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tricky modifier

by AdvenofTintin » Thu May 02, 2013 8:45 am
Marking the end of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, the festival called Eid-ul-Adha, during which sheep are traditionally sacrificed, is celebrated everywhere in the Muslim world.

Marking the end of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, the festival called Eid-ul-Adha, during which sheep are traditionally sacrificed
Marking the end of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, featuring the traditional sacrifice of sheep, the festival called Eid-ul-Adha
A festival marking the end of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, called Eid-ul-Adha, during which sheep are traditionally sacrificed
A festival marking the end of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, called Eid-ul-Adha, featuring the traditional sacrifice of sheep
A festival marking the end of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca during which sheep are traditionally sacrificed, called Eid-ul-Adha

Confused with [spoiler]modifiers-B or A: OA-A[/spoiler].Please explain
Source Veritas Prep test
Last edited by AdvenofTintin on Fri May 03, 2013 12:46 am, edited 1 time in total.
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by AdvenofTintin » Fri May 03, 2013 12:45 am
Can anyone take a dig at this one for me please.
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by srcc25anu » Fri May 03, 2013 12:53 am
<< Marking the end of annual pilgrimage to Mecca >> what follows must modify the whole clause. Option A correctly mentions the festival called Eid-ul-Zuha which modifies the preceding portion.

After the opening clause, Option B states << featuring >> which is incorrect. What marks the end of annual pilgrimage to Mecca should be the FESTIVAL.

Hance Ans is A
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by EducationAisle » Fri May 03, 2013 1:28 am
GMAT prefers that the opening modifier must be immediately followed by what it is modifying. Few examples of incorrect modifiers:

OG12 Verbal Sample Question # 49:

As an actress and, more importantly, as a teacher of acting, one of the most influential artists in the American theater, Stella Adler, trained several generations of actors whose ranks included Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro.

Here, the opening modifier As an actress and, more importantly, as a teacher of acting should be followed with Stella Adler. Currently we have two opening modifiers: As an actress and, more importantly, as a teacher of acting and one of the most influential artists in the American theater..not a preferred construct.

OG12 # 104:

El Niño, the periodic abnormal warming of the sea surface off Peru, a phenomenon in which changes in the ocean and atmosphere combine allowing the warm water that has accumulated in the western Pacific to flow back to the east.

Here El Nino has two modifiers following it: the periodic abnormal warming of the sea surface off Peru, and a phenomenon in which ...; again not a preferred construct.
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by AdvenofTintin » Fri May 03, 2013 5:27 am
Thanks for the explanation
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by ceilidh.erickson » Fri May 03, 2013 11:40 am
EducationAisle's explanation is correct. As a general rule, you should avoid putting two modifiers that modify the same thing in a row.

Wrong: Modifier, modifier, thing being modified.
Right: Modifier, thing being modified, modifier.

In this sentence, we have two modifiers in a row: Marking..., featuring..., the festival is celebrated...

If there were a conjunction instead - marking... and featuring..., the festival... - that would have been correct, because "marking and featuring" would have been a single conjoined modifier.
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by ceilidh.erickson » Fri Jun 07, 2013 11:57 am
For more on the two-modifiers-in-a-row rule, see here: https://www.beatthegmat.com/tough-modifi ... tml#677053
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by manihar.sidharth » Thu Mar 27, 2014 7:59 pm
ceilidh.erickson wrote:EducationAisle's explanation is correct. As a general rule, you should avoid putting two modifiers that modify the same thing in a row.

Wrong: Modifier, modifier, thing being modified.
Right: Modifier, thing being modified, modifier.

In this sentence, we have two modifiers in a row: Marking..., featuring..., the festival is celebrated...

If there were a conjunction instead - marking... and featuring..., the festival... - that would have been correct, because "marking and featuring" would have been a single conjoined modifier.
Hi ceilidh
Can you please explain why option C is wrong ?
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by aflaam » Mon Feb 01, 2016 2:49 pm
Hello Mitch,
I want your comment on this SC.
Isn't OA incorrect?

initial V-ing modifier has no relation with the subsequent clause.

Marking the end of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, the festival called Eid-ul-Adha, during which sheep are traditionally sacrificed, is celebrated everywhere in the Muslim world.
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by vishalwin » Tue Feb 02, 2016 12:29 am
Hi,


Can anyone please explain all the options.

Initially I choose C and still don't know why it is wrong.
Thanks & Regards
vishalwin
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