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Defying efforts
Source: Beat The GMAT — Sentence Correction |
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The answer is D.
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I assume you'd like an explanation, and not simply the correct answer!
There are two major issues here: MODIFIERS/CLAUSES and IDIOMS.
Whenever you see a sentence that begins with a present participle like DEFYING, it's a modifying phrase, and it needs to modify the subject that comes directly after the comma:
Defying (something)... the US dollar (did something)...
In the original sentence, there is no verb for the subject "US Dollar."
In B, the subject is changed to "rise": Defying (something)... the rise (of the US dollar) continued...
In C, D, and E, the subject is "US dollar," and the verb are in agreement. However, in E "and to reach" is no longer a modifier, and it's not parallel to the verb "is continuing its rise," so E is out.
The next issue is idioms: AT RESTRAINING v. TO RESTRAIN. Here, EFFORT requires TO RESTRAIN. The answer is D.
There are two major issues here: MODIFIERS/CLAUSES and IDIOMS.
Whenever you see a sentence that begins with a present participle like DEFYING, it's a modifying phrase, and it needs to modify the subject that comes directly after the comma:
Defying (something)... the US dollar (did something)...
In the original sentence, there is no verb for the subject "US Dollar."
In B, the subject is changed to "rise": Defying (something)... the rise (of the US dollar) continued...
In C, D, and E, the subject is "US dollar," and the verb are in agreement. However, in E "and to reach" is no longer a modifier, and it's not parallel to the verb "is continuing its rise," so E is out.
The next issue is idioms: AT RESTRAINING v. TO RESTRAIN. Here, EFFORT requires TO RESTRAIN. The answer is D.
Last edited by ceilidh.erickson on Sat Feb 02, 2013 8:12 am, edited 1 time in total.
Ceilidh Erickson
EdM in Mind, Brain, and Education
Harvard Graduate School of Education
EdM in Mind, Brain, and Education
Harvard Graduate School of Education
Hi Erickson,
As you said Present participle should modify phrase. But Why phrase should contain very. Phrase can be just have a subject. And A will satisfy. Please explain me Erickson. I know , somewhere i am lagging.
As you said Present participle should modify phrase. But Why phrase should contain very. Phrase can be just have a subject. And A will satisfy. Please explain me Erickson. I know , somewhere i am lagging.
I'm not sure that I quite understand your question. I think you mean - "why should the phrase contain a verb"? Here, it's not necessary for that participle phrase to contain a verb. The entire phrase beginning with DEFYING is modifying the subject THE US DOLLAR. But since US DOLLAR is the subject, it must have a verb to go with it.
In the original sentence, there is no verb. See what happens when we put all of the modifiers in parentheses:
(DEFYING efforts by policymakers on both sides of the Atlantic at restraining it), THE US DOLLAR, (continuing its rise), (reaching its highest level in six years against the German mark).
Did this answer your question?
In the original sentence, there is no verb. See what happens when we put all of the modifiers in parentheses:
(DEFYING efforts by policymakers on both sides of the Atlantic at restraining it), THE US DOLLAR, (continuing its rise), (reaching its highest level in six years against the German mark).
Did this answer your question?
Ceilidh Erickson
EdM in Mind, Brain, and Education
Harvard Graduate School of Education
EdM in Mind, Brain, and Education
Harvard Graduate School of Education
Hi Ceilidh ,ceilidh.erickson wrote:I'm not sure that I quite understand your question. I think you mean - "why should the phrase contain a verb"? Here, it's not necessary for that participle phrase to contain a verb. The entire phrase beginning with DEFYING is modifying the subject THE US DOLLAR. But since US DOLLAR is the subject, it must have a verb to go with it.
In the original sentence, there is no verb. See what happens when we put all of the modifiers in parentheses:
(DEFYING efforts by policymakers on both sides of the Atlantic at restraining it), THE US DOLLAR, (continuing its rise), (reaching its highest level in six years against the German mark).
Did this answer your question?
Can you please advise here the use of the COMMA + VERBing (COMMA+ restraining).
What I think is that , when we have a intention to do something then we use INFINITIFE and when we don't have an intention then we use participle. Please also explain me on this.
Your reply would be highly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Hi ceilidh ,ceilidh.erickson wrote:I assume you'd like an explanation, and not simply the correct answer!
There are two major issues here: MODIFIERS/CLAUSES and IDIOMS.
Whenever you see a sentence that begins with a present participle like DEFYING, it's a modifying phrase, and it needs to modify the subject that comes directly after the comma:
Defying (something)... the US dollar (did something)...
In the original sentence, there is no verb for the subject "US Dollar."
In B, the subject is changed to "rise": Defying (something)... the rise (of the US dollar) continued...
In C, D, and E, the subject is "US dollar," and the verb are in agreement. However, in E "and to reach" is no longer a modifier, and it's not parallel to the verb "is continuing its rise," so E is out.
The next issue is idioms: AT RESTRAINING v. TO RESTRAIN. Here, EFFORT requires TO RESTRAIN. The answer is D.
Just a quick question. In option D COMMA+REACHING modifies the what? Please explain.
I marked option E.
Many thanks in advance.
SJ
