GMAT Verbal : Correcting Modifier Placement Errors
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GMAT Verbal
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Example Questions
Example Question #388 : Phrase, Clause, And Sentence Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
Unlike the other programmers, who were disillusioned and bored, Nathan's code was made with consistently full of inventive and exciting ideas.
Unlike the other programmers, who were disillusioned and bored, Nathan's code was made with consistently full of inventive and exciting ideas.
Unlike the other programmers, Nathan's code was made with consistently full of inventive and exciting ideas, who were disillusioned and bored.
Unlike the other programmers, Nathan's code, who were disillusioned and bored, was made with consistently full of inventive and exciting ideas.
Unlike the other programmers, who were disillusioned and bored, Nathan made code that was consistently full of inventive and exciting ideas.
Unlike the other programmers, Nathan's code was made with consistently full of inventive and exciting ideas, who were disillusioned and bored.
Unlike the other programmers, who were disillusioned and bored, Nathan made code that was consistently full of inventive and exciting ideas.
The phrase "Unlike the other programmers" is intended to relate to another programmer, Nathan, not "Nathan's code." The current sentence also uses passive voice in stating that "Nathan's code was made." The best answer uses both active voice and correct modifier-word modified agreement: "Unlike the other programmers, who were disillusioned and bored, Nathan made code that was consistently full of inventive and exciting ideas."
Example Question #71 : Modifier Placement Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
Looking at the mannequin, the dress seemed much smaller to me than the salesman claimed it was.
The dress seemed much smaller to me than the salesman claimed it was, looking at the mannequin.
The dress, looking at the mannequin, seemed much smaller to me than the salesman claimed it was.
Looking at the mannequin, I thought the dress seemed much smaller to me than the salesman claimed it was.
Looking at the mannequin, I thought the dress seemed much smaller than the salesman claimed it was.
Looking at the mannequin, the dress seemed much smaller to me than the salesman claimed it was.
Looking at the mannequin, I thought the dress seemed much smaller than the salesman claimed it was.
“Looking at the mannequin” is a modifier that refers to an action performed by the speaker of the sentence. Because a modifier should always appear as close as possible in the sentence to the thing it modifies, “Looking at the mannequin, I thought the dress seemed much smaller than the salesman claimed it was” is the most correct and concise answer.
Example Question #391 : Phrase, Clause, And Sentence Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
Cascading to the floor in a rainbow-colored shower, I saw my bead collection scattered across the entire room.
Cascading to the floor in a rainbow-colored shower, my bead collection scattering across the entire room.
Cascading to the floor in a rainbow-colored shower, my bead collection was scattered across the entire room, as I saw.
I saw my bead collection cascading to the floor in a rainbow-colored shower and scattering across the entire room.
Cascading to the floor in a rainbow-colored shower, I saw my bead collection scattered across the entire room.
I saw, cascading to the floor in a rainbow-colored shower, my bead collection was scattered across the entire room.
I saw my bead collection cascading to the floor in a rainbow-colored shower and scattering across the entire room.
“Cascading to the floor in a rainbow-colored shower” is a modifier that refers to an action performed by the beads, not the speaker, so the modifier must be placed immediately before or after “my bead collection” in the sentence. Here, the most correct and concise choice is a completely rewritten sentence with clear modifiers.
Example Question #81 : Modifier Placement Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
Oozing with four kinds of melty cheese, I relished each bite of my wife's homemade mac and cheese with bacon.
I relished, oozing with four kinds of melty cheese, each bite of my wife's homemade bacon mac and cheese.
Oozing with four kinds of melty cheese, I relished each bite of my wife's homemade bacon mac and cheese.
I relished each bite of my wife's homemade bacon mac and cheese, which oozed with four kinds of melty cheese.
I relished each bite, oozing with four kinds of melty cheese, of my wife's homemade bacon mac and cheese.
I relished each oozing with four kinds of melty cheese bite of my wife's homemade bacon mac and cheese.
I relished each bite of my wife's homemade bacon mac and cheese, which oozed with four kinds of melty cheese.
The phrase "oozing with four kinds of melty cheese" is intended to modify "[the writer's] wife's homemade bacon mac & cheese."; therefore, it should be placed at the end of the sentence to be as close as possible to the noun phrase it is describing. The participle "oozing" could still be easily attributed to either the subject "I" or the "mac and cheese," but changing the phrase "oozing with four kinds of melty cheese" to "which oozed with four kinds of melty cheese" removes the possibility of the phrase referring to the subject "I," making the sentence less ambiguous.
Example Question #82 : Modifier Placement Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
Invented in China over three centuries ago, explorers and trade merchants alike have used the compass as a navigational tool.
Invented in China over three centuries ago, both explorers and trade merchants alike have used the compass as a navigational tool.
Invented in China over three centuries ago, explorers and trade merchants alike used the compass as a navigational tool.
Invented in China over three centuries ago, explorers and trade merchants alike have used the compass as a navigational tool.
Invented in China over three centuries ago, explorers and trade merchants alike use the compass as a navigational tool.
Invented in China over three centuries ago, the compass has served as a navigational tool for explorers and trade merchants alike.
Invented in China over three centuries ago, the compass has served as a navigational tool for explorers and trade merchants alike.
The original text contains a misplaced modifier. When we have a modifying phrase at the beginning of a sentence, such as "Invented in China over three centuries ago," we know that the noun that appears right after that phrase must be the thing that the modifying phrase describes. In this case, this means the thing that was invented in China over three centuries ago.
All of the answer choices except "Invented in China over three centuries ago, the compass has served as a navigational tool for explorers and trade merchants alike" make is sound as though explorers and trade merchants were invented in China over three centuries ago, which is not correct.
Example Question #282 : Correcting Phrase, Clause, And Sentence Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
A popular tourist destination, Edward Hooper used Central Park as the subject of many of his paintings.
Edward Hooper used Central Park as the subject of many of his paintings.
Edward Hooper used Central Park to be the subject of many of his paintings.
Central Park was the subject of many of Edward Hooper's paintings.
Edward Hooper has used Central Park as the subject of many of his paintings.
Edward Hooper has used Central Park to be the subject of many of his paintings.
Central Park was the subject of many of Edward Hooper's paintings.
When a sentence begins with an introductory modifying clause, such as "A popular tourist destination," the noun right after that clause must be the entity that the clause describes—in this case, Central Park. Otherwise, an error known as a "dangling modifier" is created and the sentence becomes confusing and ambiguous.
Only the answer choice "Central Park was the subject of many of Edward Hooper's paintings" places the subject "Central Park" immediately after the modifying introductory clause and avoids confusion and ambiguity.
All of the other answer choices make it sound as though Edward Hooper is a popular tourist destination, which is somewhat silly and definitely incorrect.
Example Question #1511 : Sentence Correction
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices repeats the underlined portion as it is written.
After completing the circuitous trek and reaching the summit, the view was completely obstructed by an immense bank of fog.
and the summit reached, I could not enjoy the view because it was completely obstructed by an immense bank of fog
and having reached the summit, the view was completely obstructed by an immense bank of fog
and reaching the summit, obstructed completely by an immense bank of fog, I could not enjoy the view
and reaching the summit, I could not enjoy the view because it was completely obstructed by an immense bank of fog.
and reaching the summit, the view was completely obstructed by an immense bank of fog
and reaching the summit, I could not enjoy the view because it was completely obstructed by an immense bank of fog.
The question is an example of a dangling modifier. The dependent clause must modify the subject of the independent clause. In this case, the subject that it modifies (ostensibly, a hiker of some sort) is absent from the sentence. The correct version includes a subject that agrees with the modifying dependent clause.
Example Question #283 : Correcting Phrase, Clause, And Sentence Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
Caring for a pet, responsibility is something children can learn.
Caring for a pet, responsibility is something children can learn.
Caring for a pet, responsibility is something children learn.
Caring for a pet responsibility is something children can learn.
Caring for a pet, responsibility is learned by children.
Responsibility is something children can learn by caring for a pet.
Responsibility is something children can learn by caring for a pet.
With the sentence phrased the way it is, the thing that is "caring for a pet" appears to be "responsibility." This dangling modifier needs to be changed to make it clear that "children" are "caring for a pet." The correct answer choice is "Responsibility is something children can learn by caring for a pet."
Example Question #71 : Correcting Dangling Modifier Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
Having tallied all of the votes in the municipal election, the candidates hoped for the best as the election officials meticulously reviewed the final results.
the candidates hoped for the best, and the election officials meticulously reviewed the final results
the candidates hoped for the best as the election officials meticulously reviewed the final results
the election officials meticulously reviewed the final results as the candidates hoped for the best
the candidates, hoping for the best, as the election officials meticulously reviewed the final results
the election officials meticulously reviewed the final results with the candidates hoping for the best
the election officials meticulously reviewed the final results as the candidates hoped for the best
The modifier "Having tallied . . ." must modify "the election officials," so "the election officials" must be the subject of the sentence. Otherwise, the opening clause of the sentence would be considered a dangling modifier.
Example Question #74 : Correcting Modifier Placement Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
Feared throughout the company for his fiery temper, the VP's reputation preceded him.
Feared throughout the company for his fiery temper, the VP's reputation preceded him.
Feared throughout the company for his fiery temper, the VP had a reputation that preceded him.
Feared throughout the company for a fiery temper, the VP's reputation preceded him.
Feared throughout the company for his fiery temper, the VP's reputation is one that preceded him.
Feared throughout the company for his fiery temper is the VP, whose reputation preceded him.
Feared throughout the company for his fiery temper, the VP had a reputation that preceded him.
The modifier "Feared throughout the company..." modifies "the VP" as a person, not the "VP's reputation," which is the subject of the main clause. The subject that a modifier modifies must correspond. In other words, "the VP" has to be the subject of the following clause, not "the VP's reputation." When a dependent introductory clause modifies a subject that is not the subject of the main clause it creates what is called a dangling modifier.
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