Baffling students of the law year after year, property rights are, to

Question

Project SC Butler: Day 102 Sentence Correction (SC2) 
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Baffling students of the law year after year, property rights are, to this day, based primarily on a complex hierarchical system, much of which was developed in Europe during the Middle Ages .

A) Baffling students of the law year after year, property rights are, to this day, based primarily on a complex hierarchical system, much of which was developed in Europe during the Middle Ages

B) Still baffling students of the law year after year, the complex hierarchical system that is still the primary basis of property rights had been developed in Europe during the Middle Ages

C) Property rights, baffling students of the law year after year, were primarily based, to this day, on a complex hierarchical system developed in Europe during the Middle Ages

D) Baffling students of the law year after year, Europe is where the complex hierarchical system of property rights that still forms their basis today was developed, during the Middle Ages

E) The complex hierarchical system on which property rights are still primarily based was developed in Europe in the Middle Ages, baffling students of the law year after year

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generis · Accepted Answer

Project SC Butler: Day 102 Sentence Correction (SC2)

Baffling students of the law year after year, property rights are, to this day, based primarily on a complex hierarchical system, much of which was developed in Europe during the Middle Ages .

A)  Baffling  students of the law year after year,  property rights   are, to this day, based  primarily on a complex hierarchical  system , much  of which  was developed in Europe during the Middle Ages

B) Still baffling students of the law year after year, the complex hierarchical system that is still the primary basis of property rights  had been developed  in Europe during the Middle Ages

C) Property rights, baffling students of the law year after year,  were  primarily based,  to this day , on a complex hierarchical system developed in Europe during the Middle Ages

D)  Baffling  students of the law year after year,  Europe  is where the complex hierarchical system of property rights that still forms their basis today  was developed , during the Middle Ages

E) The complex hierarchical system on which property rights are still primarily based was developed in Europe in the Middle Ages  , baffling  students of the law year after year

MY EXPLANATION

The official explanation from the source is in a footnote below.*

Sidebar, in case anyone decides to go to law school: if ever you see a question about the  Rule Against Perpetuities  (and it will only be on a multiple choice test unless your professor is a sadist), 
mark C and move on. (Of all the rules in property, that one made me the craziest.) Just sayin'.

Baffling  means confusing.

• Strip the sentence to figure out meaning.
(Contrary to what the OE seems to imply, there is nothing special about Option A. The answer that is correct displays the intended meaning.)

Baffling students  of the law   year after year   , property rights are,  , based  primarily  on a complex  hierarchical  system, much of which was developed  in Europe  during the Middle Ages

Baffling students continuously, property rights are based on a complex system, much of which was developed during the Middle Ages. 
 Meaning? 
Property rights: 
1) are a subject taught to (law school) students
2) are based on a complex system that was mostly developed during the Middle Ages; and 
3) are continuously or perpetually baffling to students
-- in my abridgement of (A), I wrote   in that way because I do not know whether the phrase will matter.

Looking at the options, the subject  may  be the complex system upon which property rights are based.
I will keep the possibility open. In terms of meaning, we have made sense.

• Some notes on option A

--  Baffling  is a participial modifier (verbING) that in this option comes at the beginning of the sentence.
 Baffling  has a direct object: students. 
( Whom  does this baffling thing baffle? Answer: students of the law)

-- Introductory verbING phrases modify the immediately following subject (property rights) or the whole subsequent clause. 
In this context,  baffling  modifies  property rights.  The rest of the sentence describes property rights.

What  thing/noun is baffling? Property rights. 
Subject: property rights
Verb: are based
Object of verb: a complex system
Modifier of the object:  much of which  was developed during the Middle Ages.

(In other words,  much of which  refers to  a complex system  and gives us more information about it.)

It may be tempting to dismiss "much." But  much of which, some of which, part of which, none of which,  and similar phrases are common in written English.

Much of what? The relative pronoun  which  in  much of which  refers to what was just mentioned, namely,  a complex system .

Substitute the noun for the pronoun to check for sensibility. 
Much of  the complex system  was developed during the Middle Ages.  That substitution works.

In sentences that are this long, if possible,  find the easiest errors . 
Noticing a "split" does not necessarily equal finding the easiest errors.

I will move from "easiest error to catch" to what I think is the most difficult error to catch.
 
-- "to this day" is idiomatic and literal: up to now, even now.
 Now  is present tense. Property rights ARE based right now   on . . . 
 not  WERE based to this day . . . 
Eliminate C

Baffling, a participial (verbING) introductory phrase, modifies the immediately following noun (or clause).
What baffles the students year after year? 
NOT Europe.* Eliminate D. Move on.

Ignore whether the modified noun should be the complex hierarchical system or property rights. A clear and easier issue exists.
 Had been developed  is past perfect in the passive voice, which is constructed this way:
had +  been  + developed
("been" makes it passive) 
The passive voice is fine.
We use past perfect to talk about the  past of the past  (the earlier of two events in the past) and only when we need that construction.

We can use past perfect only if there is at least one other event rendered in simple past; or a time stamp that establishes the later-in-time event; or context that does the same thing as a time stamp

Example: The computer  crashed   , but fortunately my document  had been saved automatically  (past perfect, okay). 
In option B, we cannot use past perfect.  There is no simple past event.  Eliminate B.

In option E, the participial (verbING) modifier comes at the end of the sentence and is preceded by a comma.
 comma + verbING  modifies the whole previous clause or a preceding noun. 
 The problem is logical.

What is baffling about the mere fact that a complex system developed during a particular time period in Europe? 
Nothing. A system developed. The end.

Strip this sentence if in doubt.
The complex system   was developed in Europe in the Middle Ages,  baffling  students of the law year after year.

Again, what is baffling about the mere fact that a system developed in a place and during a time? Nothing.

Some people are taught that comma + verbING presents 
-- either the result of the previous clause
-- or more information with respect to the HOW of the previous clause

"Result" test: Are the students baffled  because  the complex system was developed in Europe during the Middle Ages? No.
"How" test: Does "baffling students" tell us how the complex system was developed? No.

Finally, if you are still not sure, compare Option E to Option A.

E) The complex hierarchical system on which property rights are still primarily based was developed in Europe in the Middle Ages,  baffling  students of the law year after year

A)  Baffling  students of the law year after year,  property rights    are, to this day, based   primarily on a complex hierarchical system, much of which was developed in Europe during the Middle Ages

Option A is correct.

COMMENTS

manishcmu  , welcome!

This question is not easy.  Ashokshiva  and  gvvsnraju@12  : very close!

manishcmu  wrote a superb answer. Kudos. Well done.

*  OFFICIAL EXPLANATION (i.e., from the source)   My comments are  in italics. 
• There is a descriptive phrase followed by a comma and a noun, so check for a misplaced modifier
• In Option A, the noun given is indeed the one being modified.
• Choices B and D keep the format but change the noun, making the sentence incorrect. Eliminate them.
• Choices C and E change the format, though E still has a modifier error, so eliminate both C and E.
The correct answer is A.
 I think the author is mistaken. It does not matter that C and E change the format of A.
Option A does not determine the original meaning or the format that underlies the original meaning.

I also think the author is mistaken at times about modifier issues. 
-- We have no idea whether the complex system baffles students. It certainly could. 
-- The format of C and E do not make those answers incorrect. Other errors do.

*Whether verbING modifies the immediately following noun or the whole phrase is a matter of context. We don't need to worry about the rest of this clause, though. "IS" is a linking verb, sometimes called a  copula.  Whatever is on the right hand side of a linking verb tells us about the subject, Europe. (Europe IS ...)  Where  the complex system developed is not confusing.

gvvsnraju@12 · Answer

Error Analysis:-

A) Baffling students of the law year after year, property rights are, to this day, based primarily on a complex hierarchical system, much of which was developed in Europe during the Middle Ages

Modifier Error.

Baffling Students, Property rights are based.

B) Still baffling students of the law year after year, the complex hierarchical system that is still the primary basis of property rights had been developed in Europe during the Middle Ages

Still baffling, X had been developed - illogical

C) Property rights, baffling students of the law year after year, were primarily based, to this day, on a complex hierarchical system developed in Europe during the Middle Ages

rights were based, to this day, -- ungrammatic

D) Baffling students of the law year after year, Europe is where the complex hierarchical system of property rights that still forms their basis today was developed, during the Middle Ages

Baffling Students, Europer is where - modifier error .

E) The complex hierarchical system on which property rights are still primarily based was developed in Europe in the Middle Ages, baffling students of the law year after year

Error Free.

Independent Clause, Verbing modifier

Ashokshiva · Answer

IMO E

Baffling students of the law year after year, property rights are, to this day, based primarily on a complex hierarchical system, much of which was developed in Europe during the Middle Ages.

A) Baffling students of the law year after year, property rights are, to this day, based primarily on a complex hierarchical system, much of which was developed in Europe during the Middle Ages
 ''Much'' is used to denote uncountables

B) Still baffling students of the law year after year, the complex hierarchical system that is still the primary basis of property rights had been developed in Europe during the Middle Ages
 ''Had been developed'' is past perfect but there is no simple past tense in the sentence 
C) Property rights, baffling students of the law year after year, were primarily based, to this day, on a complex hierarchical system developed in Europe during the Middle Ages
 ''property rights were based, to this day'' distorts meaning 
D) Baffling students of the law year after year, Europe is where the complex hierarchical system of property rights that still forms their basis today was developed, during the Middle Ages
 Wrong modifier, baffling students modifies Europe

E) The complex hierarchical system on which property rights are still primarily based was developed in Europe in the Middle Ages, baffling students of the law year after year
 Correct

manishcmu · Answer

Baffling students of the law year after year, property rights are, to this day, based primarily on a complex hierarchical system, much of which was developed in Europe during the Middle Ages

A) Baffling students of the law year after year, property rights are, to this day, based primarily on a complex hierarchical system, much of which was developed in Europe during the Middle Ages
 Correct

B) Still baffling students of the law year after year, the complex hierarchical system that is still the primary basis of property rights  had been developed  in Europe during the Middle Ages.
 Use of past perfect is incorrect. There is no other past action.

C) Property rights, baffling students of the law year after year,  were primarily based , to this day, on a complex hierarchical system developed in Europe during the Middle Ages.
 Property rights are still based on a complex hierarchical system, so the use of 'were' is incorrect.

D) Baffling students of the law year after year,  Europe  is where the complex hierarchical system of property rights that still forms their basis today was developed, during the Middle Ages
 Europe cannot baffle students

E) The complex hierarchical system on which property rights are still primarily based was developed in Europe in the Middle Ages, baffling students of the law year after year.
 The complex hierarchical system  on which property rights are still primarily based  was developed in Europe in the Middle Ages, baffling students of the law year after year.
This doesn't make sense. The development of hierarchical system did not baffle the students.

GKomoku · Answer

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mongmat27 · Answer

IMO A

A) The first part of the sentence 'Baffling students of the law year after year' correctly modifies 'property rights'. the verb 'are' represents the correct tense - oresent tense - in line with the phrase ' to this day'. The last clause - 'much of which was developed in Europe during the Middle Ages' - correctly modifies ' hierarchical system'. - Correct.

B) represents incorrect meaning. - Incorrect.

C) 'were primarily based' distorts the meaning/tense of the sentence.- Incorrect.

D) As per this sentence, 'Europe' is baffling the students. - Incorrect.

E) As per this system, the development baffles the students. - Incorrect.

Please give Kudos if you like my answer.

rihamhanna · Answer

It may be tempting to dismiss "much." But much of which, some of which, part of which, none of which, and similar phrases are common in written English.

41396302717 · Answer

generis 
I find a very fatal flaw in option A(Please correct me for I may be wrong).
Baffling students of the law year after year, property rights are, to this day, based primarily on a complex hierarchical system,(THIS CREATES A RUN ON) much of which was developed in Europe during the Middle Ages.
The first clause sheds light on the underlying aspect of the property rights and the second clause says "much of complex hierarchical system was developed in Europe."
Run on because much is the subject of the next clause and the working verb is was developed.
And if I have to go for an option, I'll put my money on C and not E, because E implicitly forms a cause effect relationship.

generis · Answer

41396302717  , I can see how you might think that this part of the sentence creates a run-on, but pay attention to the word  which. 
That word refers to and  modifies   the complex hierarchical system of property rights. 
 Much of which , in other words, is a modifier of immediately preceding noun.

Noun modifiers -- including  that  and  which  clauses, can contain verbs.

I addressed this issue in my OE, the pertinent part of which I quote below.

Does some part of that explanation not make sense?

Hope that answer helps.

41396302717 · Answer

generis 
There have been many questions that I have come across in which, the option is deemed incorrect just because of this kind of phrase.
for eg, there are a couple of questions on gmatclub, 
It is _____________________ thing, many of which are vehemently ostentatious.
This choice was outright rejected because of many, which acts as the subject to the next clause.
The other 4 options were 
 b. Many of which vehemently ostentatious.
 c. Many of them are vehemently ostentatious.
 d. Many of them vehemently ostentatious.
 e. Many are vehemently ostentatious.
And the correct option is D. because it avoids the run on.
Now, the example may not be verbatim, cause I do not remember the question that way. But the gist of the question is exactly the same.

generis · Answer

41396302717  , find me the exact question. 
I highly doubt that the gist of the question is exactly the same.

I cannot work with the first part of the sentence that you have written.
The first part of the sentence refers to something singular. The second part refers to something plural.
In addition, your sentence begins with an expletive or cleft construction ("It is"). That construction occasionally shifts things.

I think you must be slightly confused about an issue, but I am having a hard time identifying what that issue is.

Here is an example similar to the sentence that you continue to doubt:
 I enjoy corresponding with my friends, some of whom live in faraway countries. 
Do you think that this sentence, too, is a run-on? If a person wrote in a post that such constructions are illegitimate, that person is mistaken.
In my example,  some of whom  is a noun modifier of  friends.

We can attach noun modifiers to the end of a clause and can use a comma to separate the modifier from its noun.

Once again, what follows the comma in option A is a  noun modifier,  not a second independent clause that should be connected to the first clause by a conjunction.

The comma merely indicates that the information about that noun is not essential.

This page,  here,  thoroughly explains the use of this type of construction and provides excellent examples.

I recommend that everyone read it.

Davronbek · Answer

Can someone explain the use of "much" with "a complex system"

Baffling students of the law year after year, property rights are, to

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Baffling students of the law year after year, property rights are, to

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