HOT Competition: While studying the genotype of common houseflies, a

While studying the genotype of common houseflies, a new kind of mutant genes was discovered by J. L. Scott, a discovery which led to greater understanding of gene expression.

A. a new kind of mutant genes was discovered by J. L. Scott, a discovery which led to greater understanding
which is incorrect. "that" is correct.

B. J. L. Scott discovered a new kind of mutant gene, a discovery led to more understanding
"more understanding" is incorrect.

C. J. L. Scott discovered a new kind of mutant genes, and it led to more understanding
"more understanding" is incorrect.

D. J. L. Scott, who discovered a new kind of mutant genes, led to greater understanding
This implies Scott led to greater understanding. It is the discovery which led to greater understanding.

E. J. L. Scott discovered a new kind of mutant genes, a discovery that led to greater understanding
Correct. Fixes all issues - "that" vs "which", "greater understanding".

Option A - WORNG. Misplaced modifier error. "While studying" should refer to JL Scott.


Option B - Wrong. Run on sentence. 2 independent clause cannot be joined together by comma only.

Option C - WRONG. Pronoun ambiguity error. "IT" Does not have a clear referent.

Option D - WRONG. If the modifier is removed then sentence will have very illogical meaning.


Option E - CORRECT. Modifier is correctly placed and structured.

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A. a new kind of mutant genes was discovered by J. L. Scott, a discovery which led to greater understanding. INCORRECT- Misplaced modifier. We need a "doer" for "studying", J.L. Scott should come first.

B. J. L. Scott discovered a new kind of mutant gene, a discovery led to more understanding. INCORRECT- more understanding is idiomatically incorrect.

C. J. L. Scott discovered a new kind of mutant genes, and it led to more understanding. INCORRECT- more understanding is idiomatically incorrect.

D. J. L. Scott, who discovered a new kind of mutant genes, led to greater understanding. INCORRECT- J.L. Scott didn't lead to understanding of gene, the study did.

E. J. L. Scott discovered a new kind of mutant genes, a discovery that led to greater understanding-CORRECT

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While studying the genotype of common houseflies, a new kind of mutant genes was discovered by J. L. Scott, a discovery which led to greater understanding of gene expression.


A. a new kind of mutant genes was discovered by J. L. Scott, a discovery which led to greater understanding

the sub(J.L. Scott) should come ASAP after dependent clause. INCORRECT.


B. J. L. Scott discovered a new kind of mutant gene, a discovery led to more understanding
shouldnt be more understanding

C. J. L. Scott discovered a new kind of mutant genes, and it led to more understanding
shouldnt be more understanding

D. J. L. Scott, who discovered a new kind of mutant genes, led to greater understanding
led to greater refers to JL Scoot while it should lead to discovery

E. J. L. Scott discovered a new kind of mutant genes, a discovery that led to greater understanding
CORRECT

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While studying the genotype of common houseflies, a new kind of mutant genes was discovered by J. L. Scott, a discovery which led to greater understanding of gene expression.


A. a new kind of mutant genes was discovered by J. L. Scott, a discovery which led to greater understanding
- Wrong. After the modifier phrase "While studying.." we need the subject that the modifier phrase is modifying. It should be J.L. Scott. Eliminate

B. J. L. Scott discovered a new kind of mutant gene, a discovery led to more understanding
- "more understanding is wrong", we always use "greater understanding". Eliminate

C. J. L. Scott discovered a new kind of mutant genes, and it led to more understanding
- Same as B. Moreover, "it" is referring to a new kind, and a new kind didn't led to a greater understanding, it was the discovery that did so. Eliminate

D. J. L. Scott, who discovered a new kind of mutant genes, led to greater understanding
- If we remove "who discovered.." as a relative clause between two comma is considered non-essential, the main core of the sentence will be "While studying the genotype of common houseflies, L. Scott led to greater understanding of gene expression.". Wrong intended meaning. Eliminate

E. J. L. Scott discovered a new kind of mutant genes, a discovery that led to greater understanding
- Correct Option.
Option E is correct.

While studying the genotype of common houseflies, a new kind of mutant gene was discovered by J. L. Scott, a discovery which led to greater understanding of gene expression.


A. a new kind of mutant gene was discovered by J. L. Scott, a discovery which led to greater understanding --> incorrect: gene can't do the studying

B. J. L. Scott discovered a new kind of mutant gene, a discovery led to more understanding--> incorrect: more understanding is wrong, it should be greater understanding i.e. greater degree of understanding

C. J. L. Scott discovered a new kind of mutant gene, and it led to more understanding --> incorrect: same as B

D. J. L. Scott, who discovered a new kind of mutant gene, led to greater understanding --> incorrect: meaning issue: studying something, Scott can't led; the discovery led ...

E. J. L. Scott discovered a new kind of mutant gene, a discovery that led to greater understanding --> correct

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“while studying” suggests that the noun following the comma is the performer of the action “studying”.

A. a new kind of mutant genes was discovered by J. L. Scott, a discovery which led to greater understanding

1. “while studying… a new kind of mutant genes” – illogically suggest that mutant genes studied the genotype.
2. usually we need a comma before “which”.


B. . J. L. Scott discovered a new kind of mutant gene, a discovery led to more understanding

1. “a discovery led to more understanding” – illogically suggests that someone led the discovery to more understanding.
2. “more understand” implies that more people started to understand, while “greater understand” refers to the degree of understanding.


C. J. L. Scott discovered a new kind of mutant genes, and it led to more understanding

1. The only singular noun to which “it” can refer to is “a mew kind”. Implied meaning is illogical though: a new kind itself led to more understanding, not its discovery.
2. “more understand” implies that more people started to understand, while “greater understand” refers to the degree of understanding.


D. J. L. Scott, who discovered a new kind of mutant genes, led to greater understanding

1. “J. L. Scott led to greater understand” is not the intended meaning.


E. J. L. Scott discovered a new kind of mutant genes, a discovery that led to greater understanding

Bingo. The correct answer. All modifiers are used correctly.


Hence E

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While studying the genotype of common houseflies, a new kind of mutant genes was discovered by J. L. Scott, a discovery which led to greater understanding of gene expression.

Meaning analysis:
1. J. L. Scott discovered a new kind of mutant genes - While he was studying the genotype of common houseflies
2. And this discovery above - led to greater understanding of gene expression

Error analysis of the original sentence:



As we can see opening modifier should modify the entity who is actually ding the "study".
Passive voice in the sentence make is it difficult.

POE:


A. a new kind of mutant genes was discovered by J. L. Scott, a discovery which led to greater understanding

B. J. L. Scott discovered a new kind of mutant gene, a discovery led to more understanding
"more" is not 100% disaster here, but a little awkward, let's look for better options

C. J. L. Scott discovered a new kind of mutant genes, and it led to more understanding
"it" doesn't have any antecedent - we don't have distinct word "discovery in the previous clause to refer to, and with "comma+and" this part of the sentence became separate independent clause that why it can be absolute phase and describe previous clause.

D. J. L. Scott, who discovered a new kind of mutant genes, led to greater understanding
completely distorted intended meaning, Scott himself led to greater understanding? no discovery did

E. J. L. Scott discovered a new kind of mutant genes, a discovery that led to greater understanding
everything is good, and in comparison to (B) (E) is much better with "greater understanding"



(E) is the answer.

IMO E

While studying the genotype of common houseflies, a new kind of mutant gene was discovered by J. L. Scott, a discovery which led to greater understanding of gene expression.

A. a new kind of mutant gene was discovered by J. L. Scott, a discovery which led to greater understanding - Incorrect -
Modifier Error: Comma Should be followed by the person who studied the genotype. 'While studying the …’ incorrectly modifies 'a new Kind of mutant genes'.

B. J. L. Scott discovered a new kind of mutant gene, a discovery led to more understanding- Incorrect -
Modifier Error: Noun Modifier - " A discovery....." is not properly constructed. It should be " a discovery that led........"


C. J. L. Scott discovered a new kind of mutant gene, and it led to more understanding- Incorrect -
Pronoun Error: Pronoun "it" has no logical referent. If "it" refers to " a new kind of mutant gene" then the sentence become illogical in saying -" mutant gene led to understanding of ..." wherein actually "discovery led to understanding of ...."

D. J. L. Scott, who discovered a new kind of mutant gene, led to greater understanding- Incorrect -
Meaning Error: Striking the modifier part sentence remains "J. L. Scott led to greater understanding" , which is nonsensical. Discovery led to greater understanding...

E. J. L. Scott discovered a new kind of mutant gene, a discovery that led to greater understanding - Correct -
No Error :This option is perfect. Sentence structure is - Opening Modifier + Subject, Verb, Object + Noun+Noun Modifier, and the sentence makes perfect sense by saying that "discovery led to ....."

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While studying the genotype of common houseflies, (prepositional phrase modifying the subject of the main clause)
a new kind of mutant genes was discovered (Main subject- "A new kind of mutant genes" verb- was discovered)
by J. L. Scott, (prepositional modifier for verb was discovered)
a discovery which led to greater understanding of gene expression. (noun + noun modifier modifying the previous clause)

Meaning: J.L Scott discovered a new type of mutant gene while studying the genotype of common house flies. Through this discovery he understood more about gene expression.

A. a new kind of mutant genes was discovered by J. L. Scott, a discovery which led to greater understanding
i. The prepositional phrase "while studying..." cannot modify "a new kind of mutant genes",it should modify J.L.Scott.

B. J. L. Scott discovered a new kind of mutant gene, a discovery led to more understanding
i. "A discovery led to more understanding" is not a modifier , rather it is a clause with the subject "A discovery" and verb "led" and it is not connected properly to the main clause.

C. J. L. Scott discovered a new kind of mutant genes, and it led to more understanding
i. "It" doesn't have a logical noun to refer.

D. J. L. Scott, who discovered a new kind of mutant genes, led to greater understanding
i. "who discovered a new kind of mutant genes" is now a non-essential modifier. So the sentence now states "While studying ..., J.L Scott led to a greater understanding.." which creates a meaning issue.
ii. As per the original sentence, the discovery led to understanding, not J.L Scott.

E. J. L. Scott discovered a new kind of mutant genes, a discovery that led to greater understanding- Correct