Blue Book Test 6 (P.749) Writing Section 10 #10

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1

<p>I don't think CB is right on this answer:</p>

<p>Find the correct correction of the sentence:</p>

<p>The Basque language, possibly one of Europe's oldest, whose origins are hotly debated.</p>

<p>(A) The Basque language, possibly one of Europe's oldest, whose origins are hotly debated.
(B) The Basque language, possibly one of Europe's oldest, its origins are hotly debated.
(C) Possibly one of Europe's oldest languages, the origins of Basque are hotly debated.
(D) The origins of the Basque language, possibly one of Europe's oldest, are hotly debated.
(E) Basque is hotly debated as a language whose origins are possibly Europe's oldest.</p>

<p>The answer is (D). But isn't their a problem with (D) too? Shouldn't the "possibly one of Europe's oldest" refer to the origins of the Basque language instead of the Basque language?</p>

<p>Any explanations?</p>

2

<p>Good point. But then again, our mindset will immediately, and usually, assume that it is referring to the Basque Language. However, I cannot answer your question.</p>

3

<p>D is correct because the modifier is now directly following what it is referring to, "the Basque language."</p>

<p>The origins are being hotly debated, not the language. </p>

<p>A is not a complete sentence. Taking out the "possibly one of Europe's oldest" will leave us with..</p>

<p>The Basque language whose origins are hotly debated.</p>

4

<p>SBuck is absolutely correct...modifying adjective phrases must be next to the nouns they modify (or as close as possible, and not closer to another noun).</p>

5

<p>C is wrong due to the first part of the sentence not describing the subject. What is the formal name for this relationship?</p>

6

<p>mm i think they call it misplaced modifier.</p>