Sentence Correction

Although various eighteenth- and nineteenth-century American poets had professed an interest in Native American poetry and had pretended to imitate Native American forms in their own works, until almost 1900, scholars and critics did not begin seriously to study traditional Native American poetry in native languages.

(A) until almost 1900, scholars and critics did not begin seriously to study
(B) until almost 1900 scholars and critics had not
begun seriously studying
(C) not until almost 1900 were scholars and critics
to begin seriously to study
(D) it was not almost until 1900 when scholars and
critics began to seriously study
(E) it was not until almost 1900 that scholars and
critics seriously began studying

OA E
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What is the difference between choice A & C regarding their placement of the prepositional phrase?

The OG has mentioned that the phrase "until almost 1900" will cause confusion because it can be used to modify either the first verb or the next verb. But why??

However, the placement in choice B can eliminate this problem.

It looks like,
(A) ....,until almost 1900,....(non-essential info.)
(B) ............, until almost 1900....... (essential info.)

What causes the difference? Is there any rule that can be followed so that we can figure out what the prepositional phrase is intended to modify?

Thanks in advance.

The use of "Although" at start means that there is a contrast so "not" is needed. in A the phrase "until almost 1900" can mean 1) various 18th and 19th...in theier works until 1900 OR 2) it was not until 1900 that scholars began....

for me it is more between D and E.

and even though "when" which modifies year/period etc sound correct here the "began to seriously study " means they were studying but were not serious while E does not change the meaning

Hope this helps. Let me know if i make sense

Vinayak

To vinayakdl,

Thanks for your kindly reply. It does help a lot.
But one more question, how do you know the prepositional phrase is referring to preceding or the next both, or, both? Because I find it hard to distinguish
Can it be understood in this way:
1) V1 , prepositional phrase , V2 ---> both
2) V1 , prepositional phrase + V2 ---> merely the verb immediately followed?

Thx in advance.

Renaissancecat wrote:To vinayakdl,

Thanks for your kindly reply. It does help a lot.
But one more question, how do you know the prepositional phrase is referring to preceding or the next both, or, both? Because I find it hard to distinguish
Can it be understood in this way:
1) V1 , prepositional phrase , V2 ---> both
2) V1 , prepositional phrase + V2 ---> merely the verb immediately followed?

Thx in advance.

np,


No idea if the rule you said above is true or not...but here is how I decided. Sentence part in commas ",until....," are ones that are not key for the sentence to make sense, in this case though it is important hence 2 commas are not accurate. Plus i try reading the sentence in two part 1st attaching the prep phrase to first part and the then second and in this case it makes kind of sense with both.
As far as i know the noun inside a prepositional phrase cannot normally refer to a outside very (there are a few exceptions to this rule)

Vinayak

Although needs a contrast,so we prefer C, B and D.

However, A cannot be, since "until almost 1900" between two commas is ambiguous.
B uses "had not begun seriously studying", that's incorrect because it comes after(in the time) that "poets had professed"

C uses a wrong construction (were scholars to begin...)

D. begin + verb in ing form. It uses the wrong form.

E. the only one left and finally the subject is clear.

Hope this helps

IMO (E)...

guys, i ruled out options B,C,D but was stuck between A and E. Now i ruled out E because i could not find anything to which "it" in option E refers to. Can anyone tell me, what "it" refers to in option E

also i more query had it been that there was not comma after "until almost 1900" whether ambiguity in option would have been removed ?

What does the "it" refer to? Why is it not an ambiguous pronoun?

Thanks a lot ! Nice one...

I am also stuck between A and E.

Somebody please explain, why A is wrong.

i'm still somewhat unsure about the prepositional clause in answer choice A.


in their own works, until almost 1900, scholars and critics did not begin seriously to study

if until almost 1900 were modifying the previous clause, as in being a adverbial modifier, then there is no comma before it.

so if it is ambiguous I can only assume that it is a non-essential noun modifier incorrectly modifying "works", which gramatically legal. Then there is ambiguity over whether it modifies before or after.

Although various eighteenth- and nineteenth-century
American poets had professed an interest in Native
American poetry and had pretended to imitate Native
American forms in their own works, until almost 1900,
scholars and critics did not begin seriously to study
traditional Native American poetry in native
languages.
(A) until almost 1900, scholars and critics did not
begin seriously to study
(B) until almost 1900 scholars and critics had not
begun seriously studying
(C) not until almost 1900 were scholars and critics
to begin seriously to study
(D) it was not almost until 1900 when scholars and
critics began to seriously study
(E) it was not until almost 1900 that scholars and
critics seriously began studying

this question shows that gmat test "past perfect continuous"
past perfect continuous is used to show an action happening over a period up to a particular point in the past.

choice A,

we have to use "had not been begining" in choice A.

part perfect is used to talk an action happening before a part point of time/past action. this is the only case in which past perfect is used. all other cases , simple past is used.

past perfect emphasize the finishing of an action before a part action
past perfect continuous emphsizes the howlong the action happened at the past time point
past simple emphasizes the past point of time.