Sentence Structure 7
The below sentences have been broken down into subject, verb, and modifiers. Since there are hardly any specific rules around objects, I’ve clubbed objects into modifiers to reduce complexity.
One common confusion students face is regarding prepositional phrases following a noun that comes after a verb (…verb noun PP). In such cases, many students almost always associate those prepositional phrases with the nouns preceding them. However, many a time, such prepositional phrases are modifying the verbs. One way to test that a prepositional phrase is modifying a verb is by putting that prepositional phrase immediately after the verb and then putting the noun. If the sentence still makes sense, the prepositional phrase is modifying the verb.
Please note that the abbreviation ‘PP’ has been used for a prepositional phrase in the below sentence structures.
Sentence 1
Projections based on the current rate of waste production in many industrialized countries suggest that 10 billion people would generate enough solid waste every year to bury a large city and its surrounding suburbs 100 meters deep.
- Projections (Main subject)
- based on the current rate (Verb-ed modifier modifying the main subject)
- of waste production (PP modifying “rate”)
- in many industrialized countries (PP modifying “production”)
- based on the current rate (Verb-ed modifier modifying the main subject)
- suggest (Main verb)
- that 10 billion people would generate (DC modifying “suggest”)
- enough solid waste every year (Noun modifying “generate”)
- to bury (Infinitive modifying “enough”)
- a large city and its surrounding suburbs (Noun – modifies “bury”)
- 100 meters deep. (modifies “bury”)
- to bury (Infinitive modifying “enough”)
- enough solid waste every year (Noun modifying “generate”)
- that 10 billion people would generate (DC modifying “suggest”)
Sentence 2
New applications for unemployment assistance fell last week, a sign of modest improvement during a holiday period clouded with uncertainty around impending changes to benefit payments.
- New applications (Main subject)
- for unemployment assistance (PP modifying the main subject)
- fell (Main verb)
- last week, (Adverb – modifies the main verb)
- a sign (Modifies/Refers to the entire clause)
- of modest improvement (PP modifying “a sign”)
- during a holiday period (PP modifying “a sign”)
- clouded with uncertainty (Verb-ed modifier modifying “holiday period”)
- around impending changes (PP modifying “uncertainty”)
- to benefit payments. (PP modifying “changes”)
- around impending changes (PP modifying “uncertainty”)
- clouded with uncertainty (Verb-ed modifier modifying “holiday period”)
Sentence 3
The approval and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines have fueled expectations of a revival among apparel makers and retailers that have suffered during the pandemic and related lockdowns.
- The approval and distribution (Main subject)
- of Covid-19 vaccines (PP modifying the main subject)
- have fueled (Main verb)
- expectations (Noun – modifies the main verb)
- of a revival (PP modifying “expectations”)
- among apparel makers and retailers (PP modifying “expectations”)
- that have suffered (DC modifying “apparel makers and retailers”)
- during the pandemic and related lockdowns. (PP modifying “have suffered”)
- that have suffered (DC modifying “apparel makers and retailers”)
- expectations (Noun – modifies the main verb)
Sentence 4
Operating profits at department stores, including Macy’s Inc., Nordstrom Inc. and Kohl’s Corp. as well as other clothing retailers such as Gap Inc., should at least double this year.
- Operating profits (Main subject)
- at department stores (PP modifying the main subject)
- , including Macy’s Inc., Nordstrom Inc. and Kohl’s Corp. as well as other clothing retailers such as Gap Inc., (PP modifying “department stores”)
- at department stores (PP modifying the main subject)
- should at least double (Main verb “should double”)
- this year. (Adverb – modifies the main verb)
Sentence 5
Current feminist theory, in validating women’s own stories of their experience, has encouraged scholars of women’s history to view the use of women’s oral narratives as the methodology.
- Current feminist theory (Main clause)
- , in validating women’s own stories (PP modifying the main verb)
- of their experience, (PP modifying “stories”)
- , in validating women’s own stories (PP modifying the main verb)
- has encouraged scholars (Main verb “has encouraged”)
- of women’s history (PP modifying “scholars”)
- to view the use (Infinitive modifying the main verb)
- of women’s oral narratives (PP modifying “use”)
- as the methodology. (PP modifying “view”)
Sentence 6
The dividing line between “particular history” and general history was redefined in stronger terms, widening the gulf between amateur and professional practices of historical research.
- The dividing line (Main subject)
- between “particular history” and general history (PP modifying the main subject)
- was redefined (Main verb)
- in stronger terms, (PP modifying the main verb)
- widening the gulf (Verb-ing modifier modifying the preceding clause)
- between amateur and professional practices (PP modifying “gulf”)
- of historical research. (PP modifying “practices”)
- between amateur and professional practices (PP modifying “gulf”)
Sentence 7
When a tree trunk is viewed in a cross section, a boundary line is normally visible between the small-celled wood added at the end of the growing season in the previous year and the large-celled spring wood of the following year’s growing season.
- When a tree trunk is viewed (DC modifying the main verb)
- in a cross section, (PP modifying “is viewed”)
- a boundary line is normally visible (Main clause – Subject “line”; Verb “is”)
- between the small-celled wood (PP modifying “is”)
- added at the end (Verb-ed modifier modifying “wood”)
- of the growing season (PP modifying “end”)
- in the previous year (PP modifying “season”)
- of the growing season (PP modifying “end”)
- added at the end (Verb-ed modifier modifying “wood”)
- and the large-celled spring wood (Part of “between..and”)
- of the following year’s growing season. (PP modifying “wood”)
- between the small-celled wood (PP modifying “is”)
Sentence 8
A thorough carcass consumption implies to the researchers either that prey availability was low, at least seasonally, or that there were intense competition over kills and a high rate of carcass theft due to relatively high predator densities.
- A thorough carcass consumption implies (Main clause)
- to the researchers (PP modifying “implies”)
- either that prey availability was low, (DC modifying “implies”)
- at least seasonally, (Adverb – modifies “was”)
- or that there were (DC modifying “implies” – Verb “were”)
- intense competition (Subject 1 for “were”)
- over kills (PP modifying “competition”)
- and a high rate (Subject 2 for “were”)
- of carcass theft (PP modifying “rate”)
- due to relatively high predator densities. (Adjective modifying “theft”)
- of carcass theft (PP modifying “rate”)
- intense competition (Subject 1 for “were”)
Sentence 9
In his study of the Lone Wolf case, Blue Clark properly emphasizes the Court’s assertion of a virtually unlimited unilateral power of Congress over Native American affairs.
- In his study (PP modifying “emphasizes”)
- of the Lone Wolf case, (PP modifying “study”)
- Blue Clark properly emphasizes (Main clause)
- the Court’s assertion (Noun – modifies “emphasizes”)
- of a virtually unlimited unilateral power (PP modifying “assertion”)
- of Congress (PP modifying “power”)
- over Native American affairs. (PP modifying “power”)
- of a virtually unlimited unilateral power (PP modifying “assertion”)
- the Court’s assertion (Noun – modifies “emphasizes”)
Sentence 10
In current times the largest payoffs often go to companies that lead in developing new, more optimal business models and approaches for successful mass acceptance and usage of technologies.
- In current times (PP modifying the main verb “go”)
- the largest payoffs often go (Main clause)
- to companies (PP modifying “go”)
- that lead (DC modifying “companies”)
- in developing (PP modifying “lead”)
- new, more optimal business models and approaches (Noun – modifies “developing”)
- for successful mass acceptance and usage of technologies. (PP modifying “models and approaches”)
- new, more optimal business models and approaches (Noun – modifies “developing”)
- in developing (PP modifying “lead”)
- that lead (DC modifying “companies”)
- to companies (PP modifying “go”)
Discover more from GMAT with CJ
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
A thorough carcass consumption implies to the researchers either that prey availability was low, at least seasonally, or that there were intense competition over kills and a high rate of carcass theft due to relatively high predator densities.
“that there were intense” I would like to understand usage of were in this sentence and why the first half of parallel structure dosnt use the hypothetical structure
“were” doesn’t indicate anything hypothetical here. “were” – simple past plural verb is used since there are two subjects: intense competition and a high rate of carcass theft