Sentence Correction

Recently, entomologists have discovered a number of new insect species, most of them as common or more common than the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, which live on the bottom of oceans or within icebergs.


(A) most of them as common or more common than the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, which live

(B) most of them at least as common as the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, and living

(C) most of them at least as common as the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, living

(D) mostly at least as common as the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, which live

(E) mostly as common or more common than the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, living

karthikpandian19 wrote:Recently, entomologists have discovered a number of new insect species, most of them as common or more common than the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, which live on the bottom of oceans or within icebergs.


(A) most of them as common or more common than the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, which live - comparison error: entomologists compared to a type of insect.

(B) most of them at least as common as the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, and living - same as A.

(C) most of them at least as common as the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, living - same as A

(D) mostly at least as common as the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, which live

(E) mostly as common or more common than the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, living

By POE, E?

Recently, entomologists have discovered a number of new insect species, most of them as common or more common than the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, which live on the bottom of oceans or within icebergs.

(A) most of them as common or more common than the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, which live
(B) most of them at least as common as the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, and living
(C) most of them at least as common as the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, living
(D) mostly at least as common as the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, which live
(E) mostly as common or more common than the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, living

Recently, IC,DC1,DC2 - DC2 modifies DC1
A- live (pl) refers to birch aphid (S) -wrong
B -and living not parallel to any ing before
C- ok
D- live (pl) refers to birch aphid (S) -wrong
E- as common or more common is wordier than alteast as common

Also D, E are slighlty different in meaning
A- means that most of the insects are atleast as common to aphid bird
e.g. out of 100 more than 51 are common to aphid bird
D,E - means that the bird(every bird) is having more in common with aphid bird - Experts can advice on meaninng
Also the intention is to say that new insect species live on the bottom of oceans or within icebergs. so C is correct.
A,D indiate that aphid live on the bottom of oceans or within icebergs, which is not intended as it is already told its a tree dweeliing instect.

'Living ' modifies the second clause(DC1) whose subject is most of them ( new insect species)
which makes sense

Structure:
Recently, IC,DC1,DC2 - DC2 modifies DC1


IMO:C


whats the OA

IMO D

karthikpandian19 wrote:Recently, entomologists have discovered a number of new insect species, most of them as common or more common than the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, which live on the bottom of oceans or within icebergs.


(A) most of them as common or more common than the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, which live ( WRONG IDIOM )

(B) most of them at least as common as the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, and living change in meaning, says entomologists instead of bird is living.

(C) most of them at least as common as the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, living Ambigious on what is it modifying.


(D) mostly at least as common as the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, which live

(E) mostly as common or more common than the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, living

I am slightly confused with your explanation reg. the OA C

Recently, entomologists have discovered a number of new insect species, most of them at least as common as the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, living on the bottom of oceans or within icebergs

Entomologists......species - IC
Most of .......aphid, a tree dwelling insect - DC1
Living .....icebergs - DC2

Is this classification is what u mentioned for the OA?
Now can u say what modifies what?

abcgmat wrote:Recently, entomologists have discovered a number of new insect species, most of them as common or more common than the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, which live on the bottom of oceans or within icebergs.

(A) most of them as common or more common than the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, which live
(B) most of them at least as common as the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, and living
(C) most of them at least as common as the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, living
(D) mostly at least as common as the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, which live
(E) mostly as common or more common than the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, living

Recently, IC,DC1,DC2 - DC2 modifies DC1
A- live (pl) refers to birch aphid (S) -wrong
B -and living not parallel to any ing before
C- ok
D- live (pl) refers to birch aphid (S) -wrong
E- as common or more common is wordier than alteast as common

Also D, E are slighlty different in meaning
A- means that most of the insects are atleast as common to aphid bird
e.g. out of 100 more than 51 are common to aphid bird
D,E - means that the bird(every bird) is having more in common with aphid bird - Experts can advice on meaninng
Also the intention is to say that new insect species live on the bottom of oceans or within icebergs. so C is correct.
A,D indiate that aphid live on the bottom of oceans or within icebergs, which is not intended as it is already told its a tree dweeliing instect.

'Living ' modifies the second clause(DC1) whose subject is most of them ( new insect species)
which makes sense

Structure:
Recently, IC,DC1,DC2 - DC2 modifies DC1


IMO:C


whats the OA

Don't you think THEM referent is not clear. Them can refer to insects or entomologists??

Even if we go by rule that it is referring to subject then also it will refer to entomologists and not to insects.

In my opinion it's E.even though it's not concise but it's best of all options.

Sandeep,

The pronoun "them" is fine here because it refers unambiguously to the "insect species." There are two plural nouns preceding the plural pronoun "them," but "entomologists" could not logically be described as being "as common as the birch aphid." For that reason, "them" must refer to the "insect species," or we would have an illogical comparison. Remember that we only have a pronoun reference error if the pronoun could logically refer to more than one noun. For example: "I put the crystal vase on the glass table, and it shattered." "It" could refer to either the "vase" or the "table" because either object could shatter. However, in the sentence above, only one of the plural nouns could logically replace the pronoun "them."

Hope this helps!

sandeep_thaparianz wrote:Don't you think THEM referent is not clear. Them can refer to insects or entomologists??

Even if we go by rule that it is referring to subject then also it will refer to entomologists and not to insects.

In my opinion it's E.even though it's not concise but it's best of all options.

karthikpandian19 wrote:Sandeep,

The pronoun "them" is fine here because it refers unambiguously to the "insect species." There are two plural nouns preceding the plural pronoun "them," but "entomologists" could not logically be described as being "as common as the birch aphid." For that reason, "them" must refer to the "insect species," or we would have an illogical comparison. Remember that we only have a pronoun reference error if the pronoun could logically refer to more than one noun. For example: "I put the crystal vase on the glass table, and it shattered." "It" could refer to either the "vase" or the "table" because either object could shatter. However, in the sentence above, only one of the plural nouns could logically replace the pronoun "them."

Hope this helps!

sandeep_thaparianz wrote:Don't you think THEM referent is not clear. Them can refer to insects or entomologists??

Even if we go by rule that it is referring to subject then also it will refer to entomologists and not to insects.

In my opinion it's E.even though it's not concise but it's best of all options.

Hi Karthik,

I have a couple of questions here.

1. How did you conclude that species is plural?
2. Assuming species is plural, how can species be compared to a type of insect?

Please help me understand this.

Excellent questions:

1. How did you conclude that species is plural?

Species is one such typical word which can be singular or plural according to the text. Some list i have provided below (in case if you need)
In this context "a number of" calls for a plural form of "species"
If the sentence were with "the number of" then it is singular species

Singular nouns where the singular and plural forms are the same are as follows:
cod, series, trout, deer, fish, moose, offspring, series, sheep, species

2. Assuming species is plural, how can species be compared to a type of insect?

The comparison is not about the SPECIES Vs TYPE OF INSECT, but it is about the "Commonality between the Species and Birch Aphid"
ie. COMMONALITY OF NEW INSECT SPECIES vs COMMONALITY OF BIRCH APHID

bubbliiiiiiii wrote:

karthikpandian19 wrote:Sandeep,

The pronoun "them" is fine here because it refers unambiguously to the "insect species." There are two plural nouns preceding the plural pronoun "them," but "entomologists" could not logically be described as being "as common as the birch aphid." For that reason, "them" must refer to the "insect species," or we would have an illogical comparison. Remember that we only have a pronoun reference error if the pronoun could logically refer to more than one noun. For example: "I put the crystal vase on the glass table, and it shattered." "It" could refer to either the "vase" or the "table" because either object could shatter. However, in the sentence above, only one of the plural nouns could logically replace the pronoun "them."

Hope this helps!

sandeep_thaparianz wrote:Don't you think THEM referent is not clear. Them can refer to insects or entomologists??

Even if we go by rule that it is referring to subject then also it will refer to entomologists and not to insects.

In my opinion it's E.even though it's not concise but it's best of all options.

Hi Karthik,

I have a couple of questions here.

1. How did you conclude that species is plural?
2. Assuming species is plural, how can species be compared to a type of insect?

Please help me understand this.

karthikpandian19 wrote: 2. Assuming species is plural, how can species be compared to a type of insect?
The comparison is not about the SPECIES Vs TYPE OF INSECT, but it is about the "Commonality between the Species and Birch Aphid"
ie. COMMONALITY OF NEW INSECT SPECIES vs COMMONALITY OF BIRCH APHID

Could you please elaborate more on this?

IC: Recently, entomologists have discovered a number of new insect species
DC1: most of them at least as common as the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect,
[Here them refers to new insect species logically ]
DC2:living on the bottom of oceans or within icebergs

IC-DC1
Most of them is talking about insects, clearly entomologists doesnot make sense based on context
Also ( most of them is not ,ing modifier so 'them' may or may not refer to subject of the previous clause depending on context ), Whereas ',ing' always modifies subject of previous clause

DC1-DC2 (DC2 modifies DC1)
DC1: most of them at least as common as the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect
DC2:living on the bottom of oceans or within icebergs

As said in earlier line ,ing modifies subject of the previous clause.
DC1 is the previous clause whose subject is insects.(most of them)

Also ,ING either describes how or result of the previous clause.(DC1)
How insects are common to birch aphid or the result of being common to birch aphid -
Context says it defines how, that is they both live on the bottom of oceans or within icebergs.

It cannot be birch aphid because ing refers to subject of the previous clause.
But A,D try to say it is bird aphid but they both use plural verb
A,D - uses live (plural verb ) for birch aphid (Singular) - eliminate

Left is B,C,E -In which 'living' refers to insects
C,E use- ,ing so must refer to subject.
B- 'and living' is a verb trying to refer to insects and not bird Aphid

B- and living doesnot have anything parallel before
E - wordier than C
So C

I hope I have not confused

To be precise to the point.......commonality means the presence.

most of them at least as common as the birch aphid = Most of the insect species atleast are as commonly present as birch aphid

Basically, it talks about the presence (common)

bubbliiiiiiii wrote:

karthikpandian19 wrote: 2. Assuming species is plural, how can species be compared to a type of insect?
The comparison is not about the SPECIES Vs TYPE OF INSECT, but it is about the "Commonality between the Species and Birch Aphid"
ie. COMMONALITY OF NEW INSECT SPECIES vs COMMONALITY OF BIRCH APHID

Could you please elaborate more on this?

My first guess (C)

But ",living" is not clear...

After going through the discussion, I am convinced with OA (D).

Really good question.

Ronnie,

You first guess is right ............. OA is [spoiler]C[/spoiler]

ronnie1985 wrote:My first guess (C)

But ",living" is not clear...

After going through the discussion, I am convinced with OA (D).

Really good question.

karthikpandian19 wrote:Recently, entomologists have discovered a number of new insect species, most of them as common or more common than the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, which live on the bottom of oceans or within icebergs.


(A) most of them as common or more common than the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, which live

(B) most of them at least as common as the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, and living

(C) most of them at least as common as the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, living

(D) mostly at least as common as the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, which live

(E) mostly as common or more common than the birch aphid, a tree-dwelling insect, living

I pick C. In my opinion, for C to be correct, the modifier 'living' must refer to birch aphid. Here 'a tree-dwelling insect' is an appositive modifier and can be removed without altering the meaning of the sentence:

Recently, entomologists have discovered a number of new insect species, most of them at least as common as the birch aphid living on the bottom of oceans or within icebergs.