MODIFIERS
A modifier is a phrase without a subject. A modifying clause should clearly describe the word or phrase intended by the writer.
For example:
Practing very hard for the test, Tanya thought the test was easy.
Usually the modifier has the following format:
____________________________, _________________________.
(modifier- contains no subject) , (modified noun) . . .
There must be a comma between the modifying phrase and the clause. The function of the modifier is to modify the subject of the main clause. Usually errors on the GMAT begin with an opening modifier that modifies the incorrect noun or phrase.
INCORRECT: Running across the street, the bus left before the boy could catch it.
The sentence above is incorrect because the modifier modifies the bus. There are two solutions to fix the problem.
Solution 1: Place the modified subject immediately after the comma.
CORRECT: Running across the street, the boy missed the bus that left before he could catch it.
Solution 2: Put the subject into the modifying phrase itself, changing it into a dependent clause.
CORRECT: After the boy ran across the street, he missed the bus that left before he could catch it.
Beware of possessives! Modifiers cannot modify possessive nouns.
INCORRECT: Poor and hungry, the beggar’s house was a box.
Here the modifier Poor and Hungry should describe the beggar not the beggar’s house. This is incorrect the begger’s house can not be poor and hungry.
CORRECT: Poor and hungry, the beggar lived in a box.
Modifiers sometimes use the following words to introduce a clause:
who/m, which, that, whose
who/m: only refers to people
which: only refers to things
that: refers to things or to a person who is not named
whose: refers to ownership of a person,place, or thing
Which Vs. That
“Which” introduces a clause with non defining information and is usually set of with commas. We can safely remove the which clause without breaking the sentence. However, “that” introduces a clause with defining information and is never set of with commas. We can never remove a “that” clause from a sentence without breaking it.
For example:
The car, which was blue, sped down the highway. (we can remove which was blue)
The car that was blue sped down the highway. (we can not remove that was blue)
On the GMAT we must be suspicious of any clause starting with which. Remember that “which” always refers to the noun immediately before it. Which can not be used to modify a phrase.
Incorrect: They discovered that the moon orbited around the Earth, which led them to believe the moon broke off the Earth.
Here which is modifying a phrase They discovered that the moon orbited around the Earth. This an incorrect usage of which.
Adjectives and Adverbs
An adjective describes nouns and pronouns.
For example:
The smart girl.
An adverb describes action verbs and other adverbs. They mostly end in “ly.”
For example:
She drives quickly.
Adverbial Modifiers
With modifiers modifying nouns we have to make sure that the modifier touches the noun. However, with modifiers modifying verbs, the modifier does not have to touch the modified verb.
For example:
CORRECT:The burger snuck way from the cops, slowly and quietly.
Here slowly and quietly modifies the verb snuck.
While we don’t have to place the adverbial modifier right next to the modified verb, if there is more than one verb we must place the modifier closer to the verb it modifies.
For example:
INCORRECT:Our cousin let us know that he would be arriving next week in his last letter.
There are two verbs in the above sentence. The way the sentence is constructed makes it nonsensically sound as if the cousin in arriving in his last letter. We can correct this by placing the adverbial modifier closer to the first verb.
CORRECT: Our cousin let us know in his last letter that he would be arriving next week.
In general with modifiers, keep modifiers as close as possible to items being modified to ensure clarity.
Modifier Assignment
MGMAT: CHAPTER 5
OG 11: 7,20,24,38,45,50,71,72,78,93,98,102,105,107,109,110,114,125,135
Verbal Review: 7,18,32,38,39,57,63,78,79,84,88,91,96,107,110,112
(46)
(28)
(2)