Certain painkilling drugs such as Oxycotin have recently been shown to

Question

Certain painkilling drugs such as Oxycotin have recently been shown to be addictive to patients,  which may limit their potential to reduce  pain.

(A) which may limit their potential to reduce

(B) which may limit their potential for reducing

(C) which may limit such drugs’ potential to reduce

(D) an effect that may limit their potential to reduce

(E) an effect that may limit the potential of such drugs to reduce

CounterSniper · Answer

(A)  which  may limit their potential to reduce
-Which is incorrectly modifying patients

(B)  which  may limit their potential for reducing
-Which is incorrectly modifying patients

(C)  which  may limit such drugs’ potential to reduce
-Which is incorrectly modifying patients

(D) an effect that may limit  their  potential to reduce
-Their is ambiguous

(E)  an effect  that may limit the potential  of such drugs  to reduce
-Correct

Imo E

abhishekdadarwal2009 · Answer

Modifier error in the question.

Option A,B and C use 'which' and wrongly modify patients rather than drugs.

between option D and option E, D has pronoun ambiguity in the pronoun 'their'. Option E comes out to be clear, but

in otion D can 'their' actually refer to patients at all?can patients reduce the potential to reduce their pain by regularly taking drugs?

CounterSniper · Answer

Imo it should not, but on the exam day I would prefer E over D , as in E surely is a little wordy however it leaves no doubt that we are talking about potential of such drugs

Sreyoshi007 · Answer

Modifier error in A, B and C, which is modifying patients, eliminate A, B, C.

Between D and E,  their in D  is misleading as it refers back to  patients  which is incorrect. Eliminate D.

E  should be the correct answer IMO. It does not have any modifier error and neither does it have any pronoun ambiguity as in D.

Let me know if my reasoning to eliminate options is flawed.
Thanks!

sudarshan22 · Answer

+1 for   E  .

(A)  which  may limit  their  potential to reduce

(B)  which  may limit  their  potential for reducing

(C)  which  may limit such drugs’ potential to reduce

(D)  an effect that  may limit  their  potential to reduce

(E)  an effect that  may limit  the potential of such drugs  to reduce -->    Correct, rectifies modifier and pronoun error

Hence,   E  .

LordStark · Answer

(A) which may limit their potential to reduce  " Which " is referring to patients and it doesn't make sense

(B) which may limit their potential for reducing Same as above and "for reducing" is incorrect "to reduce" should be used for showing purpose or intention

(C) which may limit such drugs’ potential to reduce same error as A

(D) an effect that may limit their potential to reduce corrects the error in A, B, C but "there" sounds not very clear, can hang on to this

(E) an effect that may limit the potential of such drugs to reduce.  noun + noun modifier. "such drugs" is used in place of "their" in choice D. This one is the clear winner

abhishekdadarwal2009 · Answer

in otion D can 'their' actually refer to patients at all?can patients reduce the potential to reduce their pain by regularly taking drugs?

Sure we have a clear option E, but one what basis should one eliminate D?

GMATisLovE · Answer

IMO D

I know many people prefer E over D, but does D really has pronoun ambiguity?

Consider the below sentence with  patients  replacing the pronoun. Do patients reduce the pain or the drugs?

Certain painkilling drugs such as Oxycotin have recently been shown to be addictive to patients, an effect that may limit  patients  potential to reduce pain

Bunuel · Answer

MANHATTAN REVIEW OFFICIAL EXPLANATION:

Do you pick ‘which may limit’ or ‘an effect that may limit’? The relative pronoun ‘which’ must refer to the word immediately before it. In this sentence it is meant to refer to the fact that the drugs are addictive. However, it is incorrectly placed next to patients. Eliminate A, B and C. That leaves us with choices D and E. Now another ambiguity arises. In choice D, it is unclear what the ‘their’ refers to. Choice E is the best answer.

VerbalBot · Answer

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Certain painkilling drugs such as Oxycotin have recently been shown to

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Certain painkilling drugs such as Oxycotin have recently been shown to

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