SC Modifiers & Participial Phrases

Question

See below:

bkk145 · Answer

This one comes down to A and B for me. 
C, D, E, doesn't make much sense.
For A and B, the difference is the placement of the modifier. In B, I feel that the modifier modifies Career switcher and it is incorrect. The modifier should modify the "schedule".

I go for A.

Big-O · Answer

B

A - who believes the insight of professionals?
C - long sentence with no breaks - gaudy
D - often schedule what? Was close except for this
E - help them do what?

B - Career switchers,   , often schedule interviews with high-level managers. I like.

Fistail · Answer

A. modifier in A is correctly placed.

B has misplaced modifier.

dwivedys · Answer

A is right. in A, the portion after believing is an ABSOLUTE construction - it modifies the whole sentence. B uses believing as a participle modifying career switchers. While I don't think there's a grammatical problem with this, I think A is a better construction.

trivikram · Answer

Shouldnt the modifier stay as close to the noun/subject it is modifying. Tyring to eliminate B with a more conclusive evidence

FN · Answer

A seems Ok too..cant find anything wrong with it..

dwivedys · Answer

OK - let me try once again. 

Standard English Grammar usage prefers the subject to connect with its verb as early on in the sentence as possible - the intervening phrases/clauses tend to clutter things up. 

This is preferable 

 He wanted to be a pilot even though he faced a lot of opposition from the 
family 

to this -
He despite facing a lot of family opposition wanted to be a pilot


In A, the subject verb connection is made quickly, and the remaining information is encapsulated in the absolute construction.

trivikram · Answer

BINGO <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_biggrin.gif" alt=":-D" title="Very Happy" />

STVerm · Answer

is it B, 

Except A or B all other choices can be easily eliminated. I will go for B, because A looks ambiguous, believing seems to be modifying Managers

ColumbiaDream · Answer

It was a tough choice between A and B for me. Took me a while. Think it's B. Can't wait to see the OA on this one.

bmwhype2 · Answer

I don't have the OA for these questions. However, I think the answer is B.



Using OG examples, I will prove why. Clarity and context play key roles.

1. Elephants emit low-frequency sounds,  believed to originate from a small area on their foreheads , that they may use as a secret language to communicate with other members of the herd. 

This participial phrase obviously modifies "sounds," the closest noun. In this sentence, the participial phrase does not modify the subject.



2. Our rate of teenage pregnancies is among the highest in the industrialized world,  exceeded only by that of Chile, Hungary, Romania, Cuba, and Bulgaria. 
this participial phrase is modifying the SUBJECT "rate." it does not modify the closest noun.


In our question, B makes it clear that it is the career switchers that ask for advice, whereas in A it is ambiguous.

subhen · Answer

I will go with B too. the participal phrase modifying the noun should be next to the noun it is modifying unless it is an adverbial modifier.

Fistail · Answer

B is clearly wrong modifier cuz the modifier is modifying the action not the nown. so B is clearly wrong.. 

should be A.

  
guys,

if you do not have OA, pls realese such information at the time of posting the question, a practice that helps members limit their expectation.

Since everybody is expecting OA while responding the questions by putting their answers and explanations, it doesnot feel good to learn at the end that the originator doesnot have OA.

STVerm · Answer

I believe now that ...the answer is 'A' not B, though I initially went for 'B'. 
Believing clause is modifying the whole action not just the Career switchers. 

As dwivedys stated in above post that ..its ABSOLUTE construction ......thats absolutly correct 

Thanks guys ....thats the advantage of being in forum ...you get to know about your mistakes .....

bmwhype2 · Answer

it cannot be A. the participial phrase in A modifies manager. That was the intent of this question. read page 57. https://www.manhattanreview.com/download ... -Guide.pdf I believe both answers are correct in their respective ways, but B is much more clear.

seofah · Answer

Clearly B.
Phrase is modifying the subject of the main clause. 
As such, the phrase can come in the beginning of the sentence, right after the sudject, as in B, or at the end of the main clause ONLY IF it does not create ambiguity.

bmwhype2 · Answer

correct. 


In addition, absolute phrases should be avoided if there are alternatives. Read Paul's discussions in the best verbal discussions forum.

asaf · Answer

What you saying make sense but I dont remember reading this anywhere in GMAT books or i'm yet to see this concept (verb being closer to subject) being tested anywhere!!!

If what you saying is right and I missed it all together while studying for GMAT then B can not be the answer.

Otherwise given A and B, we can GMAT suckers are testing the modifiers. So, we can pick B.

12345678 · Answer

im also for B.

Manhattan Sc guide has clearly stated dis concept.

SC Modifiers & Participial Phrases

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