The observation of a new pattern for classifying precipitation events in the south Pacific permits meteorologists to study once-rare storm types more generally and analyzing the impact of such events on isolated island populations in the region.
(A) The observation of a new pattern for classifying precipitation events in the south Pacific permits meteorologists to study once-rare storm types more generally and analyzing
(B) Through the observation of a new pattern for classifying precipitation events in the south Pacific, once-rare storm types were studied by meteorologists who analyzed
(C) When they observed a new pattern for classifying precipitation events in the south Pacific, meteorologists studied once-rare storm types more generally, analyzing
(D) Observing a new pattern for classifying precipitation events in the south Pacific, once-rare storm types have been studied by meteorologists, who analyzed
(E) Observing a new pattern for classifying precipitation events in the south Pacific, meteorologists have studied once-rare storm types more generally and analyzed
The OA is E.
Why the option D is wrong? Is because it does not have the phrase "more generally"?
The observation of a new pattern for classifying
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Hey folks,
What we've got here is a modifier error - when we have a descriptive phrase set off from the sentence with a comma, it MUST describe the noun it is closest to.
In D and E, our modifier is "Observing a new pattern for classifying precipitation events in the south Pacific". Okay, so who or what is observing a weather pattern?
In D, the closest noun is "once-rare storm types". Can storm types observe weather patterns? Probably not. This doesn't make much sense.
In E, the closest noun is "meteorologists". A meteorologist studies the weather for a living, so it makes a lot of sense that they would be observing weather patterns.
So we can rule out D and pick E. Modifier problems are pretty common on the GMAT - they show up a lot at the beginnings of sentences, so watch out for sentences that begin with descriptive phrases set off by commas.
What we've got here is a modifier error - when we have a descriptive phrase set off from the sentence with a comma, it MUST describe the noun it is closest to.
In D and E, our modifier is "Observing a new pattern for classifying precipitation events in the south Pacific". Okay, so who or what is observing a weather pattern?
In D, the closest noun is "once-rare storm types". Can storm types observe weather patterns? Probably not. This doesn't make much sense.
In E, the closest noun is "meteorologists". A meteorologist studies the weather for a living, so it makes a lot of sense that they would be observing weather patterns.
So we can rule out D and pick E. Modifier problems are pretty common on the GMAT - they show up a lot at the beginnings of sentences, so watch out for sentences that begin with descriptive phrases set off by commas.
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