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OG11R-SC-73

by paes » Fri Jul 09, 2010 5:51 pm
Analysts blamed May's sluggish retail sales on unexciting merchandise as well as the weather, colder and wetter than was usual in some regions，which slowed sales of barbecue grills and lawn furniture.
(A) colder and wetter than was usual in some regions，which slowed
(B) which was colder and wetter than usual in some regions，slowing
(C) since it was colder and wetter than usually in some regions，which slowed
(D) being colder and wetter than usually in some regions，slowing
(E) having been colder and wetter than was usual in some regions and slowed


[spoiler]OA Later
Please explain A, B and C

[/spoiler]
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by hardik.jadeja » Fri Jul 09, 2010 7:33 pm
Pick B.

A and C both are wrong because which at the end in both options incorrectly modifies region. It is supposed to modify weather.

B fixes this problem. The ing-modifier "slowing.." modifies the subject of the previous clause - "which". which refers to weather, so "slowing.." correctly modifies the weather.

Hope that helps..
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by apex231 » Fri Jul 09, 2010 7:52 pm
Yes, B is good.

(A) colder and wetter than was usual in some regions，which slowed
(B) which was colder and wetter than usual in some regions，slowing -> Correct.
(C) since it was colder and wetter than usually in some regions，which slowed
(D) being colder and wetter than usually in some regions，slowing
(E) having been colder and wetter than was usual in some regions and slowed
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by paes » Fri Jul 09, 2010 9:03 pm
Thanks Jadeja and Apex.

Jadeja,

You have given the perfect explanation which I was looking for.

So we can look B as :

Analysts blamed May's sluggish retail sales on <X> as well as the weather.
The weather (which) was colder and wetter than usual in some regions, slowing sales of <Y> .
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by gmat_perfect » Fri Jul 09, 2010 9:54 pm
paes wrote:Analysts blamed May's sluggish retail sales on unexciting merchandise as well as the weather, colder and wetter than was usual in some regions，which slowed sales of barbecue grills and lawn furniture.
(A) colder and wetter than was usual in some regions，which slowed
(B) which was colder and wetter than usual in some regions，slowing
(C) since it was colder and wetter than usually in some regions，which slowed
(D) being colder and wetter than usually in some regions，slowing
(E) having been colder and wetter than was usual in some regions and slowed


[spoiler]OA Later
Please explain A, B and C

[/spoiler]
Know the use of the two things clearly:

1. Comma + Verbing:

"Comma + Verbing" modifies the previous clause, which has a subject and a verb.

Look at the option D.

being colder and wetter than usually in some regions，slowing

Before slowing, there is no verb. being is not a verb. It is gerund. So D is out.

Look at B.
which was colder and wetter than usual in some regions，slowing

=> There is a verb "was" and subject "which" referring to weather. Keep it up.

2. Which:

Which refers to the immediate preceding NOUN.

Look at the options A and C. In both of the options "regions,which slowed" means that it is the region that slowed. It changes the meaning of the sentence. They are out.

Option E is simply awkward and not parallel.

Answer is B.
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by paes » Sat Jul 10, 2010 8:11 am
Thnaks gmat_perfect,

But one thing which I don't agree with you is :

comma + ing modifies the previous claue --> most of the time true but not always true,
it can modify to the noun(without verb) also.
e.g.
The man, running on the road, was a thief.
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by hardik.jadeja » Sat Jul 10, 2010 9:00 am
paes wrote:Thnaks gmat_perfect,

But one thing which I don't agree with you is :

comma + ing modifies the previous claue --> most of the time true but not always true,
it can modify to the noun(without verb) also.
e.g.
The man, running on the road, was a thief.
gmat_perfect is actually correct. He is actually talking about adverbial modifiers.

"ing" words are pretty flexible. The "ing" form of a word can act as a gerund / noun / noun phrase (Running is fun), a verb (I am running fast), an adverbial modifier (I exercise regularly, running every morning), an adjective (The running man just robbed the bank)...

Most of the time, if you see a comma immediately followed by an -ing word, then you've got an adverbial modifier.

Coming to your sentence. I think the correct way to write it would be - The man running on the road was a thief - We do not need commas. The phrase running on the road is an adjective, not an adverbial modifier, and that's why it can modify a noun.

Hope that helps..
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by paes » Sat Jul 10, 2010 9:30 am
Jadeja,

putting a comma or not depends on whether it is a restrictive modifier or non restrictive modifier.

I have seen some examples in BTG only ( by some experts) where a comma + ing modifier was modifying to a noun.

I will point you the link if I could find it.

Currently I remember a problem from OG

Many people, willing to admit that they lack computer skills or other technical skills, are disinclined to recognize that their analytical skills are weak

https://www.beatthegmat.com/why-while-wi ... 39759.html
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by hardik.jadeja » Sat Jul 10, 2010 10:10 am
You didn't understand my point. I am not denying that ing-modifiers can modify nouns. In fact, the SC question posted at the start has an ing-modifier("slowing slaes..") that is modifying a noun(weather). I just said that maybe gmat_perfect is talking about adverbial modifiers. Adverbial modifiers can never modify immediately preceding nouns. As I said, "ing" words are pretty flexible and can perform different roles in different sentences.

Coming to your sentence, "willing to admit......" is a participial phrase. Participial phrases function as adjectives and that's why they modify nouns.

You posted this question couple of weeks back in some other discussion thread where Jen has answered your question.
Refer this thread: https://www.beatthegmat.com/help-with-mo ... tml#263042

The trick is to figure out whether the ing-modifier is functioning as an adjective or as an adverbial modifier.
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by FightWithGMAT » Sat Jul 10, 2010 10:22 am
Hardik and Paes, you people are correct, but there needs a deep analysis.

The man, reading this forum, is a GMAT aspirant.
A Man reading this forum is a a GMAT aspirant.

Both the sentences are correct. The only difference is the restriction. In first, the noun modifier is non restrictive (extra information) as we have a specific guy here.

The man is a GMAT aspirant----makes a perfect sense.

In second, the noun modifier is essential as we have to identify" who"

A man is a GMAT aspirant------incomplete sentence-----you would ask a obvious question who????
who is reading this forum

Note: in both the forms, the modifier needs to be close to the NOUN it modifies.

The two sentences can take another form as well.
The man, who reads this forum, is a GMAT aspirant.
A man who reads this forum is a GMAT aspirant.

Now, come to what we call ADVERBIAL MODIFIERS
The student learned all the concepts from this forum, scoring 700 in GMAT.
scoring 700 in GMAT is a adverbial modifier, which modifies the previous clause---in short gives the answer to the question--"how the student scored 700."----------and the answer we know is "by learning all the concepts".

The modifier here need not to be close to "the student" as it is not a noun modifier.

Now, a small test. Let us move this modifier close to the noun and see how the sentence looks like.

The student, scoring 700 in GMAT, learned all the concepts from this forum-----------would it make sense???
I do not think so. And this is how we can test this small puzzle.
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