Sentence Correction

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

B is the answer choice.
But if we remove the modifying phrase "which was colder and wetter than usual in some regions" shouldn't the sentence make sense. But in this case it appears as a run-on.

After removing the modifying phrase
Analysts blamed May's sluggish retail sales on unexciting merchandise as well as the weather, slowing sales of barbecue grills and lawn furniture.

The entire part after the first comma applies to the weather.

"The weather was colder and wetter, slowing down the sales of..."

Its indeed run on...
but question is can we remove the non- restricting cluase and test like that ?

experts, Pls suggest

pls someone can you let me know if my assessment is right.

gmatrant 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

B is the answer choice.

Hi All,

Can someone please tell how B is correct answer...

it does not seem to be following the usual Vs "is Usual". The details of this rule are there on the following thread:

https://gmat-grammar.blocked/2008/0 ... usual.html

the May weather in some regions is compared to the usual May weather.
=> weather compared to itself, so "usual" is correct. (as per the lesson in the link). "is usual" is not needed here

scoobydooby wrote:the May weather in some regions is compared to the usual May weather.
=> weather compared to itself, so "usual" is correct. (as per the lesson in the link). "is usual" is not needed here

Hi Scooby,

Based on the above discussion,it looks like the following rules are followed for "usual" Vs "is usual"....

Let's say there are two sets(X, Y) containing elements that can be compared:

Set X = (A, B, C)
Set Y = (P, Q, R)

#1...C if compared to other members of set X (which contain C) = "is usual" is to be used
#2...C if compared to other members Set Y(which does not contain C)..then we need to use "usual"
#3...C when compared to itself over say time, then we need to use "usual" ?

Can someone please tell
a) whether the above rules are indeed correct?
b) if yes, then are there any exceptions to the above ?

Thanks
Mohit

I'm also thinking this problem.

The "-ing" modifier is usually used for modifying the noun phrase in the main clause.

So, in this case, "Analysts blamed May's sluggish retail sales on unexciting merchandise as well as the weather, slowing sales of barbecue grills and lawn furniture." Which one is the noun phrase that we need to refer as the subject of our adverbial participle clause?

Both unexciting merchandise and weather or just simply the weather?

Furthermore, there is another similiar question waiting to be discussed,

Lawmakers are examining measures that would require banks to disclose all fees and account requirements in writing, provide free cashing of gov't checks, and to create basic savings accounts to carry minimal fees and require minimal initial deposits.

Choice D, to provide free cashing of government checks, creating basic savings accounts to carry.

According to the OG analysis, D is not correct because "creating....." seems to modify "checks" preceding it.

And what I want to ask is that, "ing" modifier rarely modify the preceding noun, isn't it?

If we arrange this sentence this way, it should be "Lawmakers are examining measures that would require banks to provide free cashing of government checks, creating basic savings accounts to carry."

The banks seems to be the noun that should be modified instead of the check..

Banks -->Subject
creating basic savings accounts to carry...........-->ing-modifier

But why it suggests that checks are being modified?

This type of "ing" modifier for such complicated sentence structure has botherd me for a very long time. Please help, thanks.

Renaissancecat wrote: And what I want to ask is that, "ing" modifier rarely modify the preceding noun, isn't it?

I also agree to this....can someone please tell why slowing is modifying weather here in the original question under discussion.....if it is not modifying weather then what it is modifying ?

the "ing" modifier is an adverbial modifier as it comes after a comma ( after regions) it doesnt modify the weather or the merchandise.

it modifies the previous clause ( which=weather was colder and wetter.....)
=>it shows the result of the weather being colder and wetter

Can you please let me know more about "ing" modifier? Or any link where I can refer to.

Thank you.

Regards,
Viju

scoobydooby wrote:the "ing" modifier is an adverbial modifier as it comes after a comma ( after regions) it doesnt modify the weather or the merchandise.

it modifies the previous clause ( which=weather was colder and wetter.....)
=>it shows the result of the weather being colder and wetter

Hi scooby,

I was of the opinion that:

<independent clause>, which modifier, <adverbial "ing" modifier>

Here <adverbial "ing" modifier> modifies <independent clause>....

But seems that you are saying that <adverbial "ing" modifier> is modifying "which modifier"....

Looks like I am missing something here.....

Isn't which supposed to be the middlemen and can be striked off immediately....?

Thanks
Mohit

viju9162 wrote:Can you please let me know more about "ing" modifier? Or any link where I can refer to.

Thank you.

Regards,
Viju

Probably the following link may help:

https://www.beatthegmat.com/ing-modifier ... 38943.html

Thank you. I will refer to it.

To scoobydooby,
Thanks for your kindly reply. It does help to clear my doubt.
I can understand your point, your explanation is very clear and reminds me that "ing" modifier can modify the entire preceding clause, too.

However, I am now wondering, as what goelmohit2002 has mentioned.

"Analysts blamed May's sluggish retail sales on unexciting merchandise as well as the weather, which was colder and wetter than usual in some regions,slowing...."

which clause is modifier of weather, just like:

the church, which was established in 1986, attracts many tourisms.

the which clause is just adding additional information and can be removed. So do the which clause existing here, right?

Then it will become,

"Analysts blamed May's sluggish retail sales on unexciting merchandise as well as the weather slowing...."

So, here comes the question, can I say that slowing is a ing modifier for the preceding noun, weather?

Because it is now "w/o comma + ing".

Q1) The preceding noun being modified is just the noun "weather" or " merchandise as well as weather" ?

For example,
Can you see Joanna and Tom sitting next to your sister?
So, the modifier is refering to Tom only or both Tom and Joanna together as one complete noun phrase?

Q2) Actually is that an ing clause can only be used to modify the preceding clause, just like scoobydooby mentioned? or it can skip a which modifer and directly modify the clause in front of the which clauase?

Q3) Furthermore, can "comma-ing" also be used to modified the preceding noun,

E.g.,
That's the girl,dressing as normal.

Is there any grammartical error in the above sentence?

If not, the problem "Lawmakers are examining measures that would require banks to provide free cashing of government checks, creating basic savings accounts to carry."

It sounds ok except the problem of parallelism, " the bank to provide....creating....." one is using to infinitive and the other using ing cluase. But still refer to the bank, isn't it?

Q4) Finally, is it true that perfect participle rarely existed in GMAT? if not, is there any example of perfect participle clause or rule that apply to it?

To viju9162,

The link goelmohit2002 introduced to you is very helpful, it has detailed explanations from Stacy and some other experts.

And if you want to have some more supplementary explanation, maybe you can also visit this site:

https://gmat-grammar.blocked/2006/0 ... fiers.html

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Thanks for any kindly help in advance.