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Idiom, rhetorical C,, clause as a non essential modifier ?

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by GMATMadeEasy » Wed Oct 06, 2010 2:02 pm
The purring noise of a cat, although most people think that cats purr because they are content, is actually involuntary and is not directly related with the emotion of the cat.
A) The purring noise of a cat, although most people think that cats purr because they are content, is actually involuntary and is not directly related with the emotion of the cat.
B) Although most people think that cats purr because they are content, the purring noise of a cat is actually involuntary and is not directly related with the emotion of the cat.
C) Although most people think that cats purr because they are content, the purring noise of a cat is actually involuntary and is not directly related to the emotion of the cat.
D) The purring noise of a cat, although most people think that cats purr because they are content, is actually involuntary and is not directly related to the emotion of the cat.
E) Although most people think that cats are purring because they are content, the purring noise of a cat is actually involuntary and is not directly related with the emotion of the cat.
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by limestone » Wed Oct 06, 2010 8:39 pm
In my understanding:

"related to" is prefered to "related with"

Then eliminate A,B,E.
D) The purring noise of a cat, although most people think that cats purr because they are content, is actually involuntary and is not directly related to the emotion of the cat.
D has this clause although most people think that cats purr because they are content used incorrectly.

I'll go with C.

Correct me if I'm wrong.
"There is nothing either good or bad - but thinking makes it so" - Shakespeare.
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by GMATMadeEasy » Thu Oct 07, 2010 4:04 am
What's wrong with A ?
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by niksworth » Thu Oct 07, 2010 10:50 am
GMATMadeEasy wrote:What's wrong with A ?
I don't see how a subordinate clause can be inserted within a main clause in the form of a non essential modifier. I don't think that is allowed.
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by GMATMadeEasy » Thu Oct 07, 2010 11:21 am
niksworth wrote:
GMATMadeEasy wrote:What's wrong with A ?
I don't see how a subordinate clause can be inserted within a main clause in the form of a non essential modifier. I don't think that is allowed.
Could you confirm that it is really not allowed . I could not figure that out from Google. This is the objective of putting the question infact.
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by niksworth » Thu Oct 07, 2010 12:03 pm
GMATMadeEasy wrote: Could you confirm that it is really not allowed . I could not figure that out from Google. This is the objective of putting the question infact.
Sorry. Not an expert! I will safely take this rule. It doesn't fit in my idea of English.

If you want absolute certainties, you may contact an expert.
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2 cents

by thewho » Thu Oct 07, 2010 12:35 pm
Hey hii,

My 2 cents, not an expert, just inquisitive enough to go about it!

Although Adverbial Clauses like these do not have specific placing rules, but the type of clause, by type i mean the impact it has i the sentence can govern how it is to be placed.

In our cats purring problem, the adverbial clause -"Although ......because..they are content" is the main subject clause, the sentence thus follows a logical sequence of Comparison being made here by the use of "although", In option A, this clause gets lost in the middle - emphasizing more about the characteristic of the purring of cats rather than the real meaning of the sentence which compares the reason why do cats purr?

FYI - found a link via Google that explains a little about Adverbial Clauses -
https://grammar.about.com/od/basicsenten ... auses2.htm
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by Isaac@EconomistGMAT » Thu Oct 07, 2010 8:30 pm
Hi all,

Thewho's answer is partly correct here.

There is no rule for where to place a clause but its placement can have a serious effect on meaning/clarity.

The main clause here begins with 'the purring of the cat... is' but the problem occurs because of lack of clarity and flow due to the strange placement of the opposition clause ('although...') which attempts to act as if it is an independent clause.

In most cases of clauses of opposition, especially those beginning with 'although' (but also reason clauses that begin with 'because', for example), the two clauses should not be disturbed in the middle.

For example: The woman, because of the weather, is not going out.

This is awkward compared with: The woman is not going out because of the weather or, conversely, Because of the weather the woman is not going out.

Of course with normal clauses this is not a problem as relative pronouns properly refer back to what is supposed to be referred back to, as in: The table, which he bought for a pittance, is way too large. Here it is not a problem to place a clause inside another.
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