A serious doubt on a simple concept!!!!

Expert replies

[email protected]: Legendary Member; Posts: 934; Joined: Tue Nov 09, 2010 5:16 amFollowed by: 14 members; Location: AAMCHI MUMBAI LOCAL; Thanked: 63 times

by [email protected] » Wed Feb 22, 2012 3:14 am

Diabetes ranks as the nation’s third leading cause of the death, surpassed only by heart disease and cancer.

Diabetes ranks as the nation’s third leading cause of the death, surpassing only by heart disease and cancer.

There is a serious doubt that I have in the above two sentences and I still feel that the 1st sentence is wrong and the second one is correct.

The first sentence is modifying death which is incorrect. Since 'ed' modifiers, modifies the preceding noun, death is the preceding noun...

Could any of the experts please explain this doubt...

IT IS TIME TO BEAT THE GMAT

LEARNING, APPLICATION AND TIMING IS THE FACT OF GMAT AND LIFE AS WELL... KEEP PLAYING!!!

Whenever you feel that my post really helped you to learn something new, please press on the 'THANK' button.

Source: Beat The GMAT — Sentence Correction | Wed Feb 22, 2012 3:14 am

GMATGuruNY: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 15539; Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 12:04 pmFollowed by: 1906 members; Location: New York, NY; Thanked: 13060 times; GMAT Score:790

by GMATGuruNY » Wed Feb 22, 2012 3:55 am

[email protected] wrote:Diabetes ranks as the nation’s third leading cause of the death, surpassed only by heart disease and cancer.

Diabetes ranks as the nation’s third leading cause of the death, surpassing only by heart disease and cancer.

There is a serious doubt that I have in the above two sentences and I still feel that the 1st sentence is wrong and the second one is correct.

The first sentence is modifying death which is incorrect. Since 'ed' modifiers, modifies the preceding noun, death is the preceding noun...

Could any of the experts please explain this doubt...

Please note that the correct idiom here is cause of death, not cause of THE death.

In the OA, surpassed only by heart disease and cancer modifies the immediately preceding noun phrase third leading cause of death. What is surpassed only by heart disease and cancer? The nation's third leading cause of death -- namely, DIABETES.

Private tutor exclusively for the GMAT and GRE, with over 20 years of experience.
Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.

As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.

For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
Student Review #1
Student Review #2
Student Review #3

sam2304: Legendary Member; Posts: 1239; Joined: Tue Apr 26, 2011 6:25 amFollowed by: 26 members; Thanked: 233 times; GMAT Score:680

by sam2304 » Wed Feb 22, 2012 4:27 am

-ING modifiers modifies the entire clause if preceded by a comma
-ING modifiers modifies the preceding noun or noun phrase if there is no comma

-ED modifiers always modify the preceding noun or noun phrase

'death' is not the noun here in the first sentence. As explained by Mitch, it is nation's third leading cause of death - this is a noun phrase. Don't consider prepositional phrases as modifiers or pronoun antecedents. Hope this helps !!

Getting defeated is just a temporary notion, giving it up is what makes it permanent.
https://gmatandbeyond.blogspot.in/

Featured schoolRound 2 closes Jan 7, 2027 66 days left

Chicago Booth

Since 1982, 10 Booth faculty members have received the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, more than any other business school.

#3
U.S. News rank: $175,000
Median base salary: 670
Average GMAT Focus: 635
Students in the class

Apply to Booth Visit chicagobooth.edu See the full profile

Photo: Warren LeMay, CC BY-SA 2.0

GMAT Course Reviews

563 reviews

1168 reviews

431 reviews

359 reviews

147 reviews

5/5

5 Star (563 Reviews)

"Target Test Prep is the closest to the official version of the GMAT exam, about 99% accuracy in terms of the quality and quantity of information. The course has excellently created singular sets of focused lessons and tests for every possible topic that one could come across in the official GMAT exam."

"The TTP course maximizes the efficiency of the time you spend studying. It will take time and effort but I could almost guarantee that if you complete the course exactly as it is laid out you will get an amazing score. They also have a very responsive team willing to help with any questions you might have."

"TTP has two things that I think no other test prep company offers: A teaching approach that reinforces understanding and an attitude that will give you the mental preparedness needed to succeed on the test. TTP gives you a deep understanding of the concept you need to know while teaching you how to think."

Write a Review