Sentence Correction

A new test for AIDS has proved helpful in eliminating blood, contaminated with the virus, from the nation's blood supply.
(A) in eliminating blood, contaminated with the virus, from the nation's blood supply
(B) in eliminating blood from the nation's blood supply that is contaminated with the virus
(C) in eliminating from the nation's blood supply blood that is contaminated with the virus
(D) to eliminate blood that is contaminated with the virus from the nation's blood supply
(E) to eliminate blood from the nation's blood supply that is contaminated with the virus
Please explain...

A new test for AIDS has proved helpful in eliminating blood, contaminated with the virus, from the nation's blood supply.

(A) in eliminating blood, contaminated with the virus, from the nation's blood supply
(B) in eliminating blood from the nation's blood supply that is contaminated with the virus
(C) in eliminating from the nation's blood supply blood that is contaminated with the virus
(D) to eliminate blood that is contaminated with the virus from the nation's blood supply
(E) to eliminate blood from the nation's blood supply that is contaminated with the virus


modifier problem here\
C is the best

A - in eliminating blood, contaminated with the virus, from the nation's blood supply - This doesn't make any sense along with the non underlined part - modifier error.
B - usage of that makes it as if nation's blood supply is contaminated with virus. - modifier error
D/E - helpful to eliminate is unidiomatic.

IMO C.

Hi Sam

Why do you feel that the modifier in A has a problem. "Contaminated with the virus" clearly modifies blood. Also A has a better structure than C.

@poster :- What is the source of the Question. Is it from a authenticated source. ??

sam2304 wrote:A - in eliminating blood, contaminated with the virus, from the nation's blood supply - This doesn't make any sense along with the non underlined part - modifier error.
B - usage of that makes it as if nation's blood supply is contaminated with virus. - modifier error
D/E - helpful to eliminate is unidiomatic.

IMO C.

A new test for AIDS has proved helpful in eliminating blood, contaminated with the virus, from the nation's blood supply.

(A) in eliminating blood, contaminated with the virus, from the nation's blood supply - AWKWARD
(B) in eliminating blood from the nation's blood supply that is contaminated with the virus- MEANING CHANGE
(C) in eliminating from the nation's blood supply blood that is contaminated with the virus - Perfect
(D) to eliminate blood that is contaminated with the virus from the nation's blood supply
(E) to eliminate blood from the nation's blood supply that is contaminated with the virus

IMO: C

What do u think is awkward and why. Please respond.

shekhar.kataria wrote:Hi Sam

Why do you feel that the modifier in A has a problem. "Contaminated with the virus" clearly modifies blood. Also A has a better structure than C.

@poster :- What is the source of the Question. Is it from a authenticated source. ??

I completely agree with this. What is the source ?

What is the meaning ?

blood that is contaminated with virus are eliminated from the nation's blood supply.

A - we cannot afford to make - contaminated with the virus - a non essnetial modifier. Then the essence of the whole sentence doesn't stand. But this is the best. At least there is no wrong modification here.

C - in eliminating from the nation's blood supply blood that is contaminated with the virus - what type of construction is this.

D - the blood is contaminated with virus, and the source of the virus is not from the nation's blood supply. Eliminate.

E - the nation's blood supply is not contaminated with virus. Eliminate.

shekhar.kataria wrote:Hi Sam

Why do you feel that the modifier in A has a problem. "Contaminated with the virus" clearly modifies blood. Also A has a better structure than C.

@poster :- What is the source of the Question. Is it from a authenticated source. ??

"Contaminated with the virus" clearly modifies blood and makes it a non essential modifier. This is wrong we need essential modifier to give us proper meaning as in the sentence would be fine if its like this

A new test for AIDS has proved helpful in eliminating blood contaminated with the virus from the nation's blood supply.

The intended meaning is we should eliminate the blood contaminated with the virus whereas in A meaning is eliminating blood in entirety, hence wrong.

'that' in C rightly modifies blood and seems to be resumptive modifier but even that needs a comma between blood supply and blood. Yes I agree C looks awkward, but it seems the best among the worst to maintain the right meaning.

I felt 'eliminating from X Y - eliminating from nation's blood supply blood that is ...' this right.

Maybe an expert would throw some light on the problem.

HI Sam

I have another doubt here. I think that modifier in a comma in not always non essential but we a modifier using which in a closed comma structure is always a non essential structure. I need a clarification on this.

blood, contaminated with visus,
blood, which is contaminated with visus,

According to you both should be wrong as both are non essential modifiers. Can you quote one source or give me any link where an expert opinion has clarified this.

Would be great. Thanks in advance.

"Contaminated with the virus" clearly modifies blood and makes it a non essential modifier. This is wrong we need essential modifier to give us proper meaning as in the sentence would be fine if its like this

Both are wrong. Check this link.

https://www.manhattangmat.com/forums/ess ... t9384.html

ruplun wrote:A new test for AIDS has proved helpful in eliminating blood, contaminated with the virus, from the nation's blood supply.
(A) in eliminating blood, contaminated with the virus, from the nation's blood supply
(B) in eliminating blood from the nation's blood supply that is contaminated with the virus
(C) in eliminating from the nation's blood supply blood that is contaminated with the virus
(D) to eliminate blood that is contaminated with the virus from the nation's blood supply
(E) to eliminate blood from the nation's blood supply that is contaminated with the virus
Please explain...

A, B, E all imply that the purpose of the test is to ELIMINATE BLOOD. Not quite. The purpose of the test is not to eliminate ALL blood but only the portion CONTAMINATED WITH THE VIRUS. Eliminate A, B and E.

D implies that the virus is FROM THE NATION'S BLOOD SUPPLY. The intended meaning is that virus has been introduced INTO the blood supply and that the new test has proved helpful in eliminating it. Eliminate D.

The correct answer is C.

Only C makes the intended meaning clear: A new test for AIDS has proved helpful in eliminating from the nation's blood supply BLOOD THAT IS CONTANIMATED WITH THE VIRUS.

Please note that, in A, the commas surrounding contanimated with the virus imply that the modifier is NON-ESSENTIAL and can be removed without altering the basic meaning of the sentence. Without the modifier, A conveys the same strange meaning as B and E: A new test for AIDS has proved helpful in ELIMINATING BLOOD from the nation's blood supply.

GMATGuruNY wrote:

A new test for AIDS has proved helpful in eliminating from the nation's blood supply BLOOD THAT IS CONTANIMATED WITH THE VIRUS.

I rejected C as I found the nation's blood supply blood to be awkward.

As I can understand : nation's blood supply - noun phrase, how can two noun be placed together.

Does't a comma is required ?

Please help !!

GMATGuruNY wrote:

ruplun wrote:A new test for AIDS has proved helpful in eliminating blood, contaminated with the virus, from the nation's blood supply.
(A) in eliminating blood, contaminated with the virus, from the nation's blood supply
(B) in eliminating blood from the nation's blood supply that is contaminated with the virus
(C) in eliminating from the nation's blood supply blood that is contaminated with the virus
(D) to eliminate blood that is contaminated with the virus from the nation's blood supply
(E) to eliminate blood from the nation's blood supply that is contaminated with the virus
Please explain...

A, B, E all imply that the purpose of the test is to ELIMINATE BLOOD. Not quite. The purpose of the test is not to eliminate ALL blood but only the portion CONTAMINATED WITH THE VIRUS. Eliminate A, B and E.

D implies that the virus is FROM THE NATION'S BLOOD SUPPLY. The intended meaning is that virus has been introduced INTO the blood supply and that the new test has proved helpful in eliminating it. Eliminate D.

The correct answer is C.

Only C makes the intended meaning clear: A new test for AIDS has proved helpful in eliminating from the nation's blood supply BLOOD THAT IS CONTANIMATED WITH THE VIRUS.

Please note that, in A, the commas surrounding contanimated with the virus imply that the modifier is NON-ESSENTIAL and can be removed without altering the basic meaning of the sentence. Without the modifier, A conveys the same strange meaning as B and E: A new test for AIDS has proved helpful in ELIMINATING BLOOD from the nation's blood supply.

The logic seems apt.

Noun, noun modifier is an appositive but there is no comma also. Does that stand correct then.Any idea

avik.ch wrote:

GMATGuruNY wrote:

A new test for AIDS has proved helpful in eliminating from the nation's blood supply BLOOD THAT IS CONTANIMATED WITH THE VIRUS.

I rejected C as I found the nation's blood supply blood to be awkward.

As I can understand : nation's blood supply - noun phrase, how can two noun be placed together.

Does't a comma is required ?

Please help !!

avik.ch wrote:

GMATGuruNY wrote:

A new test for AIDS has proved helpful in eliminating from the nation's blood supply BLOOD THAT IS CONTANIMATED WITH THE VIRUS.

I rejected C as I found the nation's blood supply blood to be awkward.

As I can understand : nation's blood supply - noun phrase, how can two noun be placed together.

Does't a comma is required ?

Please help !!

No comma is required. Here's the relevant part of C:

...helpful in eliminating from the nation's blood supply blood that is contaminated with the virus.

The construction here is GERUND + ADVERB + DIRECT OBJECT.

Eliminating is a gerund: a verb functioning as a noun.
More specifically, eliminating serves as the OBJECT OF THE PREPOSITION in:
IN WHAT area has the new test proved helpful?
It has proved helpful in ELIMINATING.

From the nation's blood supply is an ADVERB modifying eliminating.
FROM WHERE is the new test eliminating?
It is eliminating FROM THE NATION'S BLOOD SUPPLY.

Blood that is contanimated with the virus is the DIRECT OBJECT of eliminating.
WHAT exactly is the new test eliminating from the nation's blood supply?
It is eliminating from the nation's blood supply BLOOD THAT IS CONTAMINATED WITH THE VIRUS.