Eyewitness Account

Question

The nephew of Pliny the Elder wrote the only eyewitness account of great eruption of Vesuvius in two letters to historian Tacitus.
A.The nephew of Pliny the Elder wrote the only eyewitness account of great eruption of Vesuvius in two letters to historian Tacitus.
B.To the historian Tacitus , the nephew of Pliny the elder wrote two letters , being the only eyewitness accounts of the great eruption of Vesuvius.
C.The only eyewitness account is in two letters by the nephew of Pliny the Elder writing to historian Tacitus an account of the great eruption of Vesuvius .
D.Writing the only eyewitness account,Pliny the Elder’s nephew accounted for the great eruption of Vesuvius in two letters to the historian Tacitus.
E.In two letters to the historian Tacitus , the nephew of Pliny the Elder wrote the only eyewitness account of the great eruption of Vesuvius.

[spoiler]Ans : E[/spoiler]

Can any one please explain how E is correct and how the rest the options are eliminated.

harsh.champ · Answer

rockeyb wrote:The nephew of Pliny the Elder wrote the only eyewitness account of great eruption of Vesuvius in two letters to historian Tacitus.
A.The nephew of Pliny the Elder wrote the only eyewitness account of great eruption of Vesuvius in two letters to historian Tacitus. - Sentence framing too wordy.
B.To the historian Tacitus , the nephew of Pliny the elder wrote two letters , being the only eyewitness accounts of the great eruption of Vesuvius.-It kinda denote that we are looking form Tacitus's point of view which is not the case.
C.The only eyewitness account is in two letters by the nephew of Pliny the Elder writing to historian Tacitus an account of the great eruption of Vesuvius .
D.Writing the only eyewitness account,Pliny the Elder’s nephew accounted for the great eruption of Vesuvius in two letters to the historian Tacitus. -Use of accounted over here changes the meaning of the sentence.
E.In two letters to the historian Tacitus , the nephew of Pliny the Elder wrote the only eyewitness account of the great eruption of Vesuvius.-The emphasis over here shifts to "two letters" which was not desired in the original sentence.

[spoiler]Ans : C[/spoiler]

Can any one please explain how C is correct and how the rest the options are eliminated.

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reply2spg · Answer

There is no way C is the answer. This is OG 11 question and OA is E

rockeyb wrote:The nephew of Pliny the Elder wrote the only eyewitness account of great eruption of Vesuvius in two letters to historian Tacitus.
A.The nephew of Pliny the Elder wrote the only eyewitness account of great eruption of Vesuvius in two letters to historian Tacitus.
B.To the historian Tacitus , the nephew of Pliny the elder wrote two letters , being the only eyewitness accounts of the great eruption of Vesuvius.
C.The only eyewitness account is in two letters by the nephew of Pliny the Elder writing to historian Tacitus an account of the great eruption of Vesuvius .
D.Writing the only eyewitness account,Pliny the Elder’s nephew accounted for the great eruption of Vesuvius in two letters to the historian Tacitus.
E.In two letters to the historian Tacitus , the nephew of Pliny the Elder wrote the only eyewitness account of the great eruption of Vesuvius.

[spoiler]Ans : C[/spoiler]

Can any one please explain how C is correct and how the rest the options are eliminated.

rockeyb · Answer

I agree my mistake . I can not understand the OG explanation please explain.

Junebug · Answer

I do not understand.
Doesn't (E) changes the meaning of the sentence?

(E) In two letters to the historian Tacitus, the nephew of Pliny the Elder wrote the only eyewitness account of the great eruption of Vesuvius.

In two letters to the historian Tacitus, - we do not know who gave these letters to Tacitus. Somehow Tacitus got two letters.
the nephew of Pliny the Elder wrote the only eyewitness account of the great eruption of Vesuvius. - In the letter, it is mentioned that Pliny wrote only eyewitness account of the great eruption of Vesuvius.

So (E) is telling that Tacitus got two letters from someone, somehow, and in those letters, only the fact that Pliny wrote only what he saw about the great eruption is mentioned. But original sentence is supposed to mean that Pliny wrote 2 letters, which have description of what he saw about the great eruption, to Tacitus.
Isn't it?

garima99 · Answer

The nephew of Pliny the Elder wrote the only eyewitness account of great eruption of Vesuvius in two letters to historian Tacitus.
A.The nephew of Pliny the Elder wrote the only eyewitness account of great eruption of Vesuvius in two letters to historian Tacitus.
B.To the historian Tacitus , the nephew of Pliny the elder wrote two letters , being the only eyewitness accounts of the great eruption of Vesuvius.
C.The only eyewitness account is in two letters by the nephew of Pliny the Elder writing to historian Tacitus an account of the great eruption of Vesuvius .
D.Writing the only eyewitness account,Pliny the Elder’s nephew accounted for the great eruption of Vesuvius in two letters to the historian Tacitus.
E.In two letters to the historian Tacitus , the nephew of Pliny the Elder wrote the only eyewitness account of the great eruption of Vesuvius.

[spoiler]Ans : E[/spoiler]

Can any one please explain how E is correct and how the rest the options are eliminated.

dev.gavande · Answer

I don't understand why A is wrong?

zaarathelab · Answer

dev.gavande wrote:I don't understand why A is wrong?

Nothing wrong with A, its second best choice we have here.

IMO..In GMAT grammar modifier+main clause+ sub clause is preferred over Main clause+s. Clause + S.clause

mad2011 · Answer

dev.gavande wrote:I don't understand why A is wrong?

Nothing wrong with A, its second best choice we have here.

IMO..In GMAT grammar modifier+main clause+ sub clause is preferred over Main clause+s. Clause + S.clause

sl750 · Answer

In statement A, the modifier should be placed next to the subject it modifies. Here, the modifier (In two letters to historian Tacitus) appears after the great eruption of Vesuvius. This is wrong. It should modify the nephew of Pliny

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