Sentence Correction

While some academicians believe that business ethics should be integrated into every business course,
others say that students will take ethics seriously only if it would be taught as a separately required course.

(A) only if it would be taught as a separately required course
(B) only if it is taught as a separate, required course
(C) if it is taught only as a course required separately
(D) if it was taught only as a separate and required course
(E) if it would only be taught as a required course, separately


OA : B
In B seperate is an adhjective and it modifies course . Doesnt this change the meaning conveyed by A .In A seperately modifies required.
The OG explanation is

Also, the
intended meaning is distorted when the adverb separately is used to modify required, as in A and C, or taught,as in E; B correctly uses the adjective separate to modify course.

A change of meaning is justified only when the meaning conveyed by A is nonsensical . How does the OG assume that A is not conveying the meaning that it is supposed to convey

Grammar rules comes before anything else.

The original sentence is incorrect; therefore we have to look for grammatically correct sentence

Hope it helps

patanjali.purpose wrote:Grammar rules comes before anything else.

The original sentence is incorrect; therefore we have to look for grammatically correct sentence

Hope it helps

All right following grammar rules , i am between B and C . Now what ?

In the original sentence, the meaning is wrong. This is why we have to change it. Remember that the rule isn't that we must keep the original meaning of the original sentence, but that we must keep the intended meaning of the original sentence. After all, when you fix a misplaced modifier, you're changing the meaning; in fact, you're correcting it!

Same here: it's not that the requirement should be separate, but that the course should be separate. "Separate" should modify "course," because the contrast is between "integrated into every business course" and an apparent different situation -- NOT integrated into every existing course but in fact offered as a separate course. Thus, from logical context, we know that we must use the adjective "separate" to modify "course."

Furthermore, in both (C) and (D), the placement of the word "only" changes the meaning. The latter part of the sentence gives the one condition on which students will take it seriously; thus "only" should modify "if." The placement of "only" in (C) and (D) alike makes it modify "taught," which removes the necessity of this condition -- so, if we use (C) or (D), students would take it seriously if it were taught separately, but not ONLY if it were taught so; they might take it seriously otherwise, as well. THIS distorts not only the meaning of the original sentence, but clearly the meaning intended by the author.

Hope that helps!

Hi sticklor , your explanation has been very helpful. Also please tell me
i thought since only follows "taught" ,it must modify what comes after it ,that is , as a course required separately

The placement of "only" in (C) and (D) alike makes it modify "taught," which removes the necessity of this condition

Hi,
I am sure that expert will respond to this.
The intended meaning is:
A,B -> Other than 'teaching it as a course', there is not other way to convince students -> meaning teaching is the only way and definitely there are no other ways.
C,D -> There can be other ways(other than teaching), but if it taught, it has to be taught as a course.
This changes meaning right?
I will give an analogy:
Only I am going to a restaurant -> I(alone) am going to restaurant . Others are definitely not coming. I can even go to other places as well
I am going only to a restaurant -> I am going to restaurant only, not to any other place.

Frankenstein wrote:Hi,
I am sure that expert will respond to this.
The intended meaning is:
A,B -> Other than 'teaching it as a course', there is not other way to convince students -> meaning teaching is the only way and definitely there are no other ways.
C,D -> There can be other ways(other than teaching), but if it taught, it has to be taught as a course.
This changes meaning right?
I will give an analogy:
Only I am going to a restaurant -> I(alone) am going to restaurant . Others are definitely not coming. I can even go to other places as well
I am going only to a restaurant -> I am going to restaurant only, not to any other place.

Hi Frankenstein , Thanks for the Example

Hi,
I was actually responding to your next query also. As you have edited I guess you are clear. But, I will just add that as well.
I am going only to restaurant -> I am going only to restaurant. I can do other things as well. But, if my act is going I will go only to restaurant.

I am only going to restaurant -> I am going to restaurant. I won't be doing any other activity.

Frankenstein wrote:Hi,
I was actually responding to your next query also. As you have edited I guess you are clear. But, I will just add that as well.
I am going only to restaurant -> I am going only to restaurant. I can do other things as well. But, if my act is going I will go only to restaurant.

I am only going to restaurant -> I am going to restaurant. I won't be doing any other activity.

I feel that there is no difference between saying " I am only going to a restaurant " and saying "I am going only to a restaurant "
only is an adverb and thus needs a verb / adjective to modify.
The only verb is "am going " .

Isnt only an adverb ? LOL I am confused now

Hi,
'only' can be adjective or adverb depending on the context.
I think: I am going only to restaurant = I am going to restaurant only -> 'only' is adjective modifying restaurant.
I am only going to a restaurant -> adverb modifying 'am going'.