Using study groups managed by the principal popular organizations and

Dear Friends,

Here is a detailed explanation to this question-

Meaning is crucial to solving this problem:
Understanding the intended meaning is key to solving this question; the intended meaning of this sentence is that the government used study groups managed by the principal popular organizations and political parties, and by doing so it informed the Swedish public about energy and nuclear power.

Concepts tested here: Meaning + Modifiers + Awkwardness/Redundancy

• In a “phrase + comma + noun” construction, the phrase must correctly modify the noun; this is one of the most frequently tested concepts on GMAT sentence correction.

A: This answer choice incorrectly uses “Using study groups managed by the principal popular organizations and political parties” to modify “the Swedish public”, incorrectly implying that the Swedish public used study groups managed by the principal popular organizations and political parties; the intended meaning is that the government used study groups managed by the principal popular organizations and political parties; remember, in a “phrase + comma + noun” construction, the phrase must correctly modify the noun. Further, Option A uses the passive construction "the Swedish public was informed", leading to awkwardness/redundancy.

B: Correct. This answer choice correctly uses “Using study groups managed by the principal popular organizations and political parties” to modify “the government”, conveying the intended meaning – that the government used study groups managed by the principal popular organizations and political parties. Further, Option B is free of any awkwardness or redundancy.

C: This answer choice incorrectly uses “Using study groups managed by the principal popular organizations and political parties” to modify “energy and nuclear power information”, incorrectly implying that the informationused study groups managed by the principal popular organizations and political parties; the intended meaning is that the government used study groups managed by the principal popular organizations and political parties; remember, in a “phrase + comma + noun” construction, the phrase must correctly modify the noun. Further, Option C uses the passive voice construction "energy and nuclear power information was given", leading to awkwardness and redundancy.

D: This answer choice incorrectly uses “Using study groups managed by the principal popular organizations and political parties” to modify “information about energy and nuclear power”, incorrectly implying that the information used study groups managed by the principal popular organizations and political parties; the intended meaning is that the government used study groups managed by the principal popular organizations and political parties; remember, in a “phrase + comma + noun” construction, the phrase must correctly modify the noun. Further, Option D uses the passive voice construction "information about energy and nuclear power was given", leading to awkwardness and redundancy.

E: This answer choice incorrectly uses “Using study groups managed by the principal popular organizations and political parties” to modify “the public of Sweden”, incorrectly implying that the Swedish public used study groups managed by the principal popular organizations and political parties; the intended meaning is that the government used study groups managed by the principal popular organizations and political parties; remember, in a “phrase + comma + noun” construction, the phrase must correctly modify the noun. Further, Option E uses the passive construction "the public of Sweden was given energy and nuclear power information", leading to awkwardness/redundancy.

Hence, B is the best answer choice.

To understand the concept of "Phrase Comma Subject" and "Subject Comma Phrase" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~1 minute):



All the best!
Experts' Global Team

It is the government which should be modified here so B

modifier question. Who is 'Using study groups managed by the principal popular organizations and political parties'? the government

Answer choice B

Using study groups managed by the principal popular organizations and political parties, the Swedish public was informed by the government about energy and nuclear power.

A) the Swedish public was informed by the government about energy and nuclear power
B) the government informed the Swedish public about energy and nuclear power
C) energy and nuclear power information was given to the Swedish public by the government
D) information about energy and nuclear power was given to the Swedish public by the government
E) the public of Sweden was given energy and nuclear power information by the government

sayantanc2k

Can I say apart from the opening modifier error, options A,C,D, and E are passive and we should "avoid passive". Can that be one of the reasons not to totally eliminate but prefer B to A,C,D,and E?

If two sentences are identical in all respects except that one is in active voice and the other in passive, then probably the active could be preferred to the passive. However I am not aware of any instance in which GMAT requires one to distinguish a correct answer from a wrong only on the basis of this aspect; there are other issues with the wrong answer. In fact using passive in the correct answer can be a trap in some questions.

Thanks again. So, this means I cannot give merit to option B for being *active in nature*. Right sayantanc2k

Using study groups managed by the principal popular organizations and political parties, the Swedish public was informed by the government about energy and nuclear power.
A) the Swedish public was informed by the government about energy and nuclear power
B) the government informed the Swedish public about energy and nuclear power
C) energy and nuclear power information was given to the Swedish public by the government
D) information about energy and nuclear power was given to the Swedish public by the government
E) the public of Sweden was given energy and nuclear power information by the government

The opening modifier Using study groups managed by the principal popular organizations and political parties should be immediately followed by the doer of the action . Here , the Government is the doer .
Answer B

How is this an idiom question? This appears to be an idiom question? Anyways the government is the agent using study groups to inform the Swedish public so "the government" should come directly after the comma.

Using study groups managed by the principal popular organizations and political parties, the Swedish public was informed by the government about energy and nuclear power.

(A) the Swedish public was informed by the government about energy and nuclear power
(B) the government informed the Swedish public about energy and nuclear power
(C) energy and nuclear power information was given to the Swedish public by the government
(D) information about energy and nuclear power was given to the Swedish public by the government
(E) the public of Sweden was given energy and nuclear power information by the government

This question tests the concept of dangling modifier.
The opening modifier should modify the government, as the government informed Swedish public by using study groups managed by the principal popular organizations and political parties.
Only option that fulfils the need is B

Using study groups managed by the principal popular organizations and political parties, the Swedish public was informed by the government about energy and nuclear power.

(A) the Swedish public was informed by the government about energy and nuclear power
(B) the government informed the Swedish public about energy and nuclear power
(C) energy and nuclear power information was given to the Swedish public by the government
(D) information about energy and nuclear power was given to the Swedish public by the government
(E) the public of Sweden was given energy and nuclear power information by the government

The first question you need to ask yourself here is, who is using the study groups? We need to ask this question because the sentence opens with a modifier.

We can make out that the government should be the subject of the clause here which means that it should come after the comma.

When you scan the options now, you’ll see that Option B is the only option that have the government in the right place.

All you need to do now is to read Option B to make sure that there are no other errors.

Here Option B is the best choice.

Hope this helps!

Principally, the introductory modifier 'using study groups...' should be modifying 'the government'. With this knowledge, we can quickly eliminate all of the wrong choices.

Using study groups managed by the principal popular organizations and political parties, the Swedish public was informed by the government about energy and nuclear power.

(A) the Swedish public was informed by the government about energy and nuclear power X
(B) the government informed the Swedish public about energy and nuclear power CORRECT
(C) energy and nuclear power information was given to the Swedish public by the government X
(D) information about energy and nuclear power was given to the Swedish public by the government X
(E) the public of Sweden was given energy and nuclear power information by the government X

here modifier is 'Using study groups managed by the principal popular organizations and political parties'.
Question is who is using study groups......the government
As per rule, modifier + comma + the government

Only choice B fulfills the required criteria

IMO B

Video solution from Quant Reasoning starts at 00:06:10
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A.using…, - modifier modifies the govt.

Per the rule, the opening verb-ing modifier can modify either the subject or the entire main clause. In both the cases, the action denoted by the modifier must make sense with the subject of the main clause.

B- Correct Ans
C. same as A
D. same as A
E. same as A

KarishmaB GMATNinja

(A) the Swedish public was informed by the government about energy and nuclear power
(B) the government informed the Swedish public about energy and nuclear power

Why starting modifier "using study groups" can't modify "the public"?
I think that groups were managed by political parties and parties are related to govt, so govt must be using the study groups.
Let me know if my reasoning is correct.
I want to understand how A is logically incorrect.

Thank you for your time

Who informed whom?
The Govt informed the public.
Then in the process of informing, who used the study groups? The Govt.
So 'using study groups' modifies the Govt. The Govt is the one that uses the study groups.

Using study groups..., the Govt informed the public ... (Correct)
Using study groups..., the public was informed by the Govt... (Not great)
The modifier should modify the subject that appears immediately after the comma. But the public is not using the study groups. The Govt. is but it is appearing later.
We have a correct option in which this happens so we must prefer it.