In a cardboard representation of nucleotide subunits, Watson and Crick

Question

In a cardboard representation of nucleotide subunits, Watson and Crick,  elaborating on other scientists’ theories which had failed to explain the nucleotide structures and pairings in their entirety, accurately modeled the double-helix DNA.

(A) elaborating on other scientists’ theories which had failed to explain the nucleotide structures and pairings in their entirety,
(B) elaborating on other scientists’ theories failed to explain the nucleotide structures and pairings in their entirety,
(C) elaborating on other scientists’ theories which have failed to explain the nucleotide structures and pairings in their entirety,
(D) elaborated on other scientists’ theories which fail to explain the nucleotide structures and pairings in their entirety,
(E) elaborated on other scientists’ theories which had failed to explain the nucleotide structures and pairings in their entirety,

Please explain which verb-ing form / verb-ed form will be used in the above answer?

Also explain the reasoning behind. Thanks in advance!

Please explain the rules for present participle in case a noun phrase is preceding?

LauraOrion · Accepted Answer

Hey  yuktipoddar ,

This is a really good example of prioritizing your decision points. This doesn't have to be a case of present versus past participles. It can be a case of tenses and complete versus incomplete sentences.

In terms of tenses, you know a few things: Watson and Crick modeled DNA - that means they did this in the past, since you have that -ed ending on modeled. That means that the scientists who came before needed to do their models before Watson and Crick did theirs. And since doing a model is something that ends, you know that process was done by the time Watson and Crick started. That means that you need "had failed" to correctly deal with that timeline. That eliminates everything except A and E.

Take a look at what happens if you have -ed in there (as it is in E): "In a cardboard representation of nucleotide subunits, Watson and Crick, elaborated on other scientists’ theories which had failed to explain the nucleotide structures and pairings in their entirety, accurately modeled the double-helix DNA." That first part (up to "entirety") would be a complete sentence if that comma wasn't there. You need that "-ing" ending in there to make it clear that you aren't trying to make a compound sentence (because if you were trying to make a compound sentence you'd need an "and" after that comma or you'd need to change "modeled" to "modeling")

medus18 · Answer

"Which" begins a non essential modifier and there should be "," before it. Is that right?

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guptakashish02 · Answer

i m confused with A and E. 
My pick was A. Please need help here 
Thanks

Abhishek009 · Answer

Verb-ed Modifiers = Modifies preceding noun or noun phrase

Hence answer must be (E)

JS1290 · Answer

I am still confused as to why option A is incorrect and E is. Could someone please break down why option A is incorrect?

Abhishek009 · Answer

Please go through the following links : https://gmatclub.com/forum/verb-ed-modi ... 25611.html https://e-gmat.com/blogs/verb-ed-modifi ... modifiers/

push12345 · Answer

Looking at options we can see split b/w elaborating / elaborated

So here word we need to choose should act as Modifier to Watson and Crick

Ing is used for extra or more info or Result of preceding clause.
Result is not case here , also elaborating here does not get with Watson and crick here directly as iNg must make sense with subject which is not the case here

So we need to use elaborated here 
b/w D and E Scientific theories are talking about past theories , we have modeled for Watson and Crick so we need to use had for scientific theories here

So E is correct answer

AishwaryaV12 · Answer

I don't understand why there is a coma after Watson and Crick.. The sentence doesn't entirely make sense to me. Please explain.. Thanks in advance

rohit8865 · Answer

You need a comma as " elaborated on other scientists’ theories which had failed to explain the nucleotide structures and pairings in their entirety, " is modifying the watson & cack.
otherwise you may have 2verbs ..for a subject ...which indeed u can change by adding "and " in between.
And the verb "accurately modeled"(ie adverb+verb) is the verb in action.

Hope it helps

Leonaann · Answer

Please to correct my understanding.

E. means that the idea of cardboard representation of the nucleotide subunits are based upon other scientists' theories

A. would make it seem like W&C are elaborating on the scientists' theories

is that why E is correct?

Timebomb · Answer

The difference between A and E is very suttle. If this question were without ",+ING" then would the modification be correct?

Many of us might think that it will be correct since now it is modifying preceding noun.

Honestly. Going with the meaning, I do not see any difference between the two. If using -ed , we should use it without a "comma" that is as a verb to say W&C elaborated and modelled correctly.

If the sentence is to explain how they modelled it taking different factors into consideration , then the use of ING or "comma + ING" should be correct. I don't think it is right to reject an answer choice because of a comma splice, unless it is impacting the intended meaning, which in this case stays intact.

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josico111 · Answer

Very subtle question. To decide between A and E:

WC accurately modeled the double-helix DNA.

Now, we are at a seperation point. If the act of modeling were elaborating the failed theorems, -ing would be correct. but from the meaning this is not the case. First, they did something (elaborated on the failed theorems), then by doing it (elaborating) they were able to accurately model the DNA.

Therefore, we need to modify WC, not the act of modeling the DNA. -ing modifies the clause. -ed modifies the preceding noun. Answer E.

arpitkansal · Answer

generis  can you explain why "c" in not the correct choice?

2asc · Answer

I understand the difference between verb-ed and the verb-ing but is this question a proper gmat question?? Don't we need a comma before 'which'?

KanishkM · Answer

sometimes things like which should have a comma or not, matters only when we dont want to show that the information which we are providing is not an essential one.
said that we didn't need a comma here.

which pronoun is correctly referring back to the theories.

My doubt is pertaining to the past perfect tense which is used here...

(D) elaborated on other scientists’ theories which fail to explain the nucleotide structures and pairings in their entirety,

(E) elaborated on other scientists’ theories which had failed to explain the nucleotide structures and pairings in their entirety,

so there is a timeline,

first the scientists  elaborated   on the past theories, after that, they  modeled   a new helix.

uzumakinaruto444 · Answer

Hello,
I didn't understand why E is the answer, and not A. In my humble opinion, A correctly modifies the nouns "Watson and Crick." Then, why is it incorrect? E should not be placed after a comma. Moreover, it will lead to two past tenses separated by commas i.e. "elaborated" and "modeled" which I think would make for an awkward construction.

I'd be grateful if someone could help me out with this.

Debashis Roy · Answer

VeritasKarishma   GMATNinja 
I am confused how choice E even makes sense?....They elaborated X,accurately modelled Y...cannot be the correct form..Choice A is much better in sense...

Please shed your thoughts

anothermillenial · Answer

applebear  A -ing verb preceded by a comma must modify a  preceding clause , not a noun/noun phrase. A clause contains a working verb. Watson and Crick is not a clause. Also, -ing modifiers preceded by a comma either add additional information to the preceding action or show a result. "Elaborated" works because -ed modifiers can modify nouns and noun phrases. Two past tenses is not a problem here because "elaborated" is working as a verb modifier whereas "modelled" is the core verb.

uzumakinaruto444 · Answer

anothermillenial , got it, thank you

In a cardboard representation of nucleotide subunits, Watson and Crick

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In a cardboard representation of nucleotide subunits, Watson and Crick

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