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Question

Difficulty: MediumMisplaced and Dangling Modifiers

After reading the author's personal diaries, the inspiration behind the famous gothic novel was finally understood by the literature students.

Which of the following choices represents the most grammatically correct version of the underlined portion of the sentence?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. the literature students finally understood the inspiration behind the famous gothic novel.Answer
  3. C
    the famous gothic novel's inspiration was finally understood by the literature students.
  4. D
    while the literature students finally understood the inspiration behind the famous gothic novel.

Answer

the literature students finally understood the inspiration behind the famous gothic novel.
The correct option resolves the dangling modifier by placing the logical subject—the literature students, who are the ones reading the diaries—immediately after the introductory phrase. This establishes a clear, logical relationship between the modifier and the noun it modifies.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the introductory modifying phrase and determine what it modifies.
The phrase 'After reading the author's personal diaries' describes an action. The person or group performing this action must be the subject that immediately follows the comma.
An introductory participial or prepositional phrase must logically modify the subject of the main clause to avoid a dangling modifier.
2
Evaluate the choices to find which subject logically performs the action of reading the diaries.
The literature students are the ones who can read the diaries, so 'the literature students' must be the subject of the main clause.
Placing 'the literature students' immediately after the comma resolves the dangling modifier and creates a grammatically correct sentence.

Key Concept

Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
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Topics

Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

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