Modifiers examples

[vishalc581]

Hi,

I am unable to understand below 2 forms of modifiers.

[Adjective + Adjective + Noun]
[Adverb + Adjective + Noun]

I read the below 2 examples but still not able to get why supposed (adjective) in first example and supposedly in second example.

Wrong: James Joyce is Max's SUPPOSEDLY Irish ancestor.
Right: James Joyce is Max's SUPPOSED Irish ancestor.


Wrong: Max's grandmother is his SUPPOSED Irish ancestor.
Right: Max's grandmother is his SUPPOSEDLY Irish ancestor.


It would be great if you can explain with some other example using an Official guide sentence showing the difference between the above 2 forms of modifiers.


Thanks & Regards,
Vishal

[tim]

I don't specifically recall this being tested on an OG problem, but Ron might. Kudos to you though for asking the right question - you are doing yourself a favor by focusing on issues that are actually likely to show up on the GMAT rather than abstract grammar esoterica.

I'll explain the differences anyway:

"supposed" modifies "ancestor", but "supposedly" modifies "Irish". Both terms indicate uncertainty.

In the first example, we know (it is public knowledge) that James Joyce is Irish, but we don't know whether he is Max's ancestor. Hence "supposed ancestor".

In the second example, we know (by definition) that Max's grandmother is his ancestor, but we don't know whether she is Irish. Hence "supposedly Irish".

[vishalc581]

Hi Tim,

Thanks for the reply.

So, I need to check the meaning. Right?

I can't use official questions here, but I found an old thread so used its link. Please see below link.

https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/foru ... -t485.html

I didn't get second example in that link. I was able to choose A because of "had" but I wasn't sure whether we need 'recent' or 'recently'

If the option have been like: "had been..recently" will it be right in that case?

Thanks & Regards,
Vishal

[Chelsey Cooley]

The debate there is whether we have a recent extended sales slump, or a recently extended sales slump. The reason this example is tougher than most, is that logically, both nouns and verbs can describe things that recently happened. So there isn't an obvious logical problem with the wrong answer, like there would be if we wrote "her recent cut hair" or "his recent adopted cat" instead. But we can still figure it out using the same rules.

In the first, 'recent' is an adjective, which needs to modify a noun. So, it modifies 'slump'. That is, the slump, which was an extended one (which in context just means 'long'), happened recently.

In the second, 'recently' is an adverb, which needs to modify a verb or adjective. So, it modifies 'extended'. This example is saying that the slump was extended recently. As in, it may have started at any point, but recently, someone or something 'extended' it.

Only one of those makes logical sense...

One more example: think about the difference between these two phrases.

brief rainy day
briefly rainy day

If you can explain what makes those different, then you get it.