Last visit was: 25 Apr 2026, 02:10 It is currently 25 Apr 2026, 02:10
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 25 Apr 2026
Posts: 109,822
Own Kudos:
811,128
 [7]
Given Kudos: 105,878
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 109,822
Kudos: 811,128
 [7]
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
5
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Most Helpful Reply
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 25 Apr 2026
Posts: 109,822
Own Kudos:
811,128
 [1]
Given Kudos: 105,878
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 109,822
Kudos: 811,128
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
General Discussion
avatar
brianmontanaweb
Joined: 06 Apr 2022
Last visit: 03 Sep 2022
Posts: 108
Own Kudos:
15
 [1]
Given Kudos: 22
Posts: 108
Kudos: 15
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
PyjamaScientist
User avatar
Admitted - Which School Forum Moderator
Joined: 25 Oct 2020
Last visit: 04 Apr 2026
Posts: 1,126
Own Kudos:
1,358
 [2]
Given Kudos: 633
GMAT 1: 740 Q49 V42 (Online)
Products:
GMAT 1: 740 Q49 V42 (Online)
Posts: 1,126
Kudos: 1,358
 [2]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
(D). Time taken: 0:47

(A) No verb for the main subject "The Paris Commune". Incorrect.

(B) Again no verb for the main subject. Incorrect.

(C) Participle phrase (or verb-ing phrase) "ruling France for less than two months in 1871" is an action modifier, but in no way does it modify the action in the preceding clause. Action is, " The Paris Commune was a government", "ruling France for less than two months in 1871" in no way modifies the action "was a government". It should modify just the "Government" (noun). But, the placement of this participle phrase is as such that it incorrectly modifies the action of the previous clause and not the noun. Incorrect.

(D) This choice converts the "Participle phrase" from a "Action modifier" to a "Noun modifier" by turning the participle phrase to a "that clause" which is a relative pronoun modifier. Thus, now "that ruled France for less than two months in 1871" refers to the noun it touches, that is "government". This is the correct modification and thus this choice is correct. Correct.

(E) Placement of "in 1981" makes this answer choice incorrect. "Touch rule" at play here. In the phrase, "that ruled France for less than two months in 1871", "that" can not jump over the "in 1981" to refer to its actual referent "government". The jump can not happen because the prepositional phrase "in 1981" can be placed elsewhere in the sentence without changing the meaning of the sentence (See (D) for this). This is one way to check whether the jump can or can not happen in a sentence. If the prepositional phrase before a relative pronoun can not be placed elsewhere in the sentence or it distorts the meaning of the sentence, then the "jump" does not happen. Incorrect.
User avatar
liuyishan8235189
Joined: 28 May 2023
Last visit: 28 Nov 2023
Posts: 1
Given Kudos: 1
Posts: 1
Kudos: 0
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Can someone help me explain why the "ruling" in option C is incorrect and I didn't understand what was written on it!Thanks very much!
User avatar
Abhishek009
User avatar
Board of Directors
Joined: 11 Jun 2011
Last visit: 17 Dec 2025
Posts: 5,903
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 463
Status:QA & VA Forum Moderator
Location: India
GPA: 3.5
WE:Business Development (Commercial Banking)
Posts: 5,903
Kudos: 5,454
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel
The Paris Commune, hailed by many as an assumption of power by the working class, a government in 1871 that ruled France for less than two months.

(A) a government in 1871 that ruled France for less than two months

(B) a government that ruled France for less than two months in 1871

(C) was a government, ruling France for less than two months in 1871

(D) was a government that ruled France for less than two months in 1871

(E) was a government in 1871 that ruled France for less than two months

The Paris Commune, hailed by many as an assumption of power by the working class............... (Singular)


(A) & (B) has not verb in the sentence, hence incorrect !!!

(C) Incorrect usage of verb-ing....

(E) Incorrect modification

Answer must hence be (D)
Moderators:
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
7391 posts
504 posts
358 posts