For the best extraction of the flavor of

[aditya8062]

Good Day Ron
i have a question regarding option B of this question
B says : To best extract their flavor, saffron threads should be soaked in liquid after pounding with a mortar and pestle.


you have said the following reason to eliminate B:

The principal error here is the misplaced modifier: 'to best extract their flavor' mistakenly refers to saffron threads, leading to the absurd conclusion that they are extracting their own flavor.

NOW in another prep problem you have said following about the "infinitive modifiers" :

infinitive modifiers don't modify nouns at all, actually; they aren't adjective-style modifiers.

when an infinitive is used as a modifier, as is done here, it modifies the entire clause to which it's attached. reading the sentence in this light, you should be able to make perfect sense of the modifier.

the above italicized quote you have said at the following link (december 19,2008): http://www.manhattangmat.com/forums/to-protect-english-manufacturers-of-woolen-goods-both-agains-t1577.html?sid=7b76219897615a08aa5f896164e99990

my concern: aren't your two quotes (one in blue and other in red) contradictory?

[RonPurewal]

The modifier describes the entire action, but it should still be placed next to the agent of the action.

[JaneC643]

Hi, Ron,
First of all, Thank you for answering other posts I posted! I really appreciate your reply!

With regard to this problem, I know why B is wrong. But, if we do not consider "to best extract their flavor", can I say " Saffron threads should be soaked in liquid after being pounded"?

Again, thank you for what you did to help us understand problems better!

Jane

[RonPurewal]

But, if we do not consider "to best extract their flavor", can I say " Saffron threads should be soaked in liquid after being pounded"?

if your question is "is the green stuff OK by itself?", then the answer is yes.

if your question is something else, please clarify.

thanks.

[thanghnvn]

in the pattern,
to do+main clause

"to do" can refer to no noun in the main clause. in other words, "to do" can have no agent which do "to do". this case is explained in grammar books and this case is accepted by an old gmat question which is discussed in this forum

Archaeologists in Ireland believe that a recently discovered chalice, which dates from the eighth century, was probably buried// to keep from //being stolen by invaders.

(A) to keep from
(B) to keep it from
(C) to avoid
(D) in order that it would avoid
(E) in order to keep from

"to keep it from" is not done by "chalice".

so, the reason to eliminate choice B must be different.

the reason why B is wrong is that "pounding" has no object. "pounding" what. not clear.

do you agree with me? pls, confirm

[RonPurewal]

that is not the problem discussed in this thread.

please search the forum:
archaeologists-in-ireland-t10133.html

also, you're trying to eliminate the correct answer; clearly that's a futile endeavor.

[sdfsdfsdfs481]

I was choosing between (C) and (D).

C) The best way to extract the flavor from saffron threads is soaking them in liquid after being pounded
D) The best way to extract the flavor from saffron threads is to soak them in liquid after pounding them

I choose (C) because (D) includes "after pounding them" dangling structure.
As in a correct sentence: "After analyzing data gathered by weather satellites, scientists report that the Earth's northern latitudes have become about ten percent greener since 1980"

Analyzing must be the action performed by the subject "scientists". However in (D) the subject is "The best way to extract the flavor from saffron threads" and cannot perform the action"pounding". So I eliminated (D).

Is my reasoning correct?

[RonPurewal]

D is the correct answer.

[sdfsdfsdfs481]

D is the correct answer.

I know the correct answer is (D).

My question is that why the dangling structure "after pounding them" in (D) is correct.

A correct sentence says: "After analyzing data gathered by weather satellites, scientists report that the Earth's northern latitudes have become about ten percent greener since 1980". Analyzing must be the action performed by the subject "scientists".

Using analogy, we will find the subject of (D) is "The best way to extract the flavor from saffron threads", and it cannot perform the action"pounding". I think "after pounding them" in (D) is incorrect because of this reason. I know I picked a wrong answer, but I just don't understand why the dangling structure "after pounding them" in (D) is correct.

[RonPurewal]

i don't know what 'dangling' means. since that seems to be central to your question, i guess i can't really address the question.

let's clarify: how would you expect the sentence to be written?
in other words, what does your imagined 'correct' structure look like?

[RonPurewal]

incidentally, in terms of mechanics the correct sentence here is no different from '...after class' or '...after work'.

the __ing form plays the role of a noun, as it does in other contexts (e.g., Pounding saffron is physically exhausting).

[aflaamM589]

Hello Ron,
I read in one of your post that subordinate conjunction +participle refers to subject of the clause.
But it does not apply here in correct answer.
What am i missing?
Can you help me with that?
Thanks in advance

[RonPurewal]

i don't know/remember those terms. can you please ask that question without them, please? ... by using specific examples to illustrate what you are asking?

thanks.

[aflaamM589]

[deleted]

[aflaamM589]

While driving, Joe saw James riding the bicycle.
Joe saw James riding the bicycle, while driving

It is Joe who is driving i.e doing the action of driving and not James.
What i am trying to say is that the action of driving goes back to subject.
Subordinate conjunction + participle goes back to subject

Similarly, in the SC under discussion, after (subordinate conjunction) plus participle goes back to subject, which in this case is way .

What am i missing here?
very bothersome it is and thus i am very confused.
I have applied this rule very successfully until i came across this SC.