verb-ing modifiers

[vikram4689]

We know following rule holds:
Verb+ING modifiers without comma ONLY modify preceding NOUN.

Below are 2 doubts regarding modifiers. Both deviate from vast-majority of OG,GMAT Prep problems that follow above rule. Are these exception or Gmac just didn't paid required attention to these points as solution to none of these GMAT prep sc questions hinge on identifying this modifier error i.e. both of these can be easily solved by paying attention to other errors.

1. what does "gathering" modify. is it acting as adjective to navigators or acting as adverb for clause - who...Earth. According to above rule, gathering should acts as adjective but this thread dealing with exact same concept says "gathering" is adverb - post35029.html#p35029
Like the great navigators who first sailed around the Earth gathering information about its size and the curvature of its surface, astronomers have made new observations that show with startling directness the large-scale geometry of the universe.

2. what does "drawing" modify. verb-ing modifiers without comma act as adjective but it is illogical for "drawing" to modify turns. Question for reference the-original-building-and-t6818.html
The original building and loan associations were organized as limited life funds, whose members made monthly payments on their share subscriptions and then took turns drawing on the funds for home mortgages.

[tim]

i think all of your explanations sound plausible on this one. just pay attention to these examples and the fact that they indicate acceptable uses of the -ing words..

[vikram4689]

i think all of your explanations sound plausible on this one. just pay attention to these examples and the fact that they indicate acceptable uses of the -ing words..

can you please explain the contrasts mentioned above and how should one deal with them as they violate basic rules.

[tim]

I’m actually not going to bother with this issue, and neither should you, because you seem to have gotten it right initially: the GMAC appears not to have paid much attention to these points, because the answer did not hinge on this issue and could be derived from other means. If you don’t like this (I certainly don’t!), then just make a point to avoid processing this rule until you have exhausted all other grammar rules..

[alicezyk]

I can't explain the first sentence. But the second one, take turns doing something. I actually don't think the V+ing there is a modifier.

Just like some verbs need a "to do" after them, some verbs need " doing" after them. "Take turns to do something" is also correct.

For example, I love singing. Singing is not a modifier.
I am guessing the reason why you think it's a modifier is that V+ing followed the noun, Turns.

But "TAKE TURNS" is just a verb phrase.
I don't know whether it's the same. But examples like I have difficulty/problem (in)preparing for GMAT. Preparing for Gmat is not modifying problem.

My English is poor, plz kindly point out any flaw in my reasoning.
Thanks :P

Alice

[tim]

sounds like a good explanation to me..