Verbal questions from any Manhattan Prep GMAT Computer Adaptive Test. Topic subject should be the first few words of your question.
tomasmosquerablanco
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Sentence without main verb in the OA

by tomasmosquerablanco Wed Oct 02, 2013 1:33 am

Hi a was wondering was the main verb of the following question(attached bellow) i found in MGMAT CAT. The OA here is C though i think is a fragment and not a sentence since there is no main verb since allowing them to explore in option C is an -ing modifier and not a verb.

THanks in advance,

Tom

Sentence:

Many of today’s mathematicians use computers to test cases that are either too time-consuming or involve too many variables to test manually, allowing the exploration of theoretical issues that were impossible to test a generation ago.


a)are either too time-consuming or involve too many variables to test manually, allowing the exploration of

b)either take too much time or involve too many variables to be tested manually; allowing the mathematicians to explore

c)would either take too much time or involve too many variables to test manually, allowing them to explore

d)would either be too time-consuming or would involve too many variables to test manually; this capability allows the mathematicians to explore

e)take too much time or variables to test manually; this capability allows the mathematicians to explore
RonPurewal
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Re: Sentence without main verb in the OA

by RonPurewal Wed Oct 02, 2013 5:09 am

As you pointed out, the "-ing" construction is a modifier.

The whole point of modifiers is that they're NOT complete sentences!
That's why they are "modifiers": They are not whole sentences by themselves, and so they have to stick to ("modify") something in a complete sentence. If they could stand alone, then they wouldn't be modifiers.

In the core of the sentence, the verb is "use".
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Re: Sentence without main verb in the OA

by manhhiep2509 Fri Oct 11, 2013 10:51 am

In the answer choice C, the modifier "allowing them to explore" modifies its preceding clause but it seems not make sense because such modifier does not logically match with the subject, "many of today’s mathematicians". The answer choice appears as though "many of today’s mathematician allow them to explore theoretical issues". It is clear that "computers", not "mathematicians" allow them to explore theoretical issues.

I am not sure whether my interpretation in this case is right. Please explain for me.
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Re: Sentence without main verb in the OA

by jlucero Fri Oct 11, 2013 12:21 pm

manhhiep2509 Wrote:In the answer choice C, the modifier "allowing them to explore" modifies its preceding clause but it seems not make sense because such modifier does not logically match with the subject, "many of today’s mathematicians". The answer choice appears as though "many of today’s mathematician allow them to explore theoretical issues". It is clear that "computers", not "mathematicians" allow them to explore theoretical issues.

I am not sure whether my interpretation in this case is right. Please explain for me.


Note that these comma+ing modifiers may modify the subject of the sentence, but they will often do so by explaining why or how the subject is doing something:

Many of today’s mathematicians use computers, allowing them to explore theoretical issues.

Why do mathematicians use computers? To allow them to explore theoretical issues.
Joe Lucero
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manhhiep2509
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Re: Sentence without main verb in the OA

by manhhiep2509 Fri Oct 11, 2013 8:00 pm

jlucero Wrote:
manhhiep2509 Wrote:In the answer choice C, the modifier "allowing them to explore" modifies its preceding clause but it seems not make sense because such modifier does not logically match with the subject, "many of today’s mathematicians". The answer choice appears as though "many of today’s mathematician allow them to explore theoretical issues". It is clear that "computers", not "mathematicians" allow them to explore theoretical issues.

I am not sure whether my interpretation in this case is right. Please explain for me.


Note that these comma+ing modifiers may modify the subject of the sentence, but they will often do so by explaining why or how the subject is doing something:

Many of today’s mathematicians use computers, allowing them to explore theoretical issues.

Why do mathematicians use computers? To allow them to explore theoretical issues.


Can you explain the different between 2 clause below?

1. Many of today’s mathematicians use computers, allowing them to explore theoretical issues (with comma)
2. Many of today’s mathematicians use computers allowing them to explore theoretical issues (without comma)


Since "allowing" do not match with the subject of its preceding clause, I find the meanings of the two sentences similar.
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Re: Sentence without main verb in the OA

by jnelson0612 Wed Oct 16, 2013 3:05 pm

manhhiep2509 Wrote:
jlucero Wrote:
manhhiep2509 Wrote:In the answer choice C, the modifier "allowing them to explore" modifies its preceding clause but it seems not make sense because such modifier does not logically match with the subject, "many of today’s mathematicians". The answer choice appears as though "many of today’s mathematician allow them to explore theoretical issues". It is clear that "computers", not "mathematicians" allow them to explore theoretical issues.

I am not sure whether my interpretation in this case is right. Please explain for me.


Note that these comma+ing modifiers may modify the subject of the sentence, but they will often do so by explaining why or how the subject is doing something:

Many of today’s mathematicians use computers, allowing them to explore theoretical issues.

Why do mathematicians use computers? To allow them to explore theoretical issues.


Can you explain the different between 2 clause below?

1. Many of today’s mathematicians use computers, allowing them to explore theoretical issues (with comma)
2. Many of today’s mathematicians use computers allowing them to explore theoretical issues (without comma)


Since "allowing" do not match with the subject of its preceding clause, I find the meanings of the two sentences similar.


Good question! There is more information on that very issue in this thread: ing-form-without-a-comma-t14029.html Let us know if you need more help once you read the thread.
Jamie Nelson
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ShobhitK282
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Re: Sentence without main verb in the OA

by ShobhitK282 Sat Jul 12, 2014 9:20 am

Hi experts,

I feel there is pronoun ambiguity with them in the OA. Can you please explain how can we rule that out while selecting the choice?
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Re: Sentence without main verb in the OA

by arushigupta712 Wed Jul 30, 2014 11:31 am

Yeah!I felt the same too. 'Them' in OA seems ambiguous.
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Re: Sentence without main verb in the OA

by RonPurewal Mon Sep 01, 2014 4:45 am

There is no ambiguity.
Them = (many of today's) mathematicians.

There are other plural nouns, but, if any of the other nouns is substituted for "them", the result is complete nonsense.
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Re: Sentence without main verb in the OA

by TimY975 Tue Oct 07, 2014 4:02 am

RonPurewal Wrote:There is no ambiguity.
Them = (many of today's) mathematicians.

There are other plural nouns, but, if any of the other nouns is substituted for "them", the result is complete nonsense.


Hi RON, why not use "themselves" here to indicate that the “mathematicians allow themselves to...”
Are them and themselves both OK?
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Re: Sentence without main verb in the OA

by Meerak869 Wed Aug 19, 2015 4:45 pm

The explanation in the cat said
(C) CORRECT. Take too much time and involve too many variables are properly parallel. The change to the hypothetical form would is acceptable because the sentence indicates that these cases would not be tested if they had to be tested manually. The pronoun them is also acceptable, as it points back to the subject of the first half of the sentence (many of today's mathematicians use computers, allowing them to explore...).

Can u explain the meaning of the bolded sentence?
Also justify the use of would in this sentence.
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Re: Sentence without main verb in the OA

by ShriramC110 Wed Aug 26, 2015 1:14 pm

Hi Ron,

I am still not able to get how is allowing right there.
According to your post,
To use the comma + VERB-ing modifier:
1)the modifier should modify the action of the preceding clause;
AND
2) the subject of the preceding clause should also make sense as the agent of the -ING action.

Here the condition 1 is satisfying but condition 2, the subject is "Many of today’s mathematicians" doesn't make sense as the agent of the -ING action(allowing).
Is my interpretation right???

Thanks.
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Re: Sentence without main verb in the OA

by RAHULS852 Sat Sep 14, 2019 9:53 am

Hi Sage/ Manhattan expert,

Apart from all other errors in A, B & E, we can eliminate all these choices on basis of "would"
"would" imply a hypothetical case when tested manually but all these choices represent a present tense scenario.

Kindly review my understanding.

Regards,
Rahul Singh
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Re: Sentence without main verb in the OA

by Sage Pearce-Higgins Sun Sep 15, 2019 2:41 pm

I'm not so certain. That's quite a nuance of meaning, and some of the answers capture the meaning of possibility without using the word 'would'. Let me try to make some (correct) examples:
1. This rock is too heavy to move easily.
2. This rock would be difficult to move because it's so heavy.

In my opinion, these sentences basically have the same meaning, even though only one uses 'would'.

A more important issue to pay attention to is the parallel structure 'either X or Y'. That's a real knock out for answers A and D.
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Re: Sentence without main verb in the OA

by RAHULS852 Sun Sep 15, 2019 10:04 pm

Sage Pearce-Higgins Wrote:I'm not so certain. That's quite a nuance of meaning, and some of the answers capture the meaning of possibility without using the word 'would'. Let me try to make some (correct) examples:
1. This rock is too heavy to move easily.
2. This rock would be difficult to move because it's so heavy.

In my opinion, these sentences basically have the same meaning, even though only one uses 'would'.

A more important issue to pay attention to is the parallel structure 'either X or Y'. That's a real knock out for answers A and D.


Oh yes these sentences convey the same meaning. Parallelism is a black and white issue.
I should not pay attention on nuance. Thanks for suggestion.

It would be very difficult to get food in late hours of night.

It is very difficult to get food in late hours of night.

I tried to make few sentences. Kindly review my understanding.

Regards,
Rahul Singh