GMAT Grammar Biweekly: Opening Modifiers
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Modifiers can seem overwhelming. They have lots of rules, impact meaning, and come in different kinds, each of which is restrictive in different ways. So why not throw modifiers out the window? They are the grammatical spice of life! Consider this simple sentence:
The dog ran down the street.
Basic. Boring. Factual, but unimportant. Now compare it this sentence:
Barking ferociously, the dog, which was known to be vicious, ran down the street, chasing the boy who had been poking at it just moments before.
Now we’re talking! Amazingly, the only difference between these sentences is in the second, we’ve inserted some colorful modifiers. The sentence core is the same. Each of the major modifiers added to this sentence is different in some way, each with its own rules. Today we’re going to talk about the “Barking ferociously” modifier.
We start with this not only because opening modifiers, including “barking ferociously” in the previous example, are commonly tested on the GMAT, but also because they are easy to spot. Opening modifiers, as the name implies, always open the sentence. If present, they will be the first clause, followed by a comma. Each of these sentences have opening modifiers:
After staying up late last night, I slept through my alarm this morning.
An expert in astronomy, the scientist concluded that the meteor shower was unusual.
Studied for decades, the theory of relativity is considered almost absolute fact.
Did you notice some patterns in what those first clauses were doing? Though each was phrased differently, they all served to describe the subject of the sentence. “I” stayed up late last night, “the scientists” is an expert, and “the theory” was studied for decades. This brings us to two definitional points of opening modifiers: they modify nouns and, specifically, they modify the subject of the next clause.
So when you spot an opening modifier, you can be confident that the clause needs to describe the upcoming subject. But let’s back up a step. How do you know you’re looking at an opening modifier? Some of these sentences have them, and some don’t:
Alchemy is an old science, but one that has been largely disproven.
Running quickly, the sprinter took the lead.
Aeysha, who had always excelled at math, was discouraged by the poor grade.
Considered unreliable, Lawrence made little impact with his outlandish accusations.
To tell which have opening modifiers, find the sentence core of each. If the first clause is part of the sentence core, it can’t be a modifier.
Alchemy is an old science, but one that has been largely disproven.
Running quickly, the sprinter took the lead.
Aeysha, who had always excelled at math, was discouraged by the poor grade.
Considered unreliable, Lawrence made little impact with his outlandish accusations.
With this breakdown, it is clear the first and third sentences do NOT have opening modifiers. The opening portion is part of the main sentence. Both the second and fourth do have opening modifiers (the sprinter is running quickly and Lawrence is considered unreliable). Both correctly use opening modifiers. However, watch for subtle shifts in the subject. Each of the following INCORRECTLY use opening modifiers:
Having experience in these cases, Erica’s reports were deemed valid.
Using only shades of red, the museum claims that the artist’s work, “Reds,” is profoundly moving.
A world-renown novelist, Jose’s books quickly sold over one million copies.
Not sure what’s wrong with these? Isolate the subject in each. Erica’s reports have experience in these cases. The museum uses only shades of red (not the artist or the painting). Jose’s books are a world-renown novelist. Watch for subtle shifts in subject.
In sum, spot opening modifiers by isolating the sentence core, then check for accuracy by determining whether the modifier describes the specific subject of the next clause.
These will hopefully become quick eliminations when used incorrectly and will let you dive into the more nuanced parts of the sentence. If you want more practice with participles visit the modifier section of our Sentence Correction Strategy Guide, or Foundations of Verbal. ?
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Emily Madan is a Manhattan Prep instructor based in Philadelphia. Having scored in the 99th percentile of the GMAT (770) and LSAT (177), Emily is committed to helping others achieve their full potential. In the classroom, she loves bringing concepts to life and her greatest thrill is that moment when a complex topic suddenly becomes clear to her students. Check out Emily’s upcoming GMAT courses here. Your first class is always free!