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Modifiers: preceding word or clause?

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by andychoo » Thu Aug 07, 2008 3:25 pm
What determines if a modifier targets the preceding word or the entire preceding phrase?

for example:

In Manhattan Review's verbal guide, question #140.
"...draft again, a program known..." is wrong.

But words that have an -ing after a comma typically modifies the entire preceding phrase. So what criterion defines this rule?

Thanks.

Andy
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by bourne159 » Thu Aug 07, 2008 3:43 pm
There are two types of modifiers.
The modifier that modifies a noun is placed close to that noun.
Most of the times these modifiers are 'which', 'where', 'Based' etc....
Example: 1) We live in a world, which is ............
2) There is a lot of marine life in waters, where..............

There is another set of modifiers that modify an entire clause or a verb in the clause. Most of the times these have the 'ing' form. If you ask the question when, how, why of the verb in the clause the modifier should give the answer.

Example:
1) In the afternoon, I went to the market (The modifier is "In the afternoon")
2) I made a lot of noise, causing the thief to panic. ('causing' modifies the verb made)

I hope this helps
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by andychoo » Thu Aug 07, 2008 3:52 pm
Thanks. So can I assume that -ing is the only situation where a modifying phrase modifies the preceding clause?
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by andychoo » Fri Aug 08, 2008 12:12 pm
Wait, how about manhattan verbal question #60.

Experts believe that senior citizens with higher than average cholesterol....are more likely to die at an age below that of their life expectancy.

The correct answer is "whose families have a predisposition to cardiovascular disease"

In this case, whose comes after cholesterol, but obviously whose is modifying senior citizens.

But isnt whose supposed to come after senior citizens?
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by bourne159 » Fri Aug 08, 2008 2:19 pm
Can you post the entire question?
I don't have access to Manhattan guide.

Also modifiers usually appear as separate phrases (separated by a comma)
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by kiranlegend » Fri Aug 08, 2008 11:42 pm
yeah, please post the total sentence..
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by andychoo » Sat Aug 09, 2008 11:50 am
Sorry about the delay. Here you go:

Experts believe that senior citizens with higher than average cholesterol and their families develop a predisposition to cardiovascular disease are more likely to die at an age below that of their life expectancy.

a) and their families develop a predisposition to cardiovascular disease

b) whose families have a predisposition to cardiovascular disease

c) and a predisposition to cardiovascular disease runs in the family

d) whose families have a predisposition to cardiovascular disease running in them

e) with a predisposition to cardiovascular disease running in their family


When i was working on this problem, i immediately eliminated a and c due to subordination/coordination.

d is obviously wrong because of "running in them" Pronoun reference

So for me, it was between b and e. I guessed b because of the verb tense (B is the right answer), BUT i thought since "whose" came after cholesterol, it was modifying the wrong noun (It is obviously modifying senior citizens). So i thought for a second that maybe E was better, but "running in their family" seemed awkward.

Anyway, I'm still confused about the location of modifiers. I know that "which" only modifies the preceding word, but what about other pronouns?
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