Sentence Correction

ESA's Venus orbiter recently captured the first infrared radiation map,suggesting that Venus may have had a watery past and that the highlands of Venus' southern hemisphere resemble granite,the same material that makes up terrestrial continents

This is a correct version of a sentence in an egmat quiz...I was wondering if the usage of ing modifier is correct here..it does not make sense with the subject of the phrase it is modifying..
I came across this error in mgmat sc: Jon was promoted to the CEO of CII,increasing his salary by 25%.(This usage of -ing is incorrect)

ESA's Venus orbiter recently captured the first infrared radiation map, suggesting that Venus may have had a watery past.

This sentence is not valid.
On the GMAT, the agent of a COMMA + VERBing modifier must be the nearest preceding subject or implied subject.
In the sentence above, COMMA + suggesting refers to ESA's Venu orbiter, implying that -- when the orbiter CAPTURED the infrared map -- it was also SUGGESTING that Venus may have had a water past.
This meaning is nonsensical.

Examples of COMMA + VERBing modifiers in the OG12:

SC30:
ANIMAL-HIDE SHIELDS with wooden frames were essential items of military equipment, PROTECTING warriors against enemy arrows and spears.
Here, the ANIMAL-HIDE SHIELDS are PROTECTING warriors.

SC47:
FIVE FLEDGLING SEA EAGLES left their nests in western Scotland this summer, BRINGING to 34 the number of wild birds successfully raised since transplants from Norway began in 1975.
Here, the FIVE FLEDGLING SEA EAGLES are BRINGING to 34 the number of wild birds successfully raised.

SC65:
A BREAKWATER OF ROCKS that would rise six feet above the waterline and act as a buffer, ABSORBING the energy of crashing waves and PROTECTING the beaches.
Here, a BREAKWATER OF ROCKS is ABSORBING and PROTECTING.

SC94:
The recent surge in the number of airplane flights has clogged the nation's air-traffic control system, LEADING to a 55-percent increase in delays at airports and PROMPTING fears among some officials that safety is being compromised.
Here, the RECENT SURGE is LEADING to an increase in delays and PROMPTING fears.

From GMAT Prep:
Among lower paid workers union members are less likely than non-union members to be enrolled in lower end insurance plans imposing stricter limits on medical services and requiring DOCTORS to see more patients, SPENDING less time with each.
Here, spending refers to doctors, which serves not only as the direct object of requiring but also as the SUBJECT of to see.
Conveyed meaning: the DOCTORS are SPENDING less time with each patient.

In every case, the agent of the COMMA + VERBing action is the nearest preceding subject or implied subject.

[email protected] wrote:Hi Wallstreettarzan,

"-ing" verbs are sometimes referred to as "timeless" verbs, which means that they refer to an action that happened in the past, but is still happening in the present and will likely continue to happen in the future.

A VERBing modifier isn't quite timeless; it assumes the tense of the main verb.

Sitting on a bench, John ate a sandwich.
Here, both the main action (ate) and the VERBing action (sitting) take place firmly in the past.
John WAS SITTING as he ATE.
There is no implication that John is still sitting on a bench today.

SC30 in the OG12:
ANIMAL-HIDE SHIELDS with wooden frames were essential items of military equipment, PROTECTING warriors against enemy arrows and spears.
Here, both the main action (were essential) and the VERBing action (protecting) take place firmly in the past.
There is no implication that animal-hide shields are still -- even today -- protecting warriors against enemy arrows and spears.

GMATGuruNY wrote: Examples of COMMA + VERBing modifiers in the OG12:

SC30:
ANIMAL-HIDE SHIELDS with wooden frames were essential items of military equipment, PROTECTING warriors against enemy arrows and spears.
Here, the ANIMAL-HIDE SHIELDS are PROTECTING warriors.

Hello Mitch, can you advice how the following is correct:

The cameras of the Voyager II spacecraft detected six small, previously unseen moons circling Uranus, doubling to twelve the number of satellites now known to orbit the distant planet.

Clearly "cameras" are not "doubling". Hence I am confused.

iongmat wrote:
Hello Mitch, can you advice how the following is correct:

The cameras of the Voyager II spacecraft detected six small, previously unseen moons circling Uranus, doubling to twelve the number of satellites now known to orbit the distant planet.

Clearly "cameras" are not "doubling". Hence I am confused.

Here, the VERBing action (doubling) is correctly attributed to the cameras in that it occurs as part of the cameras' primary action (detected).
Prior to the journey of the Voyager, only six satellites were known to orbit Uranus.
Thus, when the cameras of the Voyager DETECTED SIX SMALL, PREVIOUSLY UNSEEN moons, they were -- as part of this primary action -- also DOUBLING TO TWELVE the number of satellites KNOWN to orbit Uranus.
It is perfectly logical to attribute the doubling to the cameras.

Thanks for your reply Mitch. I cannot understand how this is correct:

GMATGuruNY wrote:they were -- as part of this primary action -- also DOUBLING TO TWELVE the number of satellites KNOWN to orbit Uranus.

I feel that cameras (non-living) cannot double anything. What we can at best say is:

the detection of six moons (by cameras) doubled the number of satellites now known to orbit the distant planet.

Similarly, in the sentence being considered, why cannot we say:

the capturing of first infrared radiation map (by Venus) suggested that Venus may have had a watery past.

In less than 2 minutes that one gets for a SC question on the exam, looks like there might be something very minute that is differentiating here...

Oh may be "doubled" (in the context here) is a passive activity, while "suggested" is an "active" activity.

Is that the difference?

iongmat wrote:Thanks for your reply Mitch. I cannot understand how this is correct:

GMATGuruNY wrote:they were -- as part of this primary action -- also DOUBLING TO TWELVE the number of satellites KNOWN to orbit Uranus.

I feel that cameras (non-living) cannot double anything. What we can at best say is:

the detection of six moons (by cameras) doubled the number of satellites now known to orbit the distant planet.

Similarly, in the sentence being considered, why cannot we say:

the capturing of first infrared radiation map (by Venus) suggested that Venus may have had a watery past.

In less than 2 minutes that one gets for a SC question on the exam, looks like there might be something very minute that is differentiating here...

A COMMA + VERBing modifier refers not only to the preceding subject but also to the preceding VERB.
When correctly used, a COMMA + VERBing modifier serves to express an action that is an INTRINSIC PART OF THE PRECEDING ACTION.
For this reason, a COMMA + VERBing modifier should pass what I call THE INTRINSIC TEST:
If the COMMA + VERBing modifier is reversed, the action in the main clause will be CONTRADICTED.

SC30:
Animal-hide shields with wooden frames WERE ESSENTIAL items of military equipment, PROTECTING warriors against enemy arrows and spears.
If we reverse the COMMA + VERBing modifier, we get:
Animal-hide shields with wooden frames WERE ESSENTIAL items of military equipment, ENDANGERING warriors against enemy arrows and spears.
Clearly, endangering warriors contradicts the assertion that the shields were essential.
Implication:
The original COMMA + VERBing modifier -- PROTECTING warriors -- is an intrinsic part of how the shields WERE ESSENTIAL.

Your SC:
The cameras of the Voyager II spacecraft DETECTED six small, previously unseen moons circling Uranus, DOUBLING TO TWELVE the number of satellites now known to orbit the distant planet.
If we reverse the COMMA + VERBing modifier, we get:
The cameras of the Voyager II spacecraft DETECTED six small, previously unseen moons circling Uranus, REDUCING BY HALF the number of satellites now known to orbit the distant planet.
Clearly, reducing the number of known moons contradicts the assertion that the cameras detected six previously unseen moons.
Implication:
The original COMMA + VERBing modifier -- DOUBLING to twelve the number of known moons -- is an intrinsic part of what happened when the cameras DETECTED six small, previously unseen moons.

The SC posted at top:
ESA's Venus orbiter recently CAPTURED the first infrared radiation map, SUGGESTING that Venus may have had a watery past.
If we reverse the COMMA + VERBing modifier, we get:
ESA's Venus orbiter recently CAPTURED the first infrared radiation map, DISPROVING the contention that Venus may have had an watery past.
Here, disproving the contention that Venus may have had a water past does NOT contradict the assertion that the orbiter captured an infrared map.
Implication:
The original COMMA + VERBing modifier -- SUGGESTING that Venus may have had a watery past -- is NOT an intrinsic part of what happened when the orbiter CAPTURED the infrared map.
Since the original COMMA + VERBing modifier fails THE INTRINSIC TEST, it is not viable.