Sentence Correction

sentence 1: scientists discovered irrefutable evidence that mars was once covered with water, disproving the hypothesis that the planet has always been dry

Doubt: i feel that this sentence must be WRONG as comma + VERBing is MODIFYING the previous clause "mars was once covered with water" , a situation which is NOT really happening . in actuality "scientists" must be "disproving the hypothesis"

thanks and best regards

Please post the entire SC, along with the answer choices.

Good Day Guru

Guru this sentence is not from any SC ;i am really sorry but i came across this sentence while doing the following problem:

Scientists have found signs that moving water changed the chemical makeup of the surface of Mars in recent eras, therefore concluding that its crust is harboring up to three times as much water than was previously thought.

(A) eras, therefore concluding that its crust is harboring up to three times as much water than was
(B) eras, therefore concluding that the planet's crust harbors up to three times as much water or more as was
(C) eras and have therefore concluded that the planet's crust harbors up to three times as much water as
(D) eras and they have concluded, therefore, that its crust harbors up to three times as much water, or more, than
(E) eras and concluded, therefore, that the planet's crust is harboring up to three times more water as was

please note that in this problem i eliminated A and B because "therefore concluding" is modifying "moving water changed the chemical makeup of the surface of Mars in recent eras" -----> which is wrong .Kindly tell me whether same logic can be extended to SENTENCE 1?

thanks and best regards

aditya8062 wrote:Good Day Guru

Guru this sentence is not from any SC ;i am really sorry but i came across this sentence while doing the following problem:

Scientists have found signs that moving water changed the chemical makeup of the surface of Mars in recent eras, therefore concluding that its crust is harboring up to three times as much water than was previously thought.

(A) eras, therefore concluding that its crust is harboring up to three times as much water than was
(B) eras, therefore concluding that the planet's crust harbors up to three times as much water or more as was
(C) eras and have therefore concluded that the planet's crust harbors up to three times as much water as
(D) eras and they have concluded, therefore, that its crust harbors up to three times as much water, or more, than
(E) eras and concluded, therefore, that the planet's crust is harboring up to three times more water as was

please note that in this problem i eliminated A and B because "therefore concluding" is modifying "moving water changed the chemical makeup of the surface of Mars in recent eras" -----> which is wrong .Kindly tell me whether same logic can be extended to SENTENCE 1?

thanks and best regards

This line of reasoning is sound.
In both your sentence and the official sentence, the agent of COMMA + concluding should be the implied subject of the preceding that-clause.

Hi Mitch,


I have a doubt in comma + VERB-ing.

Till now I knew that comma + VERB-ing refers to clause....like part before comma + VERB-ing is CAUSE and part after comma + VERB-ing is action.

The volcano erupted, blotting out the sun.



This is new for me that comma + VERB-ing can refer to a subject/ word in previous sentence.


Also, can you please help me in understanding the usage of (, + including) in sentence.


does comma + INCLUDing refers to a noun in sentence or the complete clause.

Till now I knew that comma + VERB-ing refers to clause....like part before comma + VERB-ing is CAUSE and part after comma + VERB-ing is action.

yes it does. in fact in one my posts Guru has explained it very nicely. give me some time i will attach that post here

Also, can you please help me in understanding the usage of (, + including) in sentence.


does comma + INCLUDing refers to a noun in sentence or the complete clause.

COMMA +INCLUDING is an exception to COMMA + VERBING. it is not used to describe the previous CLAUSE BUT it describes the LIST mentioned before the comma

vishalwin wrote:Hi Mitch,

I have a doubt in comma + VERB-ing.

Till now I knew that comma + VERB-ing refers to clause....like part before comma + VERB-ing is CAUSE and part after comma + VERB-ing is action.

The volcano erupted, blotting out the sun.

This is new for me that comma + VERB-ing can refer to a subject/ word in previous sentence.

Check my post here:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/ing-verb-mod ... 14885.html

Also, can you please help me in understanding the usage of (, + including) in sentence.

does comma + INCLUDing refers to a noun in sentence or the complete clause.

Check my post here:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/seamus-heaney-t283948.html