With just several quick strokes of the pen, the monkeys were drawn by

With just several quick strokes of the pen, the monkeys were drawn by the artist, capturing their antics.

The sentence tests modifiers. Quick glance at option choices reveals that options (A) and (E) have both modifier and meaning issues.

(A) the monkeys were drawn by the artist, capturing their antics
This option has a modifier problem. The meaning assumes that the artists draws monkeys.

(B) the artist sketched the monkeys, capturing their antics
Meaning is spot on here. The highlighted V+ing modifier modifies the preceding clause.

(C) the artist captured the antics of the monkeys, sketching them
Even if you doubt about what artist was capturing, there is a clear problem with a pronoun them.

(D) the artist sketched the monkeys and also capturing their antics
Parallelism error.

(E) the monkeys and heir antics were sketched by the artist
Same problem as in (A).

With just several quick strokes of the pen, the monkeys were drawn by the artist, capturing their antics.

the modifier is meant to modify "the artist"

(A) the monkeys were drawn by the artist, capturing their antics
(B) the artist sketched the monkeys, capturing their antics
(C) the artist captured the antics of the monkeys, sketching them
(D) the artist sketched the monkeys and also capturing their antics
(E) the monkeys and heir antics were sketched by the artist

therefore we can eliminate A and E

(C) the artist captured the antics of the monkeys, sketching them
there is a meaning error in this option, the artist di not capture the antics

(D) the artist sketched the monkeys and also capturing their antics
As stated for option C, the artist did not capture the antics and there is a parallelism error in the two activities joined
"and also" is mostly considered redundant in gmat!

therefore B is the correct option

With just several quick strokes of the pen, the monkeys were drawn by the artist, capturing their antics.

(A) the monkeys were drawn by the artist, capturing their antics
Incorrect modifier.
(B) the artist sketched the monkeys, capturing their antics
Correct
(C) the artist captured the antics of the monkeys, sketching them
Incorrect meaning
(D) the artist sketched the monkeys and also capturing their antics
Incorrect parallelism
(E) the monkeys and heir antics were sketched by the artist
Incorrect modifier

IMO B

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 with just several quick strokes of the pen, the artist sketched the monkeys and in doing so, captured their antics.

Concepts tested here: Modifiers + Parallelism + Meaning + Verb Forms + Redundancy/Awkwardness

• The introduction of a present participle (“verb+ing”- “capturing” in this sentence) after a comma generally leads to a cause-effect relationship.
• 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.
• Any elements linked by a conjunction (“and” in this sentence) must be parallel.

A: This answer choice incorrectly uses “With just several quick strokes of the pen” to modify “the monkeys”, illogically implying that the monkeys made several quick strokes of the pen, while they were drawn by the artist; the intended meaning of this sentence is that with just several quick strokes of the pen, the artist sketched the monkeys and in doing so, captured their antics; please remember, in a “phrase + comma + noun” construction, the phrase must correctly modify the noun.

B: Correct. This answer choice correctly uses "With just several quick strokes of the pen" to modify "the artist" and uses "capturing their antics" to modify the clause "the artist sketched the monkeys", conveying the intended meaning of the sentence - that with just several quick strokes of the pen, the artist sketched the monkeys and in doing so, captured their antics. Further, Option B avoids the parallelism error seen in Option D, as it uses no conjunction. Besides, Option B is free of any awkwardness or redundancy.

C: This answer choice incorrectly modifies “captured the antics of the monkeys” with “sketching them”, incorrectly implying that the artist captured the antics of the monkeys and in doing so, sketched them; the intended meaning of this sentence is that with just several quick strokes of the pen, the artist sketched the monkeys and in doing so, captured their antics; please remember, the introduction of a present participle (“verb+ing”- “sketching” in this answer choice) after comma generally leads to a cause-effect relationship.

D: This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase “and also capturing their antics“; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that the sketching of the monkeys and the capturing of their antics were two separate actions; the intended meaning is that the artist sketched the monkeys and in doing so, captured their antics. Further, Option D fails to maintain parallelism between “sketched the monkeys” and “capturing their antics”; please remember, any elements linked by a conjunction (“and” in this sentence) must be parallel. Besides, Option D uses the redundant phrase “and also”, rendering it needlessly wordy.

E: This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the clause “the monkeys and their antics were sketched by the artist”; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that both the monkeys and their antics were sketched; the intended meaning is that the artist sketched the monkeys, and in doing so captured their antics.

Hence, B is the best answer choice.

All the best!
Experts' Global Team