omit the subject and "be" -- subordinating conjunction

[terrace.hoer]

The general grammar rules are as follows:
Subordinating conjunctions introduce dependent clauses.
A dependent clause consists of a subject and a working verb.

But I see some correct sentences that begin with a subordinating conjunction and that also omit the subject and the working verb (be) in the dependent clause.
At the same time, however, some other sentences with the same usage in OG are wrong because of the lack of the subject and the working verb (be) in the dependent clause.

【correct sentences, some of them come from OG】
1) If [**you are**] happy, then you can enjoy your life everywhere.
2) When [**she is**] at home, she usually watches TV.
3) While [**he was**] having dinner with us, he was happy.
4) Along with the drop in producer prices announced yesterday, the strong retail sales figures released today seem to indicate that the economy, although [**the strong retail sales is**] growing slowly, is not nearing a recession.
5) Although [**United States citizens are**] accounting for only 5 percent of the world's population, United States citizens consume 28 percent of its nonrenewable resources, drive more than one-third of its automobiles, and use 21 times more water per capita than Europeans do.
6) Although [**polio was**] eradicated in the United States, polio continues elsewhere and could be brought into the country by visitors.

【wrong sentences from OG】
4) Many people have a disinclination to recognize the weakness of their analytical skills while [**many people are**] willing to admit their lack of computer skills or other technical skills."
5) Although [**Earth’s crust is**] covering the entire planet, Earth’s crust is neither seamless nor stationary, but rather fragmented into mobile semirigid plates.

I’m wondering why this kind of omission is right sometimes, and can also be wrong just because the sentence do not contain a subject and a working verb.

Can anyone help to figure out this problem?

Many many thanks!

[Willy]

At the same time, however, some other sentences with the same usage in OG are wrong because of the lack of the subject and the working verb (be) in the dependent clause.

I believe the examples you have quoted are not incorrect because of the reasons you have mentioned. (Or you are thinking too much.)

【wrong sentences from OG】
4) Many people have a disinclination to recognize the weakness of their analytical skills while [**many people are**] willing to admit their lack of computer skills or other technical skills."
5) Although [**Earth’s crust is**] covering the entire planet, Earth’s crust is neither seamless nor stationary, but rather fragmented into mobile semirigid plates.

4. In this sentence 'have a disinclination to recognize' is really wordy and awkward. That is what the main reason would be for being this sentence incorrect. Otherwise, I don't think we need [**many people are**] at all in the sentence, it makes perfect sense without [**many people are**].

5. In this sentence the blue part must modify the part after comma, here it is 'Earth’s crust' but it makes no sense to say,

Earth’s crust is covering the entire planet !!

So, this makes sentence wrong. If this error is eliminated sentence would be perfect. Also without this part [**Earth’s crust is**] sentence makes sense to me.

[terrace.hoer]

【wrong sentences from OG】
5) Although [**Earth’s crust is**] covering the entire planet, Earth’s crust is neither seamless nor stationary, but rather fragmented into mobile semirigid plates.

5. In this sentence the blue part must modify the part after comma, here it is 'Earth’s crust' but it makes no sense to say,

Earth’s crust is covering the entire planet !!

So, this makes sentence wrong. If this error is eliminated sentence would be perfect. Also without this part [**Earth’s crust is**] sentence makes sense to me.

I am sorry to tell you that the 5th sentence is wrong because "Earth's crust is" is omitted. According to OG's explanation, "Earth's crust is" is needed.

OG13-74-choice E: Although covering the entire planet, Earth’s crust is neither seamless nor stationary, but rather fragmented into mobile semirigid plates.
【Please note that I have corrected other splits in the sentence but the ALTHOUGH part:)】

The explanation of this incorrect choice from OG is as follows:
ALTHOUGH is a conjunction and should be followed by a finite clause with a subject, not by a participle.

So it makes me confused..

Thanks!

[terrace.hoer]

4) Many people have a disinclination to recognize the weakness of their analytical skills while [**many people are**] willing to admit their lack of computer skills or other technical skills."

This sentence is wrong partly because the while-clause isn't complete.
Please note that the orginal choice do not have the"[**many people are**]" thing.

And the official explanation of this wrong choice is that
**Have a disinclination is wordy (the verb disinclined is preferred) and, when followed by while willing, creates an incomplete construction**

So in both 4th and 5th sentences, omission is wrong because the dependent clause is not a complete structure with "subject + be verb"..

Confused..
Thanks for ur help first!!!!

[Willy]

terrace.hoer, thank you for the reply. I think you have valid points for which I am not able to answer correctly. Sorry for that.

Let's wait for MGMAT experts' response on this.

[tim]

Terrace, the bottom line is that if you have ACTUALLY seen OG problems that are labeled correct with an "although" introducing a clause without a subject, then the OG is WRONG about why 5 is incorrect. Although the OG is never wrong about which answers are correct or incorrect, it is VERY often wrong about WHY sentence correction answers are incorrect. HOWEVER, i am not completely convinced that all of your "correct" examples are actually correct. Can you verify that part of things?

[li.xi811]

I believe Terrace incorrectly quoted the second "wrong sentences from OG." This is OG13 #74. I don't find any answer choice that is the same as the one Terrace quoted. The correct answer is "Although it covers the entire planet, Earth's crust is xxxx." And one of the wrong answers is "Although covering the entire planet, Earth has a crust that is xxxx." since "covering" illogically modifies "Earth."

The OG says that "Although is a conjunction and should be followed by a finite clause with a subject, not by a participle." What does a "finite clause" mean?

The correct answer to #36 (Verbal Review 2nd) is "Although eradicated in the US, polio continues elsewhere xxxx." Is "eradicated" considered a participle or an omitted verb (i.e., has been eradicated) in this sentence? Is this a contradiction to OG's explanations regarding the use of "although" in #74?

Can any instructors please help me understand the correct usage of "although?"
Many thanks!

[RonPurewal]

Here's the deal with "although":

* If Although xxxxx comes BEFORE the main sentence, the "xxxxx" can be ...
... an adjective (Although exhausted, Rob continued to work);
... a modifier describing the following subject (Although in considerable debt already, Tom spent two thousand dollars on a new designer suit);
... an entire sentence.

* If although xxxxx comes AFTER the main sentence, the "xxxxx" must be another sentence in its own right.

Heck if I know what a "finite clause" is. In fact, I don't really know any grammar terms beyond the basic patrs of speech (noun, verb, adjective, etc.)

[RonPurewal]

As long as we're on the topic, there's also "though".

* Though can do everything that although can do (as listed above).

* Off the top of my head, there's one extra job "though" can perform that "although" can't. Specifically, it can separate two adjectives, or other descriptions, that contrast with each other.
Dogos Argentinos are beautiful, though dangerous, dogs.
Ray looked happy, though exhausted.

[keenys]

Here's the deal with "although":

* If Although xxxxx comes BEFORE the main sentence, the "xxxxx" can be ...
... an adjective (Although exhausted, Rob continued to work);
... a modifier describing the following subject (Although in considerable debt already, Tom spent two thousand dollars on a new designer suit);
... an entire sentence.

* If although xxxxx comes AFTER the main sentence, the "xxxxx" must be another sentence in its own right.

Heck if I know what a "finite clause" is. In fact, I don't really know any grammar terms beyond the basic patrs of speech (noun, verb, adjective, etc.)

Hi Ron,

Apologies for restarting an old thread but I have few questions for you:

a) Is the above rule for "Although" applicable for every subordinating conjunction such as but, while, etc.? If not, than how to determine what should a subordinate clause followed by a comma modify in the clause after comma.

b) What do the prepositional phrases before comma modify in the clause after the comma? How to determine what they are modifying or should modify in the clause? Does the prepositional phrase always modify the subject of the clause or it can act as an adverbial modifier as well?

Could you explain with some examples, if possible?

Thank you in advance.

[RonPurewal]

Hi Ron,

Apologies for restarting an old thread

No apology necessary"”that's why the forum is here.

But... that statement I made above, about not knowing grammar terms"”the statement that you quoted, above? I'm not kidding. If a question has tons and tons of grammar terms in it (other than basic parts of speech), I won't understand it.
Please give examples. Thanks.

a) Is the above rule for "Although" applicable for every subordinating conjunction such as but, while, etc.? If not, than how to determine what should a subordinate clause followed by a comma modify in the clause after comma.

Again, I don't know these terms, but you're putting "but" in the same box as "although" and "while".
That's incorrect. "But" is like "and" and "yet", not like "while" and "although".

The principal difference is that the latter kind can go in front of the whole thing (While xxxxx, yyyyy) OR in the middle (Xxxxx, while yyyyy).
The former kind can't do both; only the second. I.e., sentences like But xxxxx, yyyyy or And xxxxx, yyyyy are impossible.

Also, you're asking what is "modified" by these kinds of things"”another fundamental misunderstanding.
The whole point of these constructions is that they are NOT modifiers.

Think about what a modifier is. It's a piece of description that has to be "stuck onto" some noun or action"”because it's not already a sentence. It's a PIECE of a sentence, and that's why it has to "modify" something IN a complete sentence.

The job of things like and/but/yet and although/while, etc., is to link two already complete sentences. As such, they are not modifiers at all; they just indicate the relationship between the two sentences.

[RonPurewal]

b) What do the prepositional phrases before comma modify in the clause after the comma? How to determine what they are modifying or should modify in the clause? Does the prepositional phrase always modify the subject of the clause or it can act as an adverbial modifier as well?

Too many grammar terms in this question for me. I could google if there were just one, but I can't follow this question.

Please provide examples. Thanks.

[mybecker]

* If although xxxxx comes AFTER the main sentence, the "xxxxx" must be another sentence in its own right.

Ron, sure, you know the case, how can we classify OG13#36?

[Main clause], although growing slowly ....

[RonPurewal]

* If although xxxxx comes AFTER the main sentence, the "xxxxx" must be another sentence in its own right.

Ron, sure, you know the case, how can we classify OG13#36?

[Main clause], although growing slowly ....

That doesn't follow a sentence. It's inserted into the middle of one.

The sentence in question is "The economy is not nearing a recession." The "although" thing is stuck right after "the economy". Different animal.

[750plus]

Dear Team,

I still have a doubt with the usage of 'although'

Sentence 1:

Polio, although it is eradicated in the United States, it continues elsewhere and is able to be brought into the country by visitors.

(A) Polio, although it is eradicated in the United States, it continues elsewhere and is able to be
(B) Polio, although eradicated in the United States, it still continues elsewhere and can be
(C) Although still continuing elsewhere, polio has been eradicated in the United States and could be
(D) Although having been eradicated in the United States, polio still continues elsewhere and is capable of being
(E) Although eradicated in the United States, polio continues elsewhere and could be -- CORRECT CHOICE

In this question, I learned a new concept that the usage of 'although' can be correct even if it is not followed by the clause as Ron told and I have added this to my 'key notes'

I will reiterate what he said

If Although xxxxx comes BEFORE the main sentence, the "xxxxx" can be

Case 1... an adjective (Although exhausted, Rob continued to work);
Case 2... a modifier describing the following subject (Although in considerable debt already, Tom spent two thousand dollars on a new designer suit);
Case 3... an entire sentence.

Sentence 2:
[redacted]