BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem

Usage of THAT and -ing

Expert replies
by eshh » Sat Aug 12, 2017 6:32 am
Hi,

I have one question regarding the usage of THAT and -ing to introduce a modifier. Let's say we have the following:
1) "With A, B, and C that are/is bla bla bla"
2) "With A, B, and C being bla bla bla"

In both cases, "bla bla bla" would modify all A, B and C or only C?

Thanks in advance.
Join the discussion
Source: — Sentence Correction |

by ceilidh.erickson » Sun Aug 20, 2017 11:22 am
In both of these cases, it would be implied that the [blah blah blah] modifier was referring to A, B, and C.

Take for example #110 in OG 13/2015:
Published in Harlem, the owner and editor of the Messenger were two young journalists, Chandler Owen and A. Phillip Randolph, who would later make his reputation as a labor leader.

A. Published in Harlem, the owner and editor of the Messenger were two young journalists, Chandler Owen and A. Phillip Randolph, who would later make his reputation as a labor leader.
B. Published in Harlem, two young journalists, Chandler Owen and A. Phillip Randolph, who would later make his reputation as a labor leader, were the owner and editor of the Messenger.
C. Published in Harlem, the Messenger was owned and edited by two young journalists, A. Phillip Randolph, who would later make his reputation as a labor leader, and Chandler Owen.
D. The Messenger was owned and edited by two young journalists, Chandler Owen and A. Phillip Randolph, who would later make his reputation as a labor leader, and published in Harlem.
E. The owner and editor being two young journalists, Chandler Owen and A. Phillip Randolph, who would later make his reputation as a labor leader, the Messenger was published in Harlem.
OA: C

Here, it's understood that the "who would..." clause is modifying both men in the original, but this is illogical. The correct answer rearranges the clause to modify only A. Phillip Randolph.
Ceilidh Erickson
EdM in Mind, Brain, and Education
Harvard Graduate School of Education
Join the discussion

• Page 1 of 1