Sentence Correction

Medieval monks, through their manuscript illuminations, meticulously embellishing the elaborate calligraphy, communicated their interpretive understanding of the texts they illustrated.

A)Medieval monks, through their manuscript illuminations, meticulously embellishing the elaborate calligraphy, communicated

B)Through their manuscript illuminations, meticulously embellishing the elaborate calligraphy, medieval monks communicated

C)Through their manuscript illuminations, with which they meticulously embellished elaborate calligraphy, medieval monks communicated

D)Meticulously embellishing the elaborate calligraphy, medieval monks, through their manuscript illuminations communicated

E)Medieval monks, through their manuscript illuminations, meticulously embellished them and communicated

OA: C

Mo2men wrote:Medieval monks, through their manuscript illuminations, meticulously embellishing the elaborate calligraphy, communicated their interpretive understanding of the texts they illustrated.

A)Medieval monks, through their manuscript illuminations, meticulously embellishing the elaborate calligraphy, communicated

B)Through their manuscript illuminations, meticulously embellishing the elaborate calligraphy, medieval monks communicated

C)Through their manuscript illuminations, with which they meticulously embellished elaborate calligraphy, medieval monks communicated

D)Meticulously embellishing the elaborate calligraphy, medieval monks, through their manuscript illuminations communicated

E)Medieval monks, through their manuscript illuminations, meticulously embellished them and communicated

A: Medieval monks, through their manuscript illuminations, meticulously embellishing the elaborate calligraphy, communicated
B: Through their manuscript illuminations, meticulously embellishing the elaborate calligraphy, medieval monks communicated
D: Meticulously embellishing the elaborate calligraphy, medieval monks, through their manuscript illuminations communicated
In these options, it is not crystal clear whether the phrase in red serves to modify embellishing (the monks were EMBELLISHING through their illuminations) or communicated (the monks COMMUNICATED through their illuminations).
It must be crystal clear what a modifier is modifying.
Eliminate A, B and D.

Within a single clause, forms of the same pronoun must have the SAME REFERENT.
Forms of the third-person plural: they, them, their.
In E, their refers to monks, but them seems to refer to illuminations.
Eliminate E.

The correct answer is C.

GMATGuruNY wrote: D: Meticulously embellishing the elaborate calligraphy, medieval monks, through their manuscript illuminations communicated
In these options, it is not crystal clear whether the phrase in red serves to modify embellishing (the monks were EMBELLISHING through their illuminations) or communicated (the monks COMMUNICATED through their illuminations).
It must be crystal clear what a modifier is modifying.

Thanks Mitch for your explanation.

In Choice D, consider the following version with 'comma'before 'communicated':

D: Meticulously embellishing the elaborate calligraphy, medieval monks, through their manuscript illuminations, communicated

In this case, it is in form 'modifier' +comma+ subject+ comma+ 'modifier'. I think it could be crystal clear? if still not why? I saw some OG where the same 'modifier' +comma+ subject+ comma+ 'modifier' and still clear.

Thanks

Mo2men wrote:

GMATGuruNY wrote: D: Meticulously embellishing the elaborate calligraphy, medieval monks, through their manuscript illuminations communicated
In these options, it is not crystal clear whether the phrase in red serves to modify embellishing (the monks were EMBELLISHING through their illuminations) or communicated (the monks COMMUNICATED through their illuminations).
It must be crystal clear what a modifier is modifying.

Thanks Mitch for your explanation.

In Choice D, consider the following version with 'comma'before 'communicated':

D: Meticulously embellishing the elaborate calligraphy, medieval monks, through their manuscript illuminations, communicated

In this case, it is in form 'modifier' +comma+ subject+ comma+ 'modifier'. I think it could be crystal clear? if still not why? I saw some OG where the same 'modifier' +comma+ subject+ comma+ 'modifier' and still clear.

Thanks

In D, the portion in red is an adverb.
Since this adverb is both PRECEDED by an action (embellishing) and FOLLOWED by an action (communicated), it is unclear which of these two actions is intended to happen through their manuscript illuminations.

GMATGuruNY wrote:

Mo2men wrote:

GMATGuruNY wrote: D: Meticulously embellishing the elaborate calligraphy, medieval monks, through their manuscript illuminations communicated
In these options, it is not crystal clear whether the phrase in red serves to modify embellishing (the monks were EMBELLISHING through their illuminations) or communicated (the monks COMMUNICATED through their illuminations).
It must be crystal clear what a modifier is modifying.

Thanks Mitch for your explanation.

In Choice D, consider the following version with 'comma'before 'communicated':

D: Meticulously embellishing the elaborate calligraphy, medieval monks, through their manuscript illuminations, communicated

In this case, it is in form 'modifier' +comma+ subject+ comma+ 'modifier'. I think it could be crystal clear? if still not why? I saw some OG where the same 'modifier' +comma+ subject+ comma+ 'modifier' and still clear.

Thanks

In D, the portion in red is an adverb.
Since this adverb is both PRECEDED by an action (embellishing) and FOLLOWED by an action (communicated), it is unclear which of these two actions is intended to happen through their manuscript illuminations.

I have 3 questions based on your explanation:

1- Isn't illogical to consider that the adverb modifier in red modifies 'embellishing'? It is separated by 'medieval monk' which makes it far from 'embellishing'?

2- Can 2 modifiers in succession modify each other? or can an adverb modifier modify VERB-ing modifier

3- If you change the adverb modifier to appositive modifier or any other modifier to be:

embellishing.........., medieval monk, The Thai who lived in temples, communicated......

Can this version clear with its modifiers?

Thanks

Mo2men wrote:

GMATGuruNY wrote:

Mo2men wrote:

GMATGuruNY wrote: D: Meticulously embellishing the elaborate calligraphy, medieval monks, through their manuscript illuminations communicated
In these options, it is not crystal clear whether the phrase in red serves to modify embellishing (the monks were EMBELLISHING through their illuminations) or communicated (the monks COMMUNICATED through their illuminations).
It must be crystal clear what a modifier is modifying.

Thanks Mitch for your explanation.

In Choice D, consider the following version with 'comma'before 'communicated':

D: Meticulously embellishing the elaborate calligraphy, medieval monks, through their manuscript illuminations, communicated

In this case, it is in form 'modifier' +comma+ subject+ comma+ 'modifier'. I think it could be crystal clear? if still not why? I saw some OG where the same 'modifier' +comma+ subject+ comma+ 'modifier' and still clear.

Thanks

In D, the portion in red is an adverb.
Since this adverb is both PRECEDED by an action (embellishing) and FOLLOWED by an action (communicated), it is unclear which of these two actions is intended to happen through their manuscript illuminations.

I have 3 questions based on your explanation:

1- Isn't illogical to consider that the adverb modifier in red modifies 'embellishing'? It is separated by 'medieval monk' which makes it far from 'embellishing'?

Most readers will understand that the modifier in red is intended to modify the following verb.
But the structure in D is not viable.

An introductory VERBing modifier expresses an action concurrent with or directly related to the main verb.
In this respect, its role is adverbial.
Because of this adverbial role, a separate adverbial phrase modifying the main verb may not appear between the VERBing modifier and the main verb.
Consider the following official examples:

Warning that computers in the United States are not secure, the National Academy of Sciences has urged the nation to revamp computer security procedure.
Building on civilizations that preceded them in coastal Peru, the Mochica developed their own elaborate society.
Affording strategic proximity to the Strait of Gibraltar, Morocco was also of interest to the French.
Combining enormous physical strength with higher intelligence, the Neanderthals appear to have been equipped to face any obstacle.
Spanning more than 50 years, Müller's career began in an unpromising apprenticeship.

In none of these OAs does an adverbial phrase modifying the main verb appear between the introductory VERBing modifier and the main verb.
Since D incorrectly positions an adverbial phrase modifying the main verb between an introductory VERBing modifier and the main verb, eliminate D.

2- Can 2 modifiers in succession modify each other? or can an adverb modifier modify VERB-ing modifier

Yes.
An OA in GMATPrep:
Galileo did not invent the telescope, but on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made, he quickly built his own device.
Here, in 1609 is an adverb serving to modify on hearing, which in turn is an adverb serving to modify built (the main verb).
Thus, one adverb (in 1609) serves to modify another adverb (on hearing).

3- If you change the adverb modifier to appositive modifier or any other modifier to be:

embellishing.........., medieval monk, The Thai who lived in temples, communicated......

Can this version clear with its modifiers?

Thanks

It is permissible for an ADJECTIVAL phrase (such as an appositive) to appear between an introductory VERBing modifier and the main verb.
SC612 in the OG12:
Rivaling the pyramids of Egypt or even the ancient cities of the Maya as an achievement, the army of terra-cotta warriors created to protect Qin Shi Huang, China's first emperor, in his afterlife is more than 2,000 years old.
Here, the appositive in blue appears between rivaling (an introductory VERBing modifier) and is (the main verb).

Thanks Mitch for the great explanation above.

Dear Mitch,

In light of your answer of my questions 1 & 2, Why choice A & B wrong? both are adverb phrases could be treated like the example of GMATPrep provided by you. To be more clear:

A: Medieval monks, through their manuscript illuminations, meticulously embellishing the elaborate calligraphy, communicated
B: Through their manuscript illuminations, meticulously embellishing the elaborate calligraphy, medieval monks communicated

the red adverb modifies the 'embellishing' adverb, the same as 'in 1609' modifies 'on hearing'.

Where did I go wrong?

Thanks

Mo2men wrote:Dear Mitch,

In light of your answer of my questions 1 & 2, Why choice A & B wrong? both are adverb phrases could be treated like the example of GMATPrep provided by you. To be more clear:

A: Medieval monks, through their manuscript illuminations, meticulously embellishing the elaborate calligraphy, communicated
B: Through their manuscript illuminations, meticulously embellishing the elaborate calligraphy, medieval monks communicated

the red adverb modifies the 'embellishing' adverb, the same as 'in 1609' modifies 'on hearing'.

Where did I go wrong?

Thanks

Galileo did not invent the telescope, but on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made, he quickly built his own device.
Here, in 1609 (adverb) is positioned between a VERBing (hearing) and its direct object (the that-clause in blue).
As a result, it is crystal clear that in 1609 serves to modify hearing.
No other interpretation is possible.

A: Medieval monks, through their manuscript illuminations, meticulously embellishing the elaborate calligraphy, communicated
B: Through their manuscript illuminations, meticulously embellishing the elaborate calligraphy, medieval monks communicated
Here, the adverbs in red are NOT positioned between a VERBing (embellishing) and its direct object (the elaborate calligraphy).
As a result, it is not crystal clear whether these adverbs are intended to modify the following VERBing action (embellishing) or the main verb (communicated).

Hi GMATGuruNY,
Just curious to know whether this is a good GMAT like SC ?

RBBmba@2014 wrote:Hi GMATGuruNY,
Just curious to know whether this is a good GMAT like SC ?

The SC above is valid.
It is modeled after SC104 in the OG13:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/og-13-sc-q-104-t277718.html