with (A) have debated cave paintings for some time and nothing is wrong with (B) have long debated the significance of cave paintings. In two nearly identical sentences, because both verb phrases are correct, neither option can be the answer.
COMMENTS
Wow. These answers are range from excellent to outstanding.
I can't bump you all to Best Community Reply.
So, future readers: read the thread.
You will see different approaches and ways of explaining; all are correct.
Nice work, everyone.
General Discussion
20 Jan 2021, 00:55
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My answer is (D). It took me 20 seconds.
When a sentence starts with a participle clause as modifier, as in this sentence, we have to make sure that the subject of the main / independent clause is compatible with the verb in the participle clause.
"Thought to be either symbolic or accurate descriptions" is past participle clause, which means that the subject should be thought to be either symbolic or accurate descriptions.
(A) Can "archaeologists" be thought to be either symbolic or accurate descriptions? No. (A) is out.
(B) See (A)
(C) Can "much time" be thought to be either symbolic or accurate descriptions? No. (C) is out.
We are left with (D) and (E), both of which correctly use "cave paintings" as subject.
Because (E) misses been to construct the passive voice (Should read: cave paintings have been debated by archaeologists for some time), we eliminate E and pick D.
When a sentence starts with a participle clause as modifier, as in this sentence, we have to make sure that the subject of the main / independent clause is compatible with the verb in the participle clause.
"Thought to be either symbolic or accurate descriptions" is past participle clause, which means that the subject should be thought to be either symbolic or accurate descriptions.
(A) Can "archaeologists" be thought to be either symbolic or accurate descriptions? No. (A) is out.
(B) See (A)
(C) Can "much time" be thought to be either symbolic or accurate descriptions? No. (C) is out.
We are left with (D) and (E), both of which correctly use "cave paintings" as subject.
Because (E) misses been to construct the passive voice (Should read: cave paintings have been debated by archaeologists for some time), we eliminate E and pick D.
