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Question

Difficulty: EasyModifier Placement

The following passage is an excerpt from a science history article.

In the late nineteenth century, paleontologists unearthed the fossilized remains of an ancient dinosaur. Having spent months excavating the dry desert basin, the discovery of the pristine skull thrilled the lead researcher. This finding would help redefine the understanding of the Cretaceous period.

Which choice is the best revision of the underlined portion?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. the lead researcher was thrilled by the discovery of the pristine skull.Answer
  3. C
    the pristine skull's discovery thrilled the lead researcher.
  4. D
    the lead researcher was thrilled by the discovery of the pristine skull, the team celebrated immediately.

Answer

the lead researcher was thrilled by the discovery of the pristine skull.
The introductory participial phrase 'Having spent months excavating the dry desert basin' describes an action that must logically be performed by a person. The option that places the logical subject, 'the lead researcher,' immediately after the introductory phrase corrects the dangling modifier without introducing other grammatical errors.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the introductory phrase.
The phrase is 'Having spent months excavating the dry desert basin.'
This phrase functions as an adjective modifying the noun that immediately follows it.
2
Determine the logical subject of the introductory phrase.
The subject who spent months excavating must be 'the lead researcher.'
An inanimate concept like 'the discovery' or 'the discovery of the skull' cannot perform the action of excavating a basin.
3
Choose the option that positions the logical subject directly after the comma.
The correct option must start the main clause with 'the lead researcher' without introducing punctuation errors.
This structure ensures the modifier is placed correctly next to the noun it describes, avoiding a dangling modifier.

Key Concept

Modifier Placement
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Modifier Placement

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