A certain OG Verbal sentence correction question explanation refers to 'direct modifiers'. The explanation says that, in general, direct modifiers should not be separated from the word they modify, if possible.
What are direct modifiers exactly? Are they just prep phrases without a comma? Why does the explanation say 'if possible' - are there situations where direct modifiers can be separated from the word they modify?
GMAT Forum
4 postsPage 1 of 1
- AshwinP48
- Students
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2020 2:13 am
- Sage Pearce-Higgins
- Forum Guests
- Posts: 1336
- Joined: Thu Apr 03, 2014 4:04 am
Re: Direct Modifiers
That's odd. I've never heard that term before. Could you give me the OG number and I'll check out the problem?
As for that rule, it's what we usually say about noun modifiers: place them as close as possible to the noun that they modify. The 'if possible' part comes from the fact that if we have multiple modifiers in a sentence, then they can't all touch the noun that they're modifying. For example, if have a sentence 'the house is big' and I want to add the information that (1) it stands on the corner, (2) it was built by my grandmother, and (3) it's made of wood, I might construct a sentence such as: 'Standing on the corner, the house made of wood, which my grandmother built, is big.' Here, the 'which' modifier doesn't touch the word 'house', but the sentence is fine - the meaning is clear.
As for that rule, it's what we usually say about noun modifiers: place them as close as possible to the noun that they modify. The 'if possible' part comes from the fact that if we have multiple modifiers in a sentence, then they can't all touch the noun that they're modifying. For example, if have a sentence 'the house is big' and I want to add the information that (1) it stands on the corner, (2) it was built by my grandmother, and (3) it's made of wood, I might construct a sentence such as: 'Standing on the corner, the house made of wood, which my grandmother built, is big.' Here, the 'which' modifier doesn't touch the word 'house', but the sentence is fine - the meaning is clear.
- AshwinP48
- Students
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2020 2:13 am
Re: Direct Modifiers
The explanation is for SC 840 in OG 2020.
I see. Does this mean that when two noun modifiers are essential, the modifier which maintains the intended meaning of the sentence should be placed closest to the noun?
Also, would this hold only for noun modifiers? Or is this a general essential vs non-essential modifier rule?
I see. Does this mean that when two noun modifiers are essential, the modifier which maintains the intended meaning of the sentence should be placed closest to the noun?
Also, would this hold only for noun modifiers? Or is this a general essential vs non-essential modifier rule?
- Sage Pearce-Higgins
- Forum Guests
- Posts: 1336
- Joined: Thu Apr 03, 2014 4:04 am
Re: Direct Modifiers
Got it, thanks. I'm pretty suspicious about those question explanations, as we've found lots of contradictions in the way that they explain GMAT problems. The problems themselves are very well written, but there's often a simpler way to solve them than the way described in the Official Guide explanations. SC 840 from OG2020 is a case in point: simpler issues - the absence of 'number' in A, the position of 'ultimate' or 'ultimately, the idiom 'the goal of', and the use of 'that' for people - provide a way to solve this without knowing rules for "direct modifiers". Also, I think that the issue of essential vs. non-essential modifiers is not directly tested in GMAT.
4 posts Page 1 of 1