Dangling modifiers

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Fiji_surf: Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts; Posts: 8; Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2008 2:09 pm

by Fiji_surf » Tue Aug 24, 2010 9:40 pm

Hi all, I would really appreciate if you could clarify this for me.
My question is: what is wrong with the sentence below:

The problem was identified, using the latest technology.

MGMAT sentence correction guide (where the sentence is coming from) says it is wrong because there is a dangling modifier and we need to insert a noun "engineer", who is "using the latest technology". I am guessing, then "using the latest technology" will become a noun-modifier.
However, what if "using the latest technology" is a verb-modifier and it actually modify's the verb "identified".

In other words, can the participial phrase ("using the latest technology") modify verb ("identified")?

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Source: Beat The GMAT — Sentence Correction | Tue Aug 24, 2010 9:40 pm

gmat_perfect: Legendary Member; Posts: 1083; Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2010 9:38 pmFollowed by: 14 members; Thanked: 127 times

by gmat_perfect » Wed Aug 25, 2010 7:02 am

Fiji_surf wrote:Hi all, I would really appreciate if you could clarify this for me.
My question is: what is wrong with the sentence below:

The problem was identified, using the latest technology.

MGMAT sentence correction guide (where the sentence is coming from) says it is wrong because there is a dangling modifier and we need to insert a noun "engineer", who is "using the latest technology". I am guessing, then "using the latest technology" will become a noun-modifier.
However, what if "using the latest technology" is a verb-modifier and it actually modify's the verb "identified".

In other words, can the participial phrase ("using the latest technology") modify verb ("identified")?

Some thoughts:

The "Comma + VerbING" modifies the preceding clause, which has a NOUN and a VERB. Meaning the "comma + Verbing" modifies the preceding "NOUN+VERB"

Now, the sentence mentioned by you is "The problem was identified, using the latest technology".

Here,

The problem =NOUN
was identified =Verb phrase.
---> NOUN + VERB.

So, the sentence that you have mentioned is correct as it is.

The original sentence in the Manhattan SC guide is as follows:

Using the latest technology, the mechanical problem was identified.

Here is the problem.

Opening modifier, specially the headless modifier (headless in the sense that it does not have subject and verb.), modifies the NOUN or NOUN + Modifier following comma.

Using the technology, the problem...

--> It seems that the problem is using the latest technology. So it is dangling.

Conclusion:

1. The sentence you mentioned is fine as it is.
2. Opening modifier (it may be "present participle, past participle") modifies the NOUN/NOUN phrase +modifier if any following comma.

I think you got it.

Thanks.

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Fiji_surf: Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts; Posts: 8; Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2008 2:09 pm

by Fiji_surf » Wed Aug 25, 2010 7:55 am

Thanks, gmat_perfect. It kind of starts making sense now.
Just one additional thing to clarify.

1. I am concluding from your explanation that opening modifier (such as "using the latest technology") always modifies the noun, and that noun needs to follow.

2. MGMAT says that, however, that the sentence ""The problem was identified, using the latest technology" is actually wrong.
Even though you are saying that it is right, I think I understand why it is wrong:
As you said, it has a "Comma + VerbING" structure. There is a rule: the sentence that follows "Comma + VerbING" structure has to be a result/conclusion of the first part of the sentence. While in the sentence above "using the latest technology" is by no means a result/conclusion of the first part of the sentence.

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paes: Legendary Member; Posts: 995; Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2010 11:56 pmFollowed by: 1 member; Thanked: 31 times

by paes » Wed Aug 25, 2010 8:20 am

gmat_perfect@

I don't agree that following is correct :

"The problem was identified, using the latest technology". -> who used the technology ??

The right version will be :

Engineer identified the problem, using the latest technology.

Point : In an adverbial modifier, the subject of the main clause should be a living thing.

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gmat_perfect: Legendary Member; Posts: 1083; Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2010 9:38 pmFollowed by: 14 members; Thanked: 127 times

by gmat_perfect » Wed Aug 25, 2010 9:09 am

paes wrote:gmat_perfect@

I don't agree that following is correct :

"The problem was identified, using the latest technology". -> who used the technology ??

The right version will be :

Engineer identified the problem, using the latest technology.

Point : In an adverbial modifier, the subject of the main clause should be a living thing.

Paes,

Good thinking.

My aim was to say that "NOUN + VERB" is modified by "COMMA + VERBING". In that sense the sentence mentioned by Fiji is correct at least grammatically.
But in the sense of meaning that is wrong.

Again, I am saying the sentence is grammatically ok, but the meaning is NOT ok.

fiji has said one more thing that is also correct.

Paes + Fiji:

Both of you have mentioned the same thing but in different way.

Yes you are right.

In case of verb modifier:

Nope, comma+verbing' modifies the NOUN + VERB preceding comma as I have learned.

We can wait for the comments from honorable experts.

Thanks.

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oavasd: Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts; Posts: 8; Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 3:04 pm

by oavasd » Wed Jun 13, 2012 3:05 pm

I ran into this same question while doing MGMAT. I read the replies, which I didn't totally understand. I still can't figure out the answer to the original question... why can't you just think of it is a verb modifier?

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avik.ch: Legendary Member; Posts: 641; Joined: Wed Apr 20, 2011 1:15 amFollowed by: 32 members; Thanked: 149 times; GMAT Score:760

by avik.ch » Wed Jun 13, 2012 8:38 pm

oavasd wrote:I ran into this same question while doing MGMAT. I read the replies, which I didn't totally understand. I still can't figure out the answer to the original question... why can't you just think of it is a verb modifier?

The problem was identified, using the latest technology.

"Using the latest technology" is indeed a verb modifier. But "using" itself is a participle,an adjective, and so it must refer the subject(noun) of the sentence. Moreover, for any adverb you always need a logical subject - an adverb modify the action performed by the subject.

"the problem" here is not a logical subject for the adverb "using the latest technology".

Hope this helps !!

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oavasd: Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts; Posts: 8; Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 3:04 pm

by oavasd » Thu Jun 14, 2012 7:45 am

Thanks a lot that explained it perfectly.

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jimmyjimmy: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 148; Joined: Sun Apr 29, 2012 1:08 pm; Thanked: 8 times

by jimmyjimmy » Fri Jun 15, 2012 1:46 pm

not clear yet!!!

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oavasd: Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts; Posts: 8; Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 3:04 pm

by oavasd » Sun Jun 17, 2012 7:18 pm

I'm actually still a bit confused. How come the Manhattan book says this is right then?

Last night our air conditioner broke, causing great consternation.

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avik.ch: Legendary Member; Posts: 641; Joined: Wed Apr 20, 2011 1:15 amFollowed by: 32 members; Thanked: 149 times; GMAT Score:760

by avik.ch » Sun Jun 24, 2012 11:03 pm

oavasd wrote:I'm actually still a bit confused. How come the Manhattan book says this is right then?

Last night our air conditioner broke, causing great consternation.

You can apply the same concept here,

subject : air conditioner

"last night" is an adverb of time.

Air conditioner broke, ---- result ---> causing great consternation ( adverb of result)

present participle phrase - modifies the whole clause, and refers the subject(noun). Here the "causing..." is happening at the same time when the "air conditioner broke"

Hope this helps !!

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