Doubt on the use of comma !

This topic has expert replies
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 119
Joined: Mon Jun 28, 2010 9:42 pm
Location: Pune
Thanked: 1 times
Followed by:1 members
GMAT Score:660

Doubt on the use of comma !

by 786 » Sun Sep 18, 2011 7:31 am
The engineer identified the problem using the latest technology.
The engineer identified the problem , using the latest technology.

What is the difference?
Does the first mean that the problem itself is using the latest technology ?

Can some expert confirm ?

Legendary Member
Posts: 1574
Joined: Fri Jan 28, 2011 2:52 am
Thanked: 88 times
Followed by:13 members

by aspirant2011 » Sun Sep 18, 2011 8:31 am
786 wrote:The engineer identified the problem using the latest technology.
The engineer identified the problem , using the latest technology.

What is the difference?
Does the first mean that the problem itself is using the latest technology ?

Can some expert confirm ?
I don't find any problem with the first sentence..........

In second, using the latest technology is acting as a modifier

User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 359
Joined: Wed Mar 11, 2009 4:37 am
Location: Kolkata, India
Thanked: 50 times
Followed by:2 members

by Abhishek009 » Sun Sep 18, 2011 8:51 am
786 wrote:The engineer identified the problem using the latest technology.
The engineer identified the problem , using the latest technology.

What is the difference?
Does the first mean that the problem itself is using the latest technology ?

Can some expert confirm ?
I feel the same....

The first sentence seems like the problem is with the latest technology , whereas the second sentence means the problem was identified using the latest technology...
Abhishek

Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 416
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2011 12:48 am
Thanked: 28 times
Followed by:6 members

by gunjan1208 » Sun Sep 18, 2011 10:46 pm
I will say that A is perfect.

For B. It is right. Aslo being the modifier, we can place this modifier in the begining.

Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 316
Joined: Sun Aug 21, 2011 6:18 am
Thanked: 16 times
Followed by:6 members

by dhonu121 » Mon Sep 19, 2011 12:54 am
Both are correct here.
Basically a comma is used when two indepedent clauses are joined by a conjunction and a comma is used before the use of the conjunction.The use of comma there is optional.
In cases where a dependent and an independent clause are joined by a conjunction, use of comma is mandatory.
In cases where the second clause uses the subject of the first clause use of comma before the conjunction is wrong.
For eg:He went to school and he had lunch there. is same as He went to the school, and he had lunch there.

But
He went to the school and had lunch there is not the same as He went to the school, and had lunch there.
The second sentence in this case is wrong.
If you've liked my post, let me know by pressing the thanks button.

Legendary Member
Posts: 2789
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 12:19 am
Location: Chennai, India
Thanked: 206 times
Followed by:43 members
GMAT Score:640

by GmatKiss » Mon Sep 19, 2011 12:57 am
aspirant2011 wrote:
786 wrote:The engineer identified the problem using the latest technology.
The engineer identified the problem , using the latest technology.

What is the difference?
Does the first mean that the problem itself is using the latest technology ?

Can some expert confirm ?
I don't find any problem with the first sentence..........

In second, using the latest technology is acting as a modifier
+1, both are correct.
In the second, emphasis is more on "the latest technology"

Legendary Member
Posts: 608
Joined: Sun Jun 19, 2011 11:16 am
Thanked: 37 times
Followed by:8 members

by saketk » Mon Sep 19, 2011 9:24 am
I also feel so. the intended meaning is same in both the cases.

Grammatically also both are correct.

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 641
Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2009 3:07 pm
Location: Madison, WI
Thanked: 162 times
Followed by:45 members
GMAT Score:760

by Jim@Grockit » Mon Sep 19, 2011 11:43 am
The problem is that you can run into sentences like:

On my way to work I saw a chimpanzee riding my bicycle.

Was I riding my bicycle, or was a chimpanzee?

Grammatically, "riding" tends to default to the noun chimpanzee if it can, since it is closer. This is a problem with modifiers in general -- they should be as close as possible to the thing they modify, for clarity. The old joke goes "I met a man with a wooden leg named Paul." "Oh, really? What was the name of the other leg?"

In other words, it's grammatically correct but potentially confusing.

Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 119
Joined: Mon Jun 28, 2010 9:42 pm
Location: Pune
Thanked: 1 times
Followed by:1 members
GMAT Score:660

by 786 » Tue Sep 20, 2011 3:04 am
@ Jim ,

So do you want to say that , in the two examples i quoted , the first sentence is incorrect ?

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 641
Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2009 3:07 pm
Location: Madison, WI
Thanked: 162 times
Followed by:45 members
GMAT Score:760

by Jim@Grockit » Tue Sep 20, 2011 10:08 am
786 wrote:@ Jim ,

So do you want to say that , in the two examples i quoted , the first sentence is incorrect ?
I think it would likely be incorrect on the GMAT because it is unclear. I would expect the correct GMAT sentence to be Using the latest technology, the engineer identified the problem or, even better, The engineer identified the problem by using the latest technology.