Hoping to alleviate some of the financial burdens of a growing populat

A. property taxes last year were raised by an eleven percent increase by the county government – property taxes --- misplaced modification

B. property taxes were raised by eleven percent last year by the county government --- same as A.

C. the county government raised property taxes by an eleven percent increase last year ---- raised and increase =redundancy

D. the county government last year raised by eleven percent property taxes --- the county government last year--- wrong word order

E. the county government raised property taxes by eleven percent last year--- correct choice

verb-ing modifier Hoping expresses an action that can only be performed by country government.
but in the original sentence, since it is passive , the subject is property taxes which is raised by government.
clearly subject can not perform the action expressed in the -ing participle.

Choice (E) corrects this error.

Also, it corrects the ambiguity of how the tax is raised. It is raised by 11%

Hence the answer is E

Hoping to alleviate some of the financial burdens of a growing population, property taxes last year were raised by an eleven percent increase by the county government.


Ask the question who hoped to alleviate the burdens. Obviously not the taxes themselves but the county govt. Therefore, the county government should come immediately after the population and comma.

• property taxes last year were raised by an eleven percent increase by the county government:--- misplaced modification
• property taxes were raised by eleven percent last year by the county government; ----misplaced modification
• the county government raised property taxes by an eleven percent increase last year ------ raised and increase are redundant
• the county government last year raised by eleven percent property taxes: ---The placement of the phrase last year immediately after the government implies
that there was some other government last year that raised the taxes and not the current government. This is distorted intent

• the county government raised property taxes by eleven percent last year: --- Perfect modification and correct word order . Correct choice



This is indeed a good question, involving modification reundnance and correct word order.

Hi,
Who is 'hoping'?---the county govt..
So A and B can be eliminated for wrong modifier...
In C, both raised and increase have been used, so out for redundancy...
In D the structure is awkward because of placement of by 11 % and last year..
Ans E

• property taxes last year were raised by an eleven percent increase by the county government - Incorrect - Modifier error

• property taxes were raised by eleven percent last year by the county government - Incorrect - Modifier error

• the county government raised property taxes by an eleven percent increase last year - Incorrect - Raised and increase are the same. Redundancy must be avoided.

• the county government last year raised by eleven percent property taxes - Incorrect - Meaning error

• the county government raised property taxes by eleven percent last year - Correct

Answer: E

The modifying phrase “hoping to alleviate some of the financial burdens…” begins this sentence and
should be followed immediately by the noun the modifier refers to, “the county government.”
However, the original sentence illogically suggests that “property taxes” were hoping to alleviate the
financial burdens. Additionally, the phrase “raised by an eleven percent increase” contains a
redundancy; either “raised by eleven percent” or “increased by eleven percent” would be more concise
and correct. Finally, the passive construction “property taxes…were raised…by the county government”
is wordier than the preferred active construction “the county government…raised…property taxes.”

(A) This choice is incorrect as it repeats the original sentence.

(B) The modifying phrase “hoping to alleviate…” should be followed immediately by the noun the
modifier refers to, “the county government.” However, this choice illogically suggests that “property
taxes” were hoping to alleviate the financial burdens. Also, the passive construction “property
taxes…were raised…by the county government” is wordier than the preferred active construction “the
county government…raised…property taxes.”

(C) The phrase “raised…by an eleven percent increase” contains a redundancy; either “raised by
eleven percent” or “increased by eleven percent” would be more concise and correct.

(D) The phrase “last year raised by eleven percent property taxes” is awkward, since “property taxes,”
the object, do not immediately follow the verb “raised.” The meaning would be clearer if it were
phrased “raised property taxes by eleven percent last year.”

(E) CORRECT. This choice is the most concise and correct. “The county government” correctly follows
the modifying phrase “hoping to alleviate…” The concise phrase “raised…by eleven percent” is used.
Finally, the active construction “the county government…raised…property taxes” replaces the wordier
passive construction “property taxes…were raised…by the county government.”

Hoping to alleviate some of the financial burdens of a growing population, property taxes last year were raised by an eleven percent increase by the county government.


A. property taxes last year were raised by an eleven percent increase by the county government

B. property taxes were raised by eleven percent last year by the county government

C. the county government raised property taxes by an eleven percent increase last year

D. the county government last year raised by eleven percent property taxes

E. the county government raised property taxes by eleven percent last year