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Lesson 2
14
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ARCO
■ SAT II Subject Tests
EXAMPLES:
Since only the ruling party is allowed to vote, its members are able to maintain the existing
status quo.
Each year, the geese make their annual migration from Northern Canada to their winter habi-
tats in the United States.
Although the committee met for over two weeks and issued a 50-page report, its findings were
of little importance or consequence.
Each of these sentences contains needless repetition. The first can be corrected by eliminating existing.
The second can be corrected by eliminating either each year or annual. The third can be corrected by
eliminating either importance or consequence.
7. Misplaced Modifiers
Another common structural error is the misplaced modifier.
EXAMPLES:
Wrapped in several thicknesses of newspaper, packed carefully in a strong cardboard carton, and
bound securely with tape, the worker made sure that the fragile figurines would not be broken.
The sentence as originally written suggests that it was the worker who was wrapped, packed, and
bound. In general, a modifier should be placed as closely as possible to the part of the sentence it is to
modify. The corrected version of this sentence reads: “To make sure that the figurines would not be
broken, the worker wrapped them in several thicknesses of newspaper, packed them carefully in a strong
cardboard carton, and securely bound the carton with tape.”
Riding in a coach and wearing the crown jewels, the crowd cheered the royal couple.
The sentence as originally written suggests that the crowd is wearing the crown jewels and riding in
the carriage. This sentence can be made clear by changing it to: “Riding in a coach and wearing the crown
jewels, the royal couple was cheered by the crowd.”