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Multiple modifiers

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by saketk » Sun Oct 09, 2011 3:25 am
One more for A
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by sungoal » Sun Oct 09, 2011 7:33 am
Option B is incorrect because it is a sentence fragment.

In option B "Although named for the New Mexico site where first discovered in 1932" is a participial phrase. But we should have a Dependent clause present after Although. So option B is incorrect.
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by catchpushkar » Sun Jan 29, 2012 9:44 pm
I will go with A
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by dario.brignone » Tue Mar 27, 2012 10:41 pm
Original sentence A) state that "Clovis points" were named for the New Mexico site where they were first discovered despite they have been found all over North America.

B), C) and E) change the meaning.
D) try to keep the meaning but it contains too many others errors.

So to me the solution is A)
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by moussaobeid » Mon Apr 16, 2012 6:30 am
GMATGuruNY wrote:
kvcpk wrote:Multiple modifiers in the below question are confusing to me.
Can someone please explain me why the right answer is right?

Even though Clovis points, spear points with longitudinal grooves chipped onto their faces, have
been found all over North America, they are named for the New Mexico site where they were first discovered
in 1932.


(A) Even though Clovis points, spear points with longitudinal grooves chipped onto their faces, have been found all over North America, they are named for the New Mexico site where they were first discovered in 1932.

The correct answer.

(8) Although named for the New Mexico site where first discovered in 1932, CloHvis points are spear points of longitudinal grooves chipped onto their faces and have been found allover North America.

Misplaced modifier: What exactly was first discovered in 1932?
Preposition error: of longitudinal grooves is incorrect; the correct preposition is with.

(C) Named for the New Mexico site where they have been first discovered in 1932, Clovis points, spear points of longitudinal grooves chipped onto the faces, have been found all over North America.

Tense error: they have been first discovered in 1932 should be in the past tense, not the present perfect.
Preposition error: of longitudinal grooves is incorrect; the correct preposition is with.

(D) Spear points with longitudinal grooves that are chipped onto the faces, Clovis points, even though named for the New Mexico site where first discovered in 1932, but were found all over North America.

A mess!
Tense error: with longitudinal grooves that are chipped onto the faces. Since the chipping happened in the past, are is the wrong tense.
Modifier error: What exactly was first discovered in 1932?
Conjunction error, Missing modifier: but were found all over North America. No need for the conjunction but. A modifier is needed to show the contrast in time. Sentence should read Clovis points...were later found all over North America.

(E) While Clovis points are spear points whose faces have longitudinal grooves chipped into them, they have been found all over North America, and named for the New Mexico site where they have been first discovered in 1932.

Also a mess.
Conjunction error: While is incorrect. The fact that Clovis points are spear points is being contrasted with the fact that they have been found all over North America.
Tense/Parallelism error: and named should be and are named in order to be parallel with they have been found
Tense error: they have been first discovered in 1932 should be in the past tense, not the present perfect.




Perfect explanation although I got it right, but you opened my eyes to mistakes I didnt catch.
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by GMAT Kolaveri » Mon Apr 16, 2012 6:59 am
OA: A
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by Lifetron » Sat Jul 28, 2012 7:50 pm
B - Modifier error with "first discovered in 1932". Wrong

D - even though and but in the same sentence. Wrong

E - Usage of "While" is incorrect. Wrong

Between A and C

C - Obvious error -> "spear points of longitudinal grooves", "of" should be "with". Wrong

Hence, The Answer is A
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by chris558 » Fri Aug 24, 2012 6:40 am
A is the correct answer. "they" clearly is a pronoun for Clovis points.

(B) Although named for the New Mexico site where first discovered in 1932, Clovis points are spear points of longitudinal grooves chipped onto their faces and have been found allover North America.
- after the clause beginning with "although", after the comma should begin a clause explaining something somewhat opposite or controversial to what the first clause mentioned. Although it was discovered in mexico... the pears have longitudinal grooves?? Now that doesn't make much sense in terms of structure.
(C) Named for the New Mexico site where they have been first discovered in 1932, Clovis points, spear points of longitudinal grooves chipped onto the faces, have been found all over North America.
- "have been" should be WERE.
(D) Spear points with longitudinal grooves that are chipped onto the faces, Clovis points, even though named for the New Mexico site where first discovered in 1932, but were found all over North America.
- this is just plain wordy and awkward. even though, but were...
(E) While Clovis points are spear points whose faces have longitudinal grooves chipped into them, they have been found all over North America, and named for the New Mexico site where they have been first discovered in 1932.
- this is wrong for the same reason why B was wrong.
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by mparakala » Tue Dec 11, 2012 7:47 pm
CLEAR WINNER!

"A"
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by tarik » Fri Aug 02, 2013 6:55 pm
I chose A. It is the only one that present the contrast clearly.
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by Java_85 » Fri Sep 27, 2013 8:16 am
IMO A
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by mech10 » Thu Mar 27, 2014 8:54 am
GMATGuruNY wrote:
kvcpk wrote:Multiple modifiers in the below question are confusing to me.
Can someone please explain me why the right answer is right?

Even though Clovis points, spear points with longitudinal grooves chipped onto their faces, have
been found all over North America, they are named for the New Mexico site where they were first discovered
in 1932.


(A) Even though Clovis points, spear points with longitudinal grooves chipped onto their faces, have been found all over North America, they are named for the New Mexico site where they were first discovered in 1932.

The correct answer.

(8) Although named for the New Mexico site where first discovered in 1932, Clovis points are spear points of longitudinal grooves chipped onto their faces and have been found allover North America.

Misplaced modifier: What exactly was first discovered in 1932?
Preposition error: of longitudinal grooves is incorrect; the correct preposition is with.

(C) Named for the New Mexico site where they have been first discovered in 1932, Clovis points, spear points of longitudinal grooves chipped onto the faces, have been found all over North America.

Tense error: they have been first discovered in 1932 should be in the past tense, not the present perfect.
Preposition error: of longitudinal grooves is incorrect; the correct preposition is with.

(D) Spear points with longitudinal grooves that are chipped onto the faces, Clovis points, even though named for the New Mexico site where first discovered in 1932, but were found all over North America.

A mess!
Tense error: with longitudinal grooves that are chipped onto the faces. Since the chipping happened in the past, are is the wrong tense.
Modifier error: What exactly was first discovered in 1932?
Conjunction error, Missing modifier: but were found all over North America. No need for the conjunction but. A modifier is needed to show the contrast in time. Sentence should read Clovis points...were later found all over North America.

(E) While Clovis points are spear points whose faces have longitudinal grooves chipped into them, they have been found all over North America, and named for the New Mexico site where they have been first discovered in 1932.

Also a mess.
Conjunction error: While is incorrect. The fact that Clovis points are spear points is being contrasted with the fact that they have been found all over North America.
Tense/Parallelism error: and named should be and are named in order to be parallel with they have been found
Tense error: they have been first discovered in 1932 should be in the past tense, not the present perfect.
A- does not include a pronoun error, since what 'they' refers is not clear? Please could u explain the reason why there is not a pronoun error?
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by [email protected] » Mon Apr 07, 2014 6:54 am
Hey GMATguruNY,
"they"in the first option can point to grooves as well!!... Am I correct?

Regards,
Mukherjee
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by GMATGuruNY » Mon Apr 07, 2014 7:41 am
[email protected] wrote:Hey GMATguruNY,
"they"in the first option can point to grooves as well!!... Am I correct?

Regards,
Mukherjee
Even though Clovis points, spear points with longitudinal grooves chipped onto their faces, have been found all over North America, they are named for the New Mexico site where they were first discovered in 1932.
Here, they serves as the subject of are named.
The default referent for a subject pronoun is the PRECEDING SUBJECT.
Thus, the default referent for they is Clovis points (the subject of the preceding clause).

When an answer choice contains a potentially ambiguous pronoun, eliminate the answer choice only if there is another answer choice that is free of errors and avoids the ambiguity.
In the SC above, B, C, D and E all contain clear errors.
Thus, the OA must be A.
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by dinesh86 » Mon Nov 17, 2014 4:40 am
Even though Clovis points, spear points with longitudinal grooves chipped onto their faces, have
been found all over North America, they are named for the New Mexico site where they were first discovered in 1932.


(A) Even though Clovis points, spear points with longitudinal grooves chipped onto their faces, have been found all over North America, they are named for the New Mexico site where they were first discovered in 1932 - Correct

(B) Although named for the New Mexico site where first discovered in 1932, Clovis points are spear points of longitudinal grooves chipped onto their faces and have been found all over North America - We are concerned about the contrast between naming of points and where they find. This option emphasizes appearance of points and compare it with named-after hence wrong contrast

(C) Named for the New Mexico site where they have been first discovered in 1932, Clovis points, spear points of longitudinal grooves chipped onto the faces, have been found all over North America - Contrast is omitted.

(D) Spear points with longitudinal grooves that are chipped onto the faces, Clovis points, even though named for the New Mexico site where first discovered in 1932, but were found all over North America - Even though and but are redundant together. Fragment as no verb for Clovis points.

(E) While Clovis points are spear points whose faces have longitudinal grooves chipped into them, they have been found all over North America, and named for the New Mexico site where they have been first discovered in 1932 - While introduces as both actions are occurring at same time. Also, this option changes contrast from between named-after and places-of-find to between appearance and places/named-after.

Correct me If I am wrong in my POE....
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