Although partially destroyed, the archaeologists were able to infer

Question

Although partially destroyed, the archaeologists were able to infer  from what remained of the inscription that the priest Zonainos was buried in the crypt.

(A) Although partially destroyed, the archaeologists were able to infer

(B) Although partially destroyed, the archaeologists had inferred

(C) Although it had been partially destroyed, the archaeologists were able to infer

(D) Partially destroyed though it had been, the archaeologists had been able to infer

(E) Destroyed partially, the archaeologists were able to infer

sayantanc2k · Accepted Answer

Hi  arirux92 , Please have a look at my view below:

If there is one pronoun and one possible noun antecedent, it does not matter whether the noun antecedent and the pronoun are both subjects, both objects or one subject/ one object. In such case, a pronoun subject of one clause may refer to a noun object of another clause. On the other hand, a pronoun object of one clause may refer to a noun subject of another clause.

However ambiguity may arise when there are 2 antecedents and 1 pronoun. Nonetheless, if there is one pronoun subject in one clause and one possible noun antecedent in subject and one possible noun antecedent in object in another clause, the subject pronoun would unambiguously refer to the subject noun by virtue of parallelism. In your example the pronoun  it  unambiguously refers to  bull  - this usage is accepted in GMAT.

In the question above, ambiguity does not arise at all (between  archaeologists  and  inscription ), since there is one pronoun  it  and only one possible (singular) antecedent  inscription . It is not wrong that the pronoun is subject in one clause and the antecedent is in predicate of another.

Please note that ambiguity may still arise between  crypt  and  inscription . However because of the relative distances of the nouns   inscription  and  crypt  from the pronoun  it  - moreover  crypt  is in an altogether separate subordinate clause starting with  that  - the pronoun  it  still refers, although slightly ambiguously to  inscription . This usage is also acceptable and although slightly ambiguous, not sufficient to eliminate an answer.

hellscream · Answer

Although partially destroyed, the archaeologists were able to infer  from what remained of the inscription that the priest Zonainos was buried in the crypt.
(A) Although  partially destroyed , the archaeologists were able to infer
wrong modifier. " partially destroyed " modifies "the archaeologists" in this case.
(B) Although partially destroyed, the archaeologists had inferred
wrong modifier. " partially destroyed " modifies "the archaeologists" in this case.
(C) Although it had been partially destroyed, the archaeologists were able to infer
Correct
(D) Partially destroyed though it had been, the archaeologists had been able to infer
Wrong tense. Past perfect indicates sth happens before sth else in the past.
(E) Destroyed partially, the archaeologists were able to infer
wrong modifier. " partially destroyed " modifies "the archaeologists" in this case.

monir6000 · Answer

Its not the archaeologists who are destroyed. So I am only looking to remove the ambiguity by either providing what is destroyed, or clarifying the noun / pronoun that the modifier applies to.

kraizada84 · Answer

C is correct: uses correct tense with proper clarity

JubtaGubar · Answer

I am confused with times in the OA C:
"it  had been  partially  destroyed " and then "the priest Zonainos  was buried  in the crypt"

It seems that the crypt was destroyed before Zonainos was buried...

could you explain?

thank!

struggler · Answer

Although it  had been  partially destroyed, the archaeologists  were  able to infer

It was destroyed before the archaeologists were able to infer. Not before the Zonainos was buried.

I hope this helps!!

vikram4689 · Answer

To solve, You can ignore the last modifier. Sentence is  Although it had been partially destroyed, the archaeologists were able to infer from what remained of the inscription

Now onto your question 
 inscription that the priest Zonainos was buried in the crypt  describes the matter on inscription 
 the priest Zonainos was buried in the crypt  - actual words written - this is what is inscribed.

MALD2011 · Answer

I would go for C

Correct use of Tense and correct subject-verb agreement

WaterFlowsUp · Answer

Bumping for review and further discussion*.

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arirux92 · Answer

C is no doubt the best among the lot, but a doubt.

Here "it" should be referring to the inscription, but it's the object in the second sentence. Is it correct? I don't think so.

Look at "it" this way:

Even though it was big, the bull still found a way through the hole.

So isn't "it" confusing here?

Is it referring to the bull or the hole?

I believe this question is wrong.

aragonn · Answer

Old question though want to have discussion on this. Clearly all other choices are bad, but C is not the best way to say this.

bacseialex · Answer

There is no reason for past perfect(a past action interrupted by another action) . Hence, B and D are out.

In A and E the first part of the sentence modifies the archaeologists. wrong.

IMO C

singh6272 · Answer

If this would have been the sentence "Although it had been partially destroyed, the archaeologist was able to infer", then what would "it" refer to now, as "it" is singular Pronoun subject and "archaeologist" is singular pronoun subject.

PS: Just want to clear this concept.
 sayantanc2k

Romil042 · Answer

Although partially destroyed, the archaeologists were able to infer  from what remained of the inscription that the priest Zonainos was buried in the crypt.

Here "although..." is in phrase form, hence, it shall be talking about certain things.
So, what can be destroyed?
The archaeologists?  NO 
the inscription?  YES

The phrase not talking about the archaeologists
Incorrect

Same as A
Incorrect

"it" can refer to the inscription or the crypt.
But a bit of ambiguity is acceptable in GMAT. Still, if C is the best of all options then only we will mark it, so hold on to C.

Incorrect verb sequence in past perfect. Destruction of the inscription/ crypt must be before the inference by the archaeologists.
Incorrect

Same as A.
Incorrect.

Hence, C is best of all.

CrackverbalGMAT · Answer

Although partially destroyed, the archaeologists were able to infer  from what remained of the inscription that the priest Zonainos was buried in the crypt.

The first part of the sentence- "Although partially destroyed" is a modifier that must be placed closest to what it modifies.

(A) Although partially destroyed,  the archaeologists  were able to infer
“Although partially destroyed” incorrectly modifies the closest subject- archaeologists. What was partially destroyed? The inscription and not the archeologists.  Eliminate .

(B) Although partially destroyed, the  archaeologists  had inferred
Same as A.  Eliminate .

(C) Although  it  had been partially destroyed, the archaeologists  were able to infer 
“It” refers to the singular noun “inscription. Option C resolves the misplaced modifier error in options A and B. By adding the subject, the first part of the sentence becomes a dependent clause and not a modifier.  Correct .

(D) Partially destroyed  though it had been , the archaeologists  had been able  to infer
Incorrect sentence construction and incorrect tense form- “archeologists had been able to”.  Eliminate .

(E) Destroyed partially, the archaeologists were able to infer
Same as A.  Correct .

Vishnupriya
GMAT SME

100mitra · Answer

Correct Option C:

Event sequence 
1. Inscription is partially destroyed found by archaeologists
2. Archaeologists were able to infer from what remained of the partially destroyed inscription
3. Inscription mentioning that priest Zonainos was buried in the crypt

(A) Although partially destroyed  (no information, what is destroyed?) 
 the archaeologists were able to infer - Tense no issue

(B) Although partially destroyed,  (no information, what is destroyed?)  
 the archaeologists had inferred - Tense error 
 (“had” is used before the main verb for the event that happened first + inffered  )
- Meaning error: it seems before some thing is destroyed, archaeologists had inffered

(C) Although  it   had been  partially  destroyed ,  (it is referred to "Inscription" - both singular) 
the archaeologists  were able to infer  -  Tense no error 
 Correct: Meaning - inscription destroyed 1st, then archaeologists were able to infer

(D) Partially destroyed though  it had been , 
 the archaeologists  had been able to infer  - Tense Error

(E) Destroyed partially,  (no information, what is destroyed?)  +  absence of Contrast meaning  
 the archaeologists were able to infer -  Tense no error

VerbalBot · Answer

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Although partially destroyed, the archaeologists were able to infer

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GMAT Sentence Correction (SC - EA only) Questions

Although partially destroyed, the archaeologists were able to infer

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