No GMAT style question, but instead an example to illustrate a problem that may be found in GMAT questions.
Consider the sentence: "Admiral Ackbar notified me that answer c is a trap".
Is this correct as is, or is "that it's a trap" leeching onto "me", creating a misplaced modifier?
If it's correct, why doesn't it leech onto me?
If it's not correct, how should the sentence be phrased?
My thinking is that it's correct, because the modifier is an adverb phrase, and therefore modifies the closest adjective, verb, or adverb. The closest eligible word or phrase is "notified".
OR, is it correct because "notify" is a reporting verb, and it's understood that the following "that" will describe what is reported, regardless of the placement?
In that case however, consider the following sentence:
"Admiral Ackbar notified me, who was about to confirm his answer, that answer c is a trap."
In the first explanation, this sentence would be wrong. Using the second explanation, this sentence would be correct.
Please help, thank you!
EDIT: Was reading that adverb phrases normally modify verbs...so can they modify adjectives or adverbs? I can't think of an example off top of my head...so maybe it works to identify modifier as adjective or adverb, and then if it's adjective, look for the immediate noun or pronoun. If it's adverb, look for the closest verb, even if there are words (such as "me") between.
Consider the sentence: "Admiral Ackbar notified me that answer c is a trap".
Is this correct as is, or is "that it's a trap" leeching onto "me", creating a misplaced modifier?
If it's correct, why doesn't it leech onto me?
If it's not correct, how should the sentence be phrased?
My thinking is that it's correct, because the modifier is an adverb phrase, and therefore modifies the closest adjective, verb, or adverb. The closest eligible word or phrase is "notified".
OR, is it correct because "notify" is a reporting verb, and it's understood that the following "that" will describe what is reported, regardless of the placement?
In that case however, consider the following sentence:
"Admiral Ackbar notified me, who was about to confirm his answer, that answer c is a trap."
In the first explanation, this sentence would be wrong. Using the second explanation, this sentence would be correct.
Please help, thank you!
EDIT: Was reading that adverb phrases normally modify verbs...so can they modify adjectives or adverbs? I can't think of an example off top of my head...so maybe it works to identify modifier as adjective or adverb, and then if it's adjective, look for the immediate noun or pronoun. If it's adverb, look for the closest verb, even if there are words (such as "me") between.
