Sentence Correction

GMATGuruNY wrote:

force5 wrote:Hailed as a key discovery in the science of evolution, the fossils of a large scaly creature resembling both a fish and a land-animal provide evidence of a possible link in the evolutionary chain from water-based to land-based organisms.
(A)the fossils of a large scaly creature resembling both a fish and a land-animal provide evidence of

(E)the fossils of a large scaly creature resemble both a fish and a land-animal and provide evidence of

i want to discuss this question with these two choices. Please give your inputs.

A comparison must compare APPLES TO APPLES: it must compare the right two things.
E states that the FOSSILS...resemble both a FISH and a LAND-ANIMAL.
The FOSSILS themselves do not resemble both a fish and a land-animal; the CREATURE resembles both a fish and a land-animal.
Eliminate A.

In A, resembling modifies creature, so the comparison is correct: a large scaly CREATURE resembling both a FISH and a LAND-ANIMAL.

Hi Mitch,

Thanks a lot for your response. Can you please share some light on how can one come to know that resembling modifies creature?????

aspirant2011 wrote:

GMATGuruNY wrote:

force5 wrote:Hailed as a key discovery in the science of evolution, the fossils of a large scaly creature resembling both a fish and a land-animal provide evidence of a possible link in the evolutionary chain from water-based to land-based organisms.
(A)the fossils of a large scaly creature resembling both a fish and a land-animal provide evidence of

(E)the fossils of a large scaly creature resemble both a fish and a land-animal and provide evidence of

i want to discuss this question with these two choices. Please give your inputs.

A comparison must compare APPLES TO APPLES: it must compare the right two things.
E states that the FOSSILS...resemble both a FISH and a LAND-ANIMAL.
The FOSSILS themselves do not resemble both a fish and a land-animal; the CREATURE resembles both a fish and a land-animal.
Eliminate A.

In A, resembling modifies creature, so the comparison is correct: a large scaly CREATURE resembling both a FISH and a LAND-ANIMAL.

Hi Mitch,

Thanks a lot for your response. Can you please share some light on how can one come to know that resembling modifies creature?????

Generally, NOUN + VERBing (with no intervening comma) implies that the present participle modifies the preceding noun:

The man running down the street looks tired.

In the sentence above, running is an adjective modifying the man.

In a large scaly creature resembling both a fish and a land-animal, resembling is an adjective modifying creature.

GMATGuruNY wrote:

aspirant2011 wrote:

GMATGuruNY wrote:

force5 wrote:Hailed as a key discovery in the science of evolution, the fossils of a large scaly creature resembling both a fish and a land-animal provide evidence of a possible link in the evolutionary chain from water-based to land-based organisms.
(A)the fossils of a large scaly creature resembling both a fish and a land-animal provide evidence of

(E)the fossils of a large scaly creature resemble both a fish and a land-animal and provide evidence of

i want to discuss this question with these two choices. Please give your inputs.

A comparison must compare APPLES TO APPLES: it must compare the right two things.
E states that the FOSSILS...resemble both a FISH and a LAND-ANIMAL.
The FOSSILS themselves do not resemble both a fish and a land-animal; the CREATURE resembles both a fish and a land-animal.
Eliminate A.

In A, resembling modifies creature, so the comparison is correct: a large scaly CREATURE resembling both a FISH and a LAND-ANIMAL.

Hi Mitch,

Thanks a lot for your response. Can you please share some light on how can one come to know that resembling modifies creature?????

Generally, NOUN + VERBing (with no intervening comma) implies that the present participle modifies the preceding noun:

The man running down the street looks tired.

In the sentence above, running is an adjective modifying the man.

In a large scaly creature resembling both a fish and a land-animal, resembling is an adjective modifying creature.

Hi Mitch,

Thanks a lot for your explanation

Hailed as a key discovery in the science of evolution, the fossils of a large scaly creature resembling both a fish and a land-animal provide evidence of a possible link in the evolutionary chain from water-based to land-based organisms.


(A)the fossils of a large scaly creature resembling both a fish and a land-animal provide evidence of

(E)the fossils of a large scaly creature resemble both a fish and a land-animal and provide evidence of


Point1: ING is never a verb unless preceded by a IS/Am etc....
Point 2: Subject and verb is not found on a prepositional phrase

So lets break it down

Hailed as a key discovery in the science of evolution,{This part is the modifier of the subject fossils - so we know THE FOSSILS is the subjects}

the fossils of a large scaly creature resembling both a fish and a land-animal provide evidence of a possible link in the evolutionary chain from water-based to land-based organisms.

The prepositional phrases here are marked in brackets- IDENTIFY THE TRUE SUBJECT VERB BY FIRST IDENTIFYING THE PREPOSITIONS



the fossils {of a large scaly creature} resembling both a fish and a land-animal provide evidence {of a possible link}{ in the evolutionary chain}{ from water-based to land-based organisms. }

this implies


the fossils {resembling} IS NOT A VERB - HENCE IT SHOULD BE RESEMBLE ELIMINATE a

the fossils resemble both a fish and a land-animal provide evidence.............

Well if you think that the above analysis is not right .. do correct it..