Sentence Correction

By the same techniques used for genetically enhancing plants, making them disease- or
pest-resistant, researchers have been able to increase the amount of protein in potatoes,
sweet potatoes, and tobacco.
A. By the same techniques used for genetically enhancing plants, making them
B. With the same techniques to genetically enhance plants, so that they are
C. Employing the same techniques used to genetically enhance plants so that they are
D. Employing the same techniques to genetically enhance plants, which makes them
E. Employing the same techniques for genetically enhancing plants that make them

IMO C -

A and D are out - Modifier problem
Out of C,D,E -
D is out because 'which' modifies the entire clause

Out of C and E - I would go for C - because , "techniques are used to genetically" sounds better

another vote for C

IMO E

In c Employing ...and used looks redundant to me

hello pradeep
i dont think in D which is modifying the clause ,it is wron because it is modifying the nearest noun plant and hence conveying plants are plants dieseased.....

i hope my approach is correct
Whats the OA ?

Do post the OA it helps to understand whose logic is valid

@ xcusemeplz2009 - Yea...u r right....i wanted to convey that meaning....but framed the sentence wrongly.

In this case 'which' modifies the nearest noun - plants. In the context of the sentence, this is wrong.

'They' is ambigious in C. It can refer to techniques. Thoughts pls?

I thought it's E. OA plz.

OA is given as C, but not sure if C is correct for the above given reason.

I agree with C
between C and E, i think the keyword in C is "used", which is correctly modifying techniques.
"techniques used to" is better than "techniques for.."

pandeyvineet24 wrote:I agree with C
between C and E, i think the keyword in C is "used", which is correctly modifying techniques.
"techniques used to" is better than "techniques for.."

dont you think 'they' is ambigous?

by your reasoning, all the choices share the same problem by using "they" and "them". so based on the choices, the pronoun ambiguity should not be a concern in this particular question

crackgmat007 wrote:

pandeyvineet24 wrote:I agree with C
between C and E, i think the keyword in C is "used", which is correctly modifying techniques.
"techniques used to" is better than "techniques for.."

dont you think 'they' is ambigous?

Hi crackgmat007, the best way to check whether a particular pronoun is ambiguous or not is to substitute all its valid antecedents and see if the sentence makes sense or not. If the sentence does make sense with only one of those antecedents, then pronoun is not ambiguous. Apply the same to the sentence and it should help you. "They" is not ambiguous here.

I see your point. I was thinking them here is an object pronoun and so correctly referring to object - plants.

I guess, 'that' in choice E, refers to plants. Hence it doesnt make sense - 'that (plants) make them (plants)...'. Based on this, I think C is the only one left.

Apologies for opening an old thread !!

I think which can modify the entire clause. That shouldn't be the reason to eliminate C.

Can somebody confirm please?

pradeepsarathy wrote:IMO C -

A and D are out - Modifier problem
Out of C,D,E -
D is out because 'which' modifies the entire clause

Out of C and E - I would go for C - because , "techniques are used to genetically" sounds better

mehravikas wrote:Apologies for opening an old thread !!

I think which can modify the entire clause. That shouldn't be the reason to eliminate C.

Can somebody confirm please?

pradeepsarathy wrote:IMO C -

A and D are out - Modifier problem
Out of C,D,E -
D is out because 'which' modifies the entire clause

Out of C and E - I would go for C - because , "techniques are used to genetically" sounds better

I think you want to say "that shouldn't be the reason to eliminate D".
Anyways, "which" can not modify an entire clause. It is used to modify noun followed by it.