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Comma + "__ing" constructions timeframe

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Comma + "__ing" constructions timeframe

by pramitmishra0607 » Tue Nov 29, 2016 10:12 am
"__ing" constructions adopt the same timeframe as the sentence to which they're attached. How do we find this timeframe. By seeing the main verb of the sentence or by seeing the time it is referring to.

Women are expected to be the majority of student entering law school this fall, a trend ultimately placing more women in leadership position in politics and business.
A. Women are expected to be the majority of student entering law school this fall, a trend ultimately placing
B. The majority of students entering law school this fall are expected to be women, a trend that will ultimately place
C. The majority of students entering law school this fall are expected to be women, which will ultimately place
D. It is expected that the majority of students entering law school this fall will be women, a trend ultimately placing
E. It is expected for the women to be the majority of students entering law school this fall, which will ultimately place

Why is D wrong. How do we find out the timeframe of "Ultimately placing" (by seeing "it is expected" or by seeing "students entering this fall will be women".

And can we use comma+ing to say something about future such as "he will clean the house, making a lot of noise"...is this correct?

Thanks!!!
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by GMATGuruNY » Thu Dec 01, 2016 3:56 am
Please be careful when copying official SCs from non-official sources.
The post above contains several errors not included in the official SC.
The official SC appears as follows:
Women are expected to be the majority of students entering law school this fall, a trend ultimately placing more women in leadership positions in politics and business.

A Women are expected to be the majority of students entering law school this fall, a trend ultimately placing
B The majority of students entering law school this fall are expected to be women, a trend that will ultimately place
C The majority of students entering law school this fall are expected to be women, which will ultimately place
D It is expected that the majority of students entering law school this fall will be women, a trend ultimately placing
E It is expected for the women to be the majority of students entering law school this fall, which will ultimately place
Generally, the action of a VERBing modifier must be concurrent with the main action.
A and D: a trend...placing
In this SC, a trend refers to a CURRENT expectation:
The majority of students ARE EXPECTED to be women.
As a result, the red phrase above implies that this trend is CURRENTLY placing more women in leadership positions.
Not so.
Logic dictates that this trend WILL ULTIMATELY PLACE women in leadership positions -- AFTER the women have completed law school.
Eliminate A and D.

Generally, if the verb attributed to COMMA + which can be singular or plural, the referent for which must be the NEAREST PRECEDING NOUN.

C: women, which will ultimately place women
Here, the verb attributed to COMMA + which -- will place -- can be singular or plural.
As a result, which seems to refer to women -- the nearest preceding noun -- implying that WOMEN will place women in leadership positions.
The intended meaning is that the TREND will place women in leadership positions.
Eliminate C.

E: this fall, which will ultimately place women
Here, the verb attributed to COMMA + which -- will place -- can be singular or plural.
As a result, which seems to refer to this fall -- the nearest preceding noun -- implying that THIS FALL will place women in leadership positions.
The intended meaning is that the TREND will place women in leadership positions.
Eliminate E.

The correct answer is B.
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by pramitmishra0607 » Thu Dec 01, 2016 4:26 am
Can we use "comma+ing" to say something about future such as "he will clean the house, making a lot of noise"...is this correct?
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by GMATGuruNY » Thu Dec 01, 2016 11:43 am
pramitmishra0607 wrote:Can we use "comma+ing" to say something about future such as "he will clean the house, making a lot of noise"...is this correct?
COMMA + VERBing can serve to modify a clause in the future.
SC65 in the OG12:
a breakwater of rocks that would rise six feet above the waterline and act as a buffer, absorbing the energy of crashing waves and protecting the beaches.
Conveyed meaning:
When the breakwater of rocks would rise and act (in the future), it would at the same time be ABSORBING and PROTECTING (also in the future).
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by pramitmishra0607 » Mon Dec 12, 2016 7:50 am
GMATGuruNY wrote:
pramitmishra0607 wrote:Can we use "comma+ing" to say something about future such as "he will clean the house, making a lot of noise"...is this correct?
COMMA + VERBing can serve to modify a clause in the future.
SC65 in the OG12:
a breakwater of rocks that would rise six feet above the waterline and act as a buffer, absorbing the energy of crashing waves and protecting the beaches.
Conveyed meaning:
When the breakwater of rocks would rise and act (in the future), it would at the same time be ABSORBING and PROTECTING (also in the future).
Here we understood that "absorbing and protecting" will happen in future because of "breakwater of rocks that would rise six feet above the waterline and act as a buffer"

If the sentence is
"It is expected that a breakwater of rocks that would rise six feet above the waterline and act as a buffer, absorbing the energy of crashing waves and protecting the beaches."

In this sentence also is it referring to future or because of "It is expected" it means that it is absorbing now.

Bottom line: how do we identify the COMMA + VERBing is modifying something in future by seeing the main verb or the context?

P.S. could you please also tell if "It is expected that...." is invariably wrong on the gmat?
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by pramitmishra0607 » Mon Dec 12, 2016 7:52 am
BTW thanks a lot for the help.
I am sure many of the individuals around the world are thankful for help that you always provide. :)
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