Dear Instructors,
I saw a correct sentence is like:
A cloud triggered a storm, knocking out a satellite.
I think the subject of "knock out a satellite" should be storm rather than cloud. So how could "comma+ verb-ing" be used here?
yes, I have anassumption that subject of "comma+verb-ing" should be consistent with the subject of the main clause.
Is that assumption wrong?
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- GeorgiaF924
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- RonPurewal
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Re: Subject of "comma+v-ing"
https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/foru ... ml#p112095
(i think you may already understand the content of that link, but it can't hurt.)
basically, "X did Y, making Z happen" means ...
... X didn't directly make Z happen,
but
... Z happened because X did Y.
(i think you may already understand the content of that link, but it can't hurt.)
basically, "X did Y, making Z happen" means ...
... X didn't directly make Z happen,
but
... Z happened because X did Y.
- RonPurewal
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Re: Subject of "comma+v-ing"
in any case, it's certainly possible that more than one version of the sentence might work.
e.g.,
I sang a beautiful song, making the audience smile.
I sang a beautiful song that made the audience smile.
these two sentences express very similar, but not identical, ideas. the first emphasizes my personal role in bringing happiness to the audience, while the second downplays my personal influence, instead emphasizing the role of the song itself.
similarly, it's possible that "a cloud triggered a storm that did xxx" would also work here. (i can't really tell, because a bunch of modifiers have been stripped from the original.)
e.g.,
I sang a beautiful song, making the audience smile.
I sang a beautiful song that made the audience smile.
these two sentences express very similar, but not identical, ideas. the first emphasizes my personal role in bringing happiness to the audience, while the second downplays my personal influence, instead emphasizing the role of the song itself.
similarly, it's possible that "a cloud triggered a storm that did xxx" would also work here. (i can't really tell, because a bunch of modifiers have been stripped from the original.)
- RonPurewal
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Re: Subject of "comma+v-ing"
in any case, this sort of thing will never, ever, ever actually be an issue, because...
...this is a multiple-choice test, and
...there won't be more than one correct version.
...this is a multiple-choice test, and
...there won't be more than one correct version.
- RonPurewal
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Re: Subject of "comma+v-ing"
the take-home point is that you should not formulate your own 'perfect' sentence and expect it to actually appear in the choices.
it's a multiple-choice test.
the choices are your friends.
i'm actually (among many other things) a professional editor, so, for me, the temptation to formulate my own 'beautiful' and 'elegant' sentences is constant. but... nope. if i bet all my money on my own 'perfect' sentence, but it's not there... i lose.
it's also MUCH harder to write sentences than simply to select among five given choices. likewise, trying to define beauty is much, much harder than judging a beauty contest!
(this doesn't mean that SC is easy, but SC is definitely much, much less difficult than writing sentences of similar quality.)
it's a multiple-choice test.
the choices are your friends.
i'm actually (among many other things) a professional editor, so, for me, the temptation to formulate my own 'beautiful' and 'elegant' sentences is constant. but... nope. if i bet all my money on my own 'perfect' sentence, but it's not there... i lose.
it's also MUCH harder to write sentences than simply to select among five given choices. likewise, trying to define beauty is much, much harder than judging a beauty contest!
(this doesn't mean that SC is easy, but SC is definitely much, much less difficult than writing sentences of similar quality.)
- GeorgiaF924
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Re: Subject of "comma+v-ing"
Thanks for your answer. now I'm much more clear. : )
And for your advice to be an efficient judge in the beauty contest, I totally understand and am trying to be efficient in GMAT review.
But as a judge I hold a few basic rules to eliminate some choices quickly... so I want to make sure those rules are 100% correct...
Like before I met this problem, my rules of "comma +verb-ing" always help me to eliminate the wrong answer. So when I saw this sentence, I was like "what ?! how could that be possible?
What if I use this rule to eliminate a correct chice in the future?!"
But, yes, in general, I'll try not to be obsessed with flexible details.
Thanks again !
And for your advice to be an efficient judge in the beauty contest, I totally understand and am trying to be efficient in GMAT review.
But as a judge I hold a few basic rules to eliminate some choices quickly... so I want to make sure those rules are 100% correct...
Like before I met this problem, my rules of "comma +verb-ing" always help me to eliminate the wrong answer. So when I saw this sentence, I was like "what ?! how could that be possible?
What if I use this rule to eliminate a correct chice in the future?!" But, yes, in general, I'll try not to be obsessed with flexible details.
Thanks again !
- RonPurewal
- Students
- Posts: 19744
- Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2007 8:23 am
Re: Subject of "comma+v-ing"
GeorgiaF924 Wrote:But as a judge I hold a few basic rules to eliminate some choices quickly... so I want to make sure those rules are 100% correct...
that ^^ is a good idea, as long as you keep the number of items manageable (and as long as you are willing to revise/expand your understanding of those rules when new evidence comes to light, as in the case of the sentence here).
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