patanjali.purpose wrote:
Certain pesticides can become ineffective if used repeatedly in the same place.
IMO "if used repeatedly in the same place" is a modifier not a clause, that too a noun modifier.
a non-essential noun modifier ( with comma) gives us extra information about the noun it modifies, If we remove this - the sentence won't have any effect from the meaning aspect. Moreover a noun modifier can also be a clause as for relative clauses.
Certain pesticides can become ineffective
if used repeatedly in the same place
If used repeatedly in the same place, certain pesticides can become ineffective. - here if you remove the "if ..." the verb/action doesn't stand. It provides an information about the action - "become" -- how ? when ? why ?
from constituency :
certain pesticides --- subject
can become --- linking verb
ineffective --- adjective predicate
If used repeatedly in the same place :
------
used repeatedly --- this is the main verb (intransitive) from the sentence it is derived, but here this is a adjective. Since this is a adjective , it should refer a noun - so it refers to the implied subject i.e noun -- certain pesticides.
something like this :
Three senators reversed their vote on the controversial tax bill.
Three senators were prodded by public opinion.
In order to join these two sentences --
Three senators
were prodded by public opinion. -- we delete the auxiliary verb and thus what remains is a past perfect , an adjective.
Prodded by public opinion, three senators reversed their vote on the controversial tax bill.
So "prodded" modifies "three senators".
-------
in the same place - adverb of place
Since GMAT favors the modifier to be close to the noun it modifies -- this is more favorable than:
Three senators reversed their vote on the controversial tax bill,prodded by public opinion.
Refer this :
https://www.beatthegmat.com/past-partici ... tml#453551
For solving SC in 1:30 min - its useful to look for adjective aka participle and see what makes sense with the subject :
Although
covered in about 11 inches of snow, the runway was in acceptable condition during the emergency landing, according to aviation officials.
Here the other option may change "the runway" ... which will not make any sense with the adjective "covered".
But I think : "Although covered in about 11 inches of snow" is an adverb of condition.
Hope this clarifies all your doubt !!
