Sentence Correction

The fact of some fraternal twins resembling each other greatly and others looking quite dissimilar highlights an interesting and often overlooked feature of fraternal-twin pairs, namely they vary considerably on a spectrum of genetic relatedness.

A. The fact of some fraternal twins resembling each other greatly and others looking quite dissimilar highlights an interesting and often overlooked feature of fraternal-twin pairs, namely they vary considerably
B. That some fraternal twins resemble each other greatly while others look quite dissimilar highlights an interesting and often overlooked feature of fraternal-twin pairs, namely that they vary considerably
C. With some fraternal twins resembling each other greatly and others looking quite dissimilar, it highlights an interesting and often overlooked feature of fraternal-twin pairs, namely considerable variation
D. With some fraternal twins resembling each other greatly and others looking quite dissimilar, it is a fact that highlights an interesting and often overlooked feature of fraternal-twin pairs, namely a considerable variation
E. Because some fraternal twins resemble each other greatly and others look quite dissimilar, this fact highlights an interesting and often overlooked feature of fraternal-twin pairs, namely they vary considerably

Ron's explanation on this question:
https://www.manhattangmat.com/forums/pos ... tml#p22308

D. With some fraternal twins resembling each other greatly and others looking quite dissimilar, it is a fact that highlights an interesting and often overlooked feature of fraternal-twin pairs, namely a considerable variation.

The clause It is a fact is acceptable only if the pronoun it can stand in for what follows the word fact:

It is a fact that people like chocolate.

It = that people like chocolate.

In other words:

That people like chocolate is a fact.

In answer choice D, the pronoun it is not referring to what follows the word fact:

It is a fact that highlights an interesting and often overlooked feature of fraternal-twin pairs

does not mean

That highlights an interesting and often overlooked feature of fraternal-twin pairs is a fact.

The statement above makes no sense. So in answer choice D, the pronoun it is ambiguous: we don't know what exactly highlights an interesting and overlooked feature of fraternal-twin pairs.

@Mitch ..nice explanation..thanks..I got something to takeaway here..

gmat_perfect wrote:The fact of some fraternal twins resembling each other greatly and others looking quite dissimilar highlights an interesting and often overlooked feature of fraternal-twin pairs, namely they vary considerably on a spectrum of genetic relatedness.

A. The fact of some fraternal twins resembling each other greatly and others looking quite dissimilar highlights an interesting and often overlooked feature of fraternal-twin pairs, namely they vary considerably
B. That some fraternal twins resemble each other greatly while others look quite dissimilar highlights an interesting and often overlooked feature of fraternal-twin pairs, namely that they vary considerably
C. With some fraternal twins resembling each other greatly and others looking quite dissimilar, it highlights an interesting and often overlooked feature of fraternal-twin pairs, namely considerable variation
D. With some fraternal twins resembling each other greatly and others looking quite dissimilar, it is a fact that highlights an interesting and often overlooked feature of fraternal-twin pairs, namely a considerable variation
E. Because some fraternal twins resemble each other greatly and others look quite dissimilar, this fact highlights an interesting and often overlooked feature of fraternal-twin pairs, namely they vary considerably

Namely:

Namely + Noun/Noun Phrase/Noun Clause

But I have seen some sentences where namely has been used in the following way:
A forum administrator has to do a lot of work, namely answer questions, keep the web site up-to-date, and delete spam.

My question is:
"Keep the website up to date" is an independent clause.
Is the above sentence correct?

Thanks for the reply.

B. That some fraternal twins resemble each other greatly while others look quite dissimilar highlights an interesting and often overlooked feature of fraternal-twin pairs, namely that they vary considerably

What is the overlooked feature of fraternal twins? That they vary considerably. The overlooked feature is that they vary considerably. One noun = another noun. Fine.

A forum administrator has to do a lot of work, namely answer questions, keep the web site up-to-date, and delete spam.

What is the work that a forum administrator has to do? Answer questions. The work is answer questions. A noun = a verb. Not fine, because we're equating two different parts of speech.

I have a question.

1. Namely - The rule is, we should be used before the noun/noun clause


Does the rule applies to all adverb words that end with -ly ( like happily/sadly/nicely/rightly, etc) or it applies to "NAMELY"

A.Kiran wrote:I have a question.

1. Namely - The rule is, we should be used before the noun/noun clause


Does the rule applies to all adverb words that end with -ly ( like happily/sadly/nicely/rightly, etc) or it applies to "NAMELY"

Most words that end in -ly will modify verbs:

The student who prepared with Mitch answered every question correctly, easily acing the GMAT.

In the example above, the adverb easily modifies the verb acing.

The adverb namely, however, typically is used to equate two nouns, to "name" what the first noun is referring to:

an interesting and often overlooked feature of fraternal-twin pairs, namely that they vary considerably

In the example above, namely is being used to "name" what the overlooked feature is: that they vary considerably.

so you mean to say that


1. It is only "namely" should be followed by noun/noun clause ?

and other adverbs mostly modify the verbs.

A.Kiran wrote:so you mean to say that


1. It is only "namely" should be followed by noun/noun clause ?

and other adverbs mostly modify the verbs.

No, there are other adverbs besides namely that tend to be followed by a noun. For example:

John likes many flavors, especially chocolate.

In the example above, the adverb especially is modifying the verb likes: we're being told about the kind of flavor that John especially likes.

i have one more question.

Is there any list of adverbs that are available ? ( which follow the -'' namely'' rule )

can you please give us few more words apart from 'namely, especially' .
Is it good to add in my notes about the rules about these words ?


Thanks Mitch

A.Kiran wrote:i have one more question.

Is there any list of adverbs that are available ? ( which follow the -'' namely'' rule )

can you please give us few more words apart from 'namely, especially' .
Is it good to add in my notes about the rules about these words ?


Thanks Mitch

Off the top of my head: I can think of: particularly, mostly, primarily, mainly.

I don't know of a complete list.

The proper usage of these words is good to know, but when you're examining the answer choices, look for more common errors: a verb in the wrong tense, an ambiguous pronoun, an idiom error, etc.

lunarpower wrote:

GMATGuruNY wrote:

A.Kiran wrote:i have one more question.

Is there any list of adverbs that are available ? ( which follow the -'' namely'' rule )

can you please give us few more words apart from 'namely, especially' .
Is it good to add in my notes about the rules about these words ?


Thanks Mitch

Off the top of my head: I can think of: particularly, mostly, primarily, mainly.

that's not a bad list, but it is worth noting that those four words can also be used as normal adjectives (i.e., to modify adjectives or verbs), while "namely" generally can't.

example:
the paint job on the new car is primarily red, but is decorated with stripes and flames in other colors.
--> here, "primarily" is used as a normal adverb, modifying the adjective "red". you cannot use "namely" in this sort of construction.

Yes, very true!

We should make clear, however, that the other words in the list can function not as normal adjectives but as normal adverbs.