Electronics company: Quesion on choice E

[vittalgmat]

The electronics company has unveiled what it claims to be the world's smallest network digital camcorder, the length of which is that of a handheld computer, and it weighs less than 11 ounces.

A. to be the world's smallest network digital camcorder, the length of which is that of a handheld computer, and it weighs
B. to be the smallest network digital camcorder in the world, which is as long as a handheld computer, weighing
C. is the smallest network digital camcorder in the world, which is as long as a handheld computer, and it weighs
D. is the world's smallest network digital camcorder, which is as long as a handheld computer and weighs
E. is the world's smallest network digital camcorder, the length of which is that of a handheld computer, weighing

In the sentence above, I have a question on choice E.
Which clause does weighing modify?
'That of a handheld computer" ie
'length of a handheld computer' ?

Ron, Stuart, Stewart?

thanks a lot

[NikolayZ]

Hey mate, I am not an expert but i'll try to answer your questions.
First of all, i believe that the right answer is D.
A,B - Claim to be - is incorrect
C - pronoun "it" has two possible antecedents.
E - weighing is the present participle and can not modify a noun. Moreover it is unclear what exactly "weighing" modifies - length, computer or camcorder.

D - has parallel and clear structure and meaning. Camcorder IS the longest ... and weighs....

2) That of a handheld computer really means length of the handheld computer.

Hope it helped.

[vittalgmat]

Hey mate, I am not an expert but i'll try to answer your questions.
First of all, i believe that the right answer is D.
A,B - Claim to be - is incorrect
C - pronoun "it" has two possible antecedents.
E - weighing is the present participle and can not modify a noun. Moreover it is unclear what exactly "weighing" modifies - length, computer or camcorder.

D - has parallel and clear structure and meaning. Camcorder IS the longest ... and weighs....

2) That of a handheld computer really means length of the handheld computer.

Hope it helped.

Thanks.. I know D is the OA
Also "claim(s) to be" can be correct.. check this link.

https://www.manhattangmat.com/forums/use ... 20unveiled

[lunarpower]

In the sentence above, I have a question on choice E.
Which clause does weighing modify?
'That of a handheld computer" ie
'length of a handheld computer' ?

Ron, Stuart, Stewart?

thanks a lot

when you have a COMMA + -ING modifier, two things apply:
* the modifier itself MODIFIES THE PRECEDING CLAUSE (not just the noun that precedes the comma);
and
* the SUBJECT of the preceding clause is the IMPLIED SUBJECT of the -ING word.

the above 2 principles explain what is wrong with (e): the nearest clause has "the length of which" as its subject. therefore, "..., weighing" is making the ludicrous proposition that the length weighs about 11 ounces.

[vittalgmat]

In the sentence above, I have a question on choice E.
Which clause does weighing modify?
'That of a handheld computer" ie
'length of a handheld computer' ?

Ron, Stuart, Stewart?

thanks a lot

when you have a COMMA + -ING modifier, two things apply:
* the modifier itself MODIFIES THE PRECEDING CLAUSE (not just the noun that precedes the comma);
and
* the SUBJECT of the preceding clause is the IMPLIED SUBJECT of the -ING word.

the above 2 principles explain what is wrong with (e): the nearest clause has "the length of which" as its subject. therefore, "..., weighing" is making the ludicrous proposition that the length weighs about 11 ounces.

Thanks Ron,
As always, U are the GOD!!!.

rgds
-V

[hk_4u]

Hi Ron

the modifier itself MODIFIES THE PRECEDING CLAUSE

I understand why option E is wrong as per your reasoning. But I thought

the length of which is that of a handheld computer

is a modifier and the preceding clause in this case is

what it claims is the world's smallest network digital camcorder

Even with this reasoning, option E is incorrect (as camcorder is NOT the subject)

My question :

when looking back for the preceding clause, can we ignore the modifiers and the appositives ?

[lunarpower]

My question :

when looking back for the preceding clause, can we ignore the modifiers and the appositives ?

hmm

from what i've seen, the COMMA -ING modifier usually modifies the closest clause.

so, if you have a clause inside a modifier (and that happens to be the nearest clause), then you're probably going to be modifying that clause.

viz.:
Joe laughed at his friend, who had knocked over the table, spilling things everywhere.
--> in this sentence, the COMMA -ING modifier (spilling) modifies the CLOSEST clause - i.e., "who had knocked over the table". this is a subordinate clause, but it's still a clause.
--> i think it's almost always going to be this way - it would be EXTREMELY awkward and unclear to use this sort of modifier to modify the main clause in this case. doing so wolud result in a sentence that would be, for all practical purposes, unreadable.

on the other hand, if the modifier is not a clause, then, yes, you can ignore it when you look for what is being modified by the COMMA -ING modifier.