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Difficulty: MediumMisplaced and Dangling Modifiers

While translating the nineteenth-century poem, the subtle nuances of the original dialect were lost on the scholar.

Which choice best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. the scholar lost the subtle nuances of the original dialectAnswer
  3. C
    the original dialect's subtle nuances were lost by the scholar
  4. D
    the scholar losing the subtle nuances of the original dialect

Answer

the scholar lost the subtle nuances of the original dialect
The correct option, which states 'the scholar lost the subtle nuances of the original dialect', is correct because the subject 'the scholar' directly follows the introductory modifier 'While translating the nineteenth-century poem', establishing a clear and logical relationship between the action and the person performing it. Additionally, it forms a grammatically complete main clause.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the action in the introductory phrase.
The action is 'translating the nineteenth-century poem'.
This action requires a logical agent (a person) to perform it.
2
Identify the subject immediately following the comma in each option to see if it can logically perform the action.
In the correct option, the subject is 'the scholar', which logically performs the action. In other options, the subject is 'the subtle nuances' or 'the original dialect's subtle nuances', which cannot translate a poem.
An introductory modifier must modify the subject that directly follows it.
3
Ensure the main clause is grammatically complete.
The correct option provides a complete main clause with a subject ('the scholar') and a finite verb ('lost'). The option with 'losing' creates a sentence fragment.
A sentence must contain a complete independent clause following the introductory dependent element.

Key Concept

An introductory modifying phrase (like a participial phrase) must be immediately followed by the noun or pronoun it is meant to modify. If the wrong subject follows the phrase, it is a dangling modifier.
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Topics

Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

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