Verb/Noun Modifier Question

Expert replies

michaelfaulkner: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 31; Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2009 1:15 pmFollowed by: 2 members; Location: Indianapolis, IN; Thanked: 8 times; GMAT Score:760

by michaelfaulkner » Sat Jan 22, 2011 1:36 pm

The web hanging from the rafters on the ceiling was beautiful, elaborately spun by a black widow spider.

This is the answer to a sentence correction problem from Knewton.

The explanation says that it is correct because "elaborately spun by a black widow spider" is set off by a comma at the end of the sentence, so it correctly modifies the subject of the sentence, "the web."

If 'elaborately spun by a black widow spider' modifies the noun 'the web,' then isn't it an adjective modifier? And if so, doesn't it have to TOUCH the noun it modifies?

I don't understand how this sentence is correct, can someone please clarify?

Like this post

Source: Beat The GMAT — Sentence Correction | Sat Jan 22, 2011 1:36 pm

Target2009: Legendary Member; Posts: 574; Joined: Sat Oct 31, 2009 1:47 pmFollowed by: 5 members; Location: USA; Thanked: 29 times

by Target2009 » Sat Jan 22, 2011 5:42 pm

Kindly post Full question for the benefit of all of us.

Regards
Abhishek
------------------------------
MasterGmat Student

Like this post

michaelfaulkner: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 31; Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2009 1:15 pmFollowed by: 2 members; Location: Indianapolis, IN; Thanked: 8 times; GMAT Score:760

by michaelfaulkner » Sat Jan 22, 2011 6:16 pm

It's a Knewton practice question & not in the typical underlined SC format.

The full question is: Which of the following sentences is written correctly? And out of 5 unrelated sentences, the correct answer is:

'The web hanging from the rafters on the ceiling was beautiful, elaborately spun by a black widow spider.'

The explanation was: "elaborately spun by a black widow spider" is set off by a comma at the end of the sentence, so it correctly modifies the subject of the sentence, "the web."

There were 4 other answer choices, but there's no point posting them because they are all incorrect.

Like this post

VivianKerr: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 1035; Joined: Fri Dec 17, 2010 11:13 amFollowed by: 365 members; Location: Los Angeles, CA; Thanked: 474 times

by VivianKerr » Sat Jan 22, 2011 7:13 pm

Hi there Michael,

"Elaborately..." is an adjectival modifying phrase. Adjectives can modify nouns without touching. (i.e. The grass was green.). Here a verb separates the noun from the adjective describing it.

Usually when we see modifying clauses they come at the beginning of the sentence, and are immediately followed by the noun they modify (this is a common GMAT error):

Staring at her fridge, Ellen realized she needed to go grocery shopping.

This might be why you're confused by this sentence. Consider what this sentence would sound like if one of the two adjectives, "beautiful," was removed, or if the entire 2nd adjective phrase was removed.

The web hanging from the rafters on the ceiling was beautiful.

The web hanging from the rafters on the ceiling was elaborately spun by a black widow spider.

Either way, the sentence still works! Just like our simple "The grass is green" example, we have an adjective separated from its noun by a verb.

Hope this helps!

Vivian Kerr
GMAT Rockstar, Tutor
https://www.GMATrockstar.com
https://www.yelp.com/biz/gmat-rockstar-los-angeles

Former Kaplan and Grockit instructor, freelance GMAT content creator, now offering affordable, effective, Skype-tutoring for the GMAT at $150/hr. Contact: [email protected]

Thank you for all the "thanks" and "follows"!

Like this post

michaelfaulkner: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 31; Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2009 1:15 pmFollowed by: 2 members; Location: Indianapolis, IN; Thanked: 8 times; GMAT Score:760

by michaelfaulkner » Sat Jan 22, 2011 7:38 pm

VivianKerr wrote: Usually when we see modifying clauses they come at the beginning of the sentence, and are immediately followed by the noun they modify (this is a common GMAT error):

Staring at her fridge, Ellen realized she needed to go grocery shopping.

Thank you for the help. I have a follow up question. What do you mean a common GMAT error? The sentence above would be correct on the GMAT, right? Do you mean that in "true English," this is not the typical structure?

So then, if that sentence works. This would also work:

Elaborately spun by a black widow spider, the web hanging from the rafters on the ceiling was beautiful.

right?

Like this post

Jim@Grockit: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 641; Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2009 3:07 pmFollowed by: 45 members; Location: Madison, WI; Thanked: 162 times; GMAT Score:760

by Jim@Grockit » Mon Jan 24, 2011 9:37 am

michaelfaulkner wrote:
VivianKerr wrote: Usually when we see modifying clauses they come at the beginning of the sentence, and are immediately followed by the noun they modify (this is a common GMAT error):

Staring at her fridge, Ellen realized she needed to go grocery shopping.
Thank you for the help. I have a follow up question. What do you mean a common GMAT error? The sentence above would be correct on the GMAT, right? Do you mean that in "true English," this is not the typical structure?

So then, if that sentence works. This would also work:

Elaborately spun by a black widow spider, the web hanging from the rafters on the ceiling was beautiful.

right?

"Common GMAT error" as in "common source of errors in wrong answer choices". It's something the GMAT likes to test.

Like this post

michaelfaulkner: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 31; Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2009 1:15 pmFollowed by: 2 members; Location: Indianapolis, IN; Thanked: 8 times; GMAT Score:760

by michaelfaulkner » Mon Jan 24, 2011 12:35 pm

^ so does that mean that the sentence is incorrect because the modifier is before the noun it modifies?

And then it should read this way instead?

"Ellen, staring at her fridge, realized she needed to go grocery shopping."

Like this post

VivianKerr: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 1035; Joined: Fri Dec 17, 2010 11:13 amFollowed by: 365 members; Location: Los Angeles, CA; Thanked: 474 times

by VivianKerr » Wed Jan 26, 2011 8:36 pm

@Michael Sorry, I should have been more clear. My example was correct.

CORRECT:
Staring at her fridge, Ellen realized she needed to go grocery shopping.

"Staring at her fridge" is the modifying phrase. We ask: who or what is staring? The answer is "Ellen," so "Ellen" comes after the comma.

Your sentence would work as well, since in it Ellen is also the person doing the "staring" and the "realizing."

Here would be an example of an error:

INCORRECT: Staring at her fridge, the grocery shopping list was read aloud by Ellen.

Not only is it incorrect because a "list" cannot logically stare at a fridge, but it's also in passive voice.

Like this post

Post new topic Locked

• Page 1 of 1

GMAT Course Reviews

559 reviews

1168 reviews

431 reviews

359 reviews

147 reviews

5/5

5 Star (560 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