GMAT OG 2019 When viewed from the window

Hello Everyone!

This is a great example of a sentence with a modifier that you might find on the GMAT exam – and it’s an easy one to answer quickly if you know what to look for! Let’s take a closer look to come up with the right answer.

Whenever you see a sentence that starts with a modifier phrase, whatever that phrase is referring to must come directly after the comma:

After melting in the sun, the Popsicle turned into a bright green puddle. --> GOOD

After melting in the sun, the green puddle from the Popsicle was bright green. --> BAD

Here is a simple test to find the right answer: If you ask yourself the question, “What melted in the sun?” you would answer “the Popsicle.” The Popsicle melted in the sun, not the puddle, so Popsicle needs to come first!

For our sentence, we must ask ourselves, “What is viewed from the window of a speeding train?” The answer is “nearby objects,” which tells us that must be the first thing that follows the comma! Let’s see how each of the answers holds up:

A. the speed with which nearby objects move seems faster than that of --> WRONG

B. the speed that nearby objects move seems faster than for --> WRONG

C. the speed of nearby objects seems faster than --> WRONG

D. nearby objects' speeds seem to be faster than those of --> WRONG

E. nearby objects seem to move at a faster speed than do --> CORRECT!

See? If you know how to quickly check that your modifiers and subjects are next to each other, these kinds of questions are easy to answer in a breeze!


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