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Modifiers Question

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by savvysatyam » Mon Dec 10, 2012 7:57 pm
Defense attorneys have occasionally argued that their
clients' misconduct stemmed from a reaction to
something ingested, but in attributing criminal or.
delinquent behavior to some food allergy
, the
perpetrators are in effect told that they are not
responsible for their actions.
(A) in attributing criminal or delinquent behavior to
some food allergy,
(8) if criminal or delinquent behavior is attributed to
an allergy to some food,
(C) in attributing behavior that is criminal or
delinquent to an allergy to some food,
(D) if some food allergy is attributed as the cause of
criminal or delinquent behavior,
(E) in attributing a food allergy as the cause of
criminal or delinquent behavior,

the anwer is b.

Plz discuss
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Source: — Sentence Correction |

by The Iceman » Tue Dec 11, 2012 12:34 am
The right idiom is "attribute x to y ". Eliminate D and E.

Also, the intended meaning of the sentence warrants the usage in option B.

In option A and C, the usage of the modifier phrase "in attributing ..." before the comma seems to modify the subject following the comma - the perpetrators. This nonsensically implies that instead of the attorneys, the perpetrators are attributing such a behavior to some food allergy.

Note that option E also has this modifier error.
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