Sentence Correction

It's from Grockit

Studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, has enabled the secrets of how embryos develop to begin to be unraveled by scientists.
A) Studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, has enabled the secrets of how embryos develop to begin to be unraveled by scientists.
B) By the study of the fruit fly, a household nuisance and also a time-honored experimental subject, it was possible for the secrets of how embryos develop to begin to be unraveled by scientists.
C) By studying a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, the fruit fly enabled scientists to begin to unravel the secrets of how embryos develop.
D) By studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance and also a time-honored experimental subject, the secrets of how embryos develop are beginning to be unraveled by scientist.
E) The study of the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, has enabled scientist to begin to unravel the secrets of how embryos develop.

we can see that "a household nuisance.....subject" is inside double comma. The info in there can be neglected.
But is it under the modifier rule in which "a house hold nuisance" is "studying" something?

"a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject " is an appositive (or simply defining something), modifying fruit fly.

A,B,C are wrong because of dangling modifier (A important noun missing which is being defined). All these three choices lack a subject of who did the studying or study

D suggests the studying is done by "the secrets" not scientist, also uses passive voice (by and usage of to be unravelled)

E is good -> study has enabled scientist to do something...

torofish wrote:It's from Grockit

Studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, has enabled the secrets of how embryos develop to begin to be unraveled by scientists.
A) Studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, has enabled the secrets of how embryos develop to begin to be unraveled by scientists.
B) By the study of the fruit fly, a household nuisance and also a time-honored experimental subject, it was possible for the secrets of how embryos develop to begin to be unraveled by scientists.
C) By studying a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, the fruit fly enabled scientists to begin to unravel the secrets of how embryos develop.
D) By studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance and also a time-honored experimental subject, the secrets of how embryos develop are beginning to be unraveled by scientist.
E) The study of the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, has enabled scientist to begin to unravel the secrets of how embryos develop.

we can see that "a household nuisance.....subject" is inside double comma. The info in there can be neglected.
But is it under the modifier rule in which "a house hold nuisance" is "studying" something?

Let me explain.

The study of the members of facebook, a social net work, has enabled many social scientist to know many things.

--> here, study is not social net work. It is the facebook that is social net work.

Come to E.

The study of the fruit fly, a household ....subject, has enabled..

Study is not experimental subject. It is the fruit fly that is the experimental subject.

I think it is clear now.

Thanks.

Did anybody notice use of the word 'scientist' in D and E. Is it a typo?

Finished in 55 seconds.

I hope that this is correct question then only E makes sense here.

SeemaSkl wrote:Did anybody notice use of the word 'scientist' in D and E. Is it a typo?

Yes, I too observed it and hence none of the options made sense...

@Torofish..

Can you plz confirm that 'scientist' in options D & E is incorrect? At least in option E, which seems to be the correct choice, it has to be 'scientists'..

Why you guys think scientist is wrong in E?

Is there anything wrong in choice A?
I mean, I also chose E,but I can't figure out why A is not OK.

if the "a household......" could be taken as the subject of "studying" then there won't be a comma after this noun phrase, right?

"...to begin to be unraveled by scientists." in A is problematic, it's an infinitive passive voice construction that is wordy and confusing. I think that's probably something OG would write.

"Scientist" in choice E is a typo, I believe.

It can't be choice A because of "has enabled the secrets to begin to be unraveled by scientists." Enabling secrets to do anything is at least suboptimal usage, but aside from that (as uwhusky pointed out) it's passive and really wordy.

IMO E

Jim@Grockit wrote:"Scientist" in choice E is a typo, I believe.

It can't be choice A because of "has enabled the secrets to begin to be unraveled by scientists." Enabling secrets to do anything is at least suboptimal usage, but aside from that (as uwhusky pointed out) it's passive and really wordy.

Thank you! I got it!