Possessive Adjectives and Modifiers

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clawhammer: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 132; Joined: Sun Aug 15, 2010 10:08 amFollowed by: 1 member; Thanked: 3 times

by clawhammer » Fri Sep 03, 2010 8:36 pm

While I can narrow down to the following answers, whenever I find Possessive Adjectives, I am constantly unsure which modifier is correct, and more more importantly why the other is not?

Added to their worrying about budget cuts and cost of living increases, the administrators of public health must contend with the possibility of a strike by employees.

In addition to worrying about budget cuts and increases in the cost of living, the administrators of public health must contend with the possibility of a strike by employees. (-Originally posed this sentence with a "the" before worrying, my bad.)

I understand this is about the "administrators of public health". But I'm thinking "...their worrying about..." properly relates to administrators? Clearly that's not how it is. So can you guys please explain how I should be easily able to take out the first option? I think there are some answers where this type of Possessive Adjectives "their/his/her" is considered correct in modifiers.

Please help me out with the use of Possessive Adjectives in GMAT modifier questions!

Last edited by clawhammer on Sat Sep 04, 2010 9:08 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Source: Beat The GMAT — Sentence Correction | Fri Sep 03, 2010 8:36 pm

niksworth: Legendary Member; Posts: 520; Joined: Mon Jun 14, 2010 10:44 amFollowed by: 6 members; Thanked: 70 times

by niksworth » Sat Sep 04, 2010 6:40 am

I think both statements are incorrect. What is the source here?

First, Added to in statement 1 is incorrect. Here, the construction is of the type - Added to A, the administrators must contend with B. The right idiom is preposition is In addition to.

If we want to use added to, then we must use the construction - Added to A is B. e.g. Added to the administrator's worry about budget cuts and increases in the cost of living is the possibility of a strike by employees.

Second, why do we need a possessive here in the first place? Simple worrying will do.

Third, cost of living increases is wrong. Increases in cost of living is better.

Fourth, second statement is corrupted because of use of the before worrying.

Correct form - In addition to worrying about budget cuts and increases in the cost of living, the administrators of public health must contend with the possibility of a strike by employees.

i.e. In addition to A, the administrators must also contend with B. - So much better.

scio me nihil scire

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gmat_perfect: Legendary Member; Posts: 1083; Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2010 9:38 pmFollowed by: 14 members; Thanked: 127 times

by gmat_perfect » Sat Sep 04, 2010 7:08 am

clawhammer wrote:While I can narrow down to the following answers, whenever I find Possessive Adjectives, I am constantly unsure which modifier is correct, and more more importantly why the other is not?

Added to their worrying about budget cuts and cost of living increases, the administrators of public health must contend with the possibility of a strike by employees.

In addition to the worrying about budget cuts and increases in the cost of living, the administrators of public health must contend with the possibility of a strike by employees.

I understand this is about the "administrators of public health". But I'm thinking "...their worrying about..." properly relates to administrators? Clearly that's not how it is. So can you guys please explain how I should be easily able to take out the first option? I think there are some answers where this type of Possessive Adjectives "their/his/her" is considered correct in modifiers.
Please help me out with the use of Possessive Adjectives in GMAT modifier questions!

First one:

Just remember one thing:

Past participle at the beginning of a sentence modifies the NOUN immediately following the comma.

So, Added to XXX, administrators....--means administrators have been added to XXX. Does this make sense? NO.

Second:

The second option is correct as it is.

We know,

In addition to XX, NOUN +Verb + YY.

Where, XX and YY MUST be parallel.

In addition to Ford, she has also worked in General Motors.

So, the second option is correct.

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clawhammer: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 132; Joined: Sun Aug 15, 2010 10:08 amFollowed by: 1 member; Thanked: 3 times

by clawhammer » Sat Sep 04, 2010 9:06 am

niksworth wrote:
Fourth, second statement is corrupted because of use of the before worrying.

I mistyped the "the" word, it wasn't there. Sorry for the confusion. The source is Kaplan.

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