NOUN MODIFIERS CAN MODIFY SLIGHTLY FAR AWAY
NOUN
INTRODUCTION
Noun modifiers, as the name suggests, modify noun entities. They are generally placed as close
to the noun entity they modify as possible to avoid any ambiguity in modification. This is
necessary for the sentence to convey the logical intended meaning.
In practice, placing the modifier “as close to the noun entity as possible” has become placing the
modifier “immediately after the noun entity” they modify. Now most of the times, this practice
helps us arrive at the correct answer choice. However, this does not mean that a “noun modifier”
should ALWAYS modify the immediately preceding noun. There are several instances in which
a “noun modifier” modifies slightly far away noun.
However, since test takers blindly follow this practice or rule, they eliminate answer choices if
they see that it does not make sense for the “noun modifier” to modify the immediately preceded
noun. And in certain instances this may result in elimination of a correct answer choice. If you
have experienced this while solving SC questions, then this article will be an eye-opener one for
you.
Following are the two OFFICIAL EXAMPLES OF CORRECT SENTENCES in which the “noun modifiers” do
not modify the immediately preceding noun. They actually modify the noun that is placed slightly far
away
1: Emily Dickinson’s letters to Susan Huntington Dickinson, which were written over a period beginning a
few years before Susan’s marriage to Emily’s brother and ending shortly before Emily’s death in 1886,
outnumber her letters to anyone else. (OG 13#29, Choice E)
In this sentence, the noun modifier “which were written…” correctly modifies slightly far away noun –
“letters”. It does not modify immediately preceding noun “Susan”.
2: Although she had been known as an effective legislator first in the Texas Senate and later in the
United States House of Representatives, Barbara Jordan did not become a nationally recognized figure
until 1974, when she participated in the hearings on the impeachment of President Richard Nixon,
which were televised nationwide. (GMAT Prep, Choice B)
In this sentence, the noun modifier “which were televised…” correctly modifies slightly far away noun –
“hearings”. It does not modify immediately preceding noun “Nixon” or “impeachment”.
, HOW FAR AWAY MODIFICATION MAKES SENSE
The above two sentences confirm that GMAC accepts the usage of “noun modifiers” modifying
a slightly far away noun. This usage is not uncommon in OG and GMAT Prep SC problems. So
let’s see how it makes sense for the “noun modifier” to modify a noun that does precede it.
Simple Example
Let’s start with simple sentences to understand the working behind this usage:
1. The committee chose Mr. Smith, who was the most experienced member, to lead all the
management-related operations.
Needless to say that in this sentence, the relative pronoun “who”, a “noun modifier”, modifies the
immediately preceding noun “Mr. Smith”. The relative pronoun clause is giving some extra information
about “Mr. Smith”, the entity it modifies.
2. The committee chose Mr. Smith of Left Block, who was the most experienced member, to lead all the
management-related operations.
Many of you will right away discard this sentence as “incorrect” because “who” is not preceded by “Mr.
Smith”, the noun it should logically refer to. Well, this sentence is absolutely correct. There is no
modification error here. Here “who” correctly modifies “Mr. Smith”.
This is so because the newly added prepositional phrase “of Left Block” is a modifier that modifies “Mr.
Smith”. So it is placed next to that entity. This prepositional cannot be placed elsewhere in the sentence
without violating the structure and the meaning of the sentence. So now instead of just “Mr. Smith” in
sentence 1, we have a “noun phrase” in sentence 2 – “Mr. Smith of Left Block”. In this scenario, “who”
has the liberty to jump over the preceding preposition phrase (modifier) to modify the HEAD of this
noun phrase – “Mr. Smith”
Additionally, “who was the …” cannot logically and grammatically modify the immediately preceding
noun – Left Block.
Complex Example
• The National Association of Large Distribution Businesses, known as Anged, appealed to the Supreme
Court in Madrid, which then asked the Court of Justice for a ruling on how to apply European law
covering working times.
NOUN
INTRODUCTION
Noun modifiers, as the name suggests, modify noun entities. They are generally placed as close
to the noun entity they modify as possible to avoid any ambiguity in modification. This is
necessary for the sentence to convey the logical intended meaning.
In practice, placing the modifier “as close to the noun entity as possible” has become placing the
modifier “immediately after the noun entity” they modify. Now most of the times, this practice
helps us arrive at the correct answer choice. However, this does not mean that a “noun modifier”
should ALWAYS modify the immediately preceding noun. There are several instances in which
a “noun modifier” modifies slightly far away noun.
However, since test takers blindly follow this practice or rule, they eliminate answer choices if
they see that it does not make sense for the “noun modifier” to modify the immediately preceded
noun. And in certain instances this may result in elimination of a correct answer choice. If you
have experienced this while solving SC questions, then this article will be an eye-opener one for
you.
Following are the two OFFICIAL EXAMPLES OF CORRECT SENTENCES in which the “noun modifiers” do
not modify the immediately preceding noun. They actually modify the noun that is placed slightly far
away
1: Emily Dickinson’s letters to Susan Huntington Dickinson, which were written over a period beginning a
few years before Susan’s marriage to Emily’s brother and ending shortly before Emily’s death in 1886,
outnumber her letters to anyone else. (OG 13#29, Choice E)
In this sentence, the noun modifier “which were written…” correctly modifies slightly far away noun –
“letters”. It does not modify immediately preceding noun “Susan”.
2: Although she had been known as an effective legislator first in the Texas Senate and later in the
United States House of Representatives, Barbara Jordan did not become a nationally recognized figure
until 1974, when she participated in the hearings on the impeachment of President Richard Nixon,
which were televised nationwide. (GMAT Prep, Choice B)
In this sentence, the noun modifier “which were televised…” correctly modifies slightly far away noun –
“hearings”. It does not modify immediately preceding noun “Nixon” or “impeachment”.
, HOW FAR AWAY MODIFICATION MAKES SENSE
The above two sentences confirm that GMAC accepts the usage of “noun modifiers” modifying
a slightly far away noun. This usage is not uncommon in OG and GMAT Prep SC problems. So
let’s see how it makes sense for the “noun modifier” to modify a noun that does precede it.
Simple Example
Let’s start with simple sentences to understand the working behind this usage:
1. The committee chose Mr. Smith, who was the most experienced member, to lead all the
management-related operations.
Needless to say that in this sentence, the relative pronoun “who”, a “noun modifier”, modifies the
immediately preceding noun “Mr. Smith”. The relative pronoun clause is giving some extra information
about “Mr. Smith”, the entity it modifies.
2. The committee chose Mr. Smith of Left Block, who was the most experienced member, to lead all the
management-related operations.
Many of you will right away discard this sentence as “incorrect” because “who” is not preceded by “Mr.
Smith”, the noun it should logically refer to. Well, this sentence is absolutely correct. There is no
modification error here. Here “who” correctly modifies “Mr. Smith”.
This is so because the newly added prepositional phrase “of Left Block” is a modifier that modifies “Mr.
Smith”. So it is placed next to that entity. This prepositional cannot be placed elsewhere in the sentence
without violating the structure and the meaning of the sentence. So now instead of just “Mr. Smith” in
sentence 1, we have a “noun phrase” in sentence 2 – “Mr. Smith of Left Block”. In this scenario, “who”
has the liberty to jump over the preceding preposition phrase (modifier) to modify the HEAD of this
noun phrase – “Mr. Smith”
Additionally, “who was the …” cannot logically and grammatically modify the immediately preceding
noun – Left Block.
Complex Example
• The National Association of Large Distribution Businesses, known as Anged, appealed to the Supreme
Court in Madrid, which then asked the Court of Justice for a ruling on how to apply European law
covering working times.
