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Independent clause

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by mbanit » Sat Oct 16, 2010 1:05 am
Please suggest me the best answer and also why it is so

Scientists have recently discovered that
nearly all of the world's sharks live at ocean
depths of 2,000 meters or less; leaving them
well within reach of the deadly fishing nets
of modern deep-sea trawlers.
(A) leaving them well within reach of the
deadly fishing nets of modern deep-sea
trawlers.
(B) they are, therefore, well within reach of
the deadly fishing nets of modern deepsea
trawlers.
(C) leaving us well within reach of the
deadly fishing nets of modern deep-sea
trawlers.
(D) and this creates a danger zone within
reach of modern deep-sea trawlers'
deadly fishing nets.
(E) which makes them well within reach of
the deadly fishing nets of modern deepsea
trawlers.
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by kapur.arnav » Sat Oct 16, 2010 2:08 am
I wud go with B for this one...
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by niksworth » Sat Oct 16, 2010 5:48 am
This sentence uses a semicolon. A semicolon separates two independent clauses. So, the correct answer choice will contain an independent clause on both sides of a semicolon.

Only B satisfies this criteria and is thus right. None of the clauses in D and E are independent. A and C are not clauses at all.
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by psychomath » Sat Oct 16, 2010 8:39 am
SInce there is a semi colon- I will go with B. We use semi colons when there are two separate clauses in the sentence. Correct me if I am wrong!
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by mbanit » Sat Oct 16, 2010 10:39 am
I think D also contains two independent clauses separated by semicolon. If so, it could be the answer.

In B, we have pronoun "they" which could refer to scientists or Sharks. Isn't this creates pronoun ambiguity?
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by kapur.arnav » Sat Oct 16, 2010 10:54 am
mbanit wrote:I think D also contains two independent clauses separated by semicolon. If so, it could be the answer.

In B, we have pronoun "they" which could refer to scientists or Sharks. Isn't this creates pronoun ambiguity?
Yes, D contains a semi colon but it also contains an and... this is an example of redundancy...

The sentence should have either ; or and.... both of them cannot be used...
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by Shawshank » Sat Oct 16, 2010 4:02 pm
Whats the source.. the all options other than B are not even close..
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by pesfunk » Sun Oct 17, 2010 1:37 am
It must be B. That's the most independent.

OA please ?
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by Dangerous Dude » Sun Oct 17, 2010 3:49 am
Not comfortable with any....

B: they is not clear
D: And can join two indipendent clauses but it should be separated by comma then semi colon...


Though i go with B....
OA???
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by gmat_perfect » Sun Oct 17, 2010 5:50 am
mbanit wrote:Please suggest me the best answer and also why it is so

Scientists have recently discovered that nearly all of the world's sharks live at ocean depths of 2,000 meters or less; leaving them well within reach of the deadly fishing nets of modern deep-sea trawlers.

(A) leaving them well within reach of the deadly fishing nets of modern deep-sea trawlers.
(B) they are, therefore, well within reach of the deadly fishing nets of modern deep sea trawlers.
(C) leaving us well within reach of the deadly fishing nets of modern deep-sea trawlers.
(D) and this creates a danger zone within reach of modern deep-sea trawlers' deadly fishing nets.
(E) which makes them well within reach of the deadly fishing nets of modern deep sea trawlers.

Two clauses can be joined by the following ways:

1. COMMA + FANBOYS:

They are playing, and I am jogging.

2. Period and Capital:

They are playing. I am jogging.

3. Semicolon (;) + Conjunctive Adverb +COMMA + Independent clause:

They are playing; however, I am jogging.

4.Independent clause + Semicolon (;) + Independent clause

They are playing; I am jogging.

5. Subordination + COMMA + Independent clause

While they are playing, I am jogging.

Now, come to the sentence

list of conjunctive adverbs:


accordingly, furthermore, moreover, similarly,
also, hence, namely, still,
anyway, however, nevertheless, then,
besides, incidentally, next, thereafter,
certainly, indeed, nonetheless, therefore,
consequently, instead, now, thus,
finally, likewise, otherwise, undoubtedly,
further, meanwhile.

Here is the list of FANBOYS:

F --> For
A--> AND
N--> NOR
B--> BUT
O--> OR
Y--> YET
S--> SO

Here is the list of subordinate conjunction:

after
although
as
as if
as long as
as much as
as soon as
as though
because
before
even
even if
even though
if
if only
if when
if then
inasmuch
in order that
just as
lest
now
now since
now that
now when
once
provided
provided that
rather than
since
so that
supposing
than
that
though
til
unless
until
when
whenever
where
whereas
where if
wherever
whether
which
while
who
whoever
why

Have a look at these.

Answer MUST be B
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by Jim@Grockit » Sun Oct 17, 2010 8:15 pm
There's no way I can top gmat_perfect's supremely thorough answer, but I'll add the standard "test" for an independent clause (which is the only thing acceptable after a semicolon that isn't being used as a kind of meta-comma separating items in a list that themselves have commas): an independent clause can stand alone as a sentence. Things beginning with one of gmat_perfect's list of subordinating conjunctions cannot do so.
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by pzazz12 » Tue Oct 19, 2010 4:14 am
mbanit wrote:Please suggest me the best answer and also why it is so

Scientists have recently discovered that
nearly all of the world's sharks live at ocean
depths of 2,000 meters or less; leaving them
well within reach of the deadly fishing nets
of modern deep-sea trawlers.
(A) leaving them well within reach of the
deadly fishing nets of modern deep-sea
trawlers.
(B) they are, therefore, well within reach of
the deadly fishing nets of modern deepsea
trawlers.
(C) leaving us well within reach of the
deadly fishing nets of modern deep-sea
trawlers.
(D) and this creates a danger zone within
reach of modern deep-sea trawlers'
deadly fishing nets.
(E) which makes them well within reach of
the deadly fishing nets of modern deepsea
trawlers.

I think answer is B.
what is OA?
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