a giant fungus

[paes]

Scientists have recently discovered what could be the largest and oldest living organism on Earth, a giant fungus that is an interwoven filigree of mushrooms and rootlike tentacles spawned by a single fertilized spore some 10,300 years ago and extending for more than 33 acres in the soil of a Michigan forest.

(A) extending
(B) extends
(C) extended
(D) it extended
(E) is extending

[spoiler]This problem already discussed in detail
https://www.beatthegmat.com/most-brutal-sc-19-t9879.html
But I have a doubt
OA is A.
In A, extending is modifying to 'a giant fungus'
But I have read that ing modifiers are adverbial modifiers (ie cann't modify to nouns.
Then how extending is modifying to a noun - 'a giant fungus'
somebody please explain[/spoiler]

[akhpad]

You partially understood about VERB + ing modifier.

If VERB + ing is set off by a comma, it is a adverbial modifier.
We often write it as COMMA + ING.

1) COMMA +ING modifiers modify the ENTIRELY of the preceding CLAUSE.
2) -ING modifiers WITHOUT COMMAS modify only the preceding NOUN or NOUN PHRASE.

[paes]

Thanks Akhilesh,

I was expecting the same but was not sure.
Now I am quite clear about present participle and adverbial modifier.

[lunarpower]

You partially understood about VERB + ing modifier.

If VERB + ing is set off by a comma, it is a adverbial modifier.
We often write it as COMMA + ING.

1) COMMA +ING modifiers modify the ENTIRELY of the preceding CLAUSE.
2) -ING modifiers WITHOUT COMMAS modify only the preceding NOUN or NOUN PHRASE.

nicely done.

[akhpad]

It was your input Ron.