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Lesson: Sentence Correction Challenging - 03t01

Modifying Modifiers

[Page 3 of 26]
Answer the following question, paying particular attention to any modifiers. Once you identify the modifier, test to see if it's used correctly and select your answer. When you're done, click Continue.

The mayor appointed the new councilman to the city's appropriations committee, having considerable experience with effective budgeting and fiscal management.

The mayor appointed the new councilman to the city's appropriations committee, having considerable experience with effective budgeting and fiscal management.
Having considerable experience with effective budgeting and fiscal management, the mayor appointed the new councilman at the city's appropriations committee.
The mayor, having considerable experience with effective budgeting and fiscal management, will have appointed the new councilman to the city's appropriations committee.
The mayor appointed the new councilman, who has considerable experience with effective budgeting and fiscal management, to the city's appropriations committee.
The new councilman, having been appointed to the city's appropriations committee by the mayor, having considerable experience with effective budgeting and fiscal management.

Where's the modifier? It's everything that follows the comma, from "having" through the end of the sentence. Who does it modify? Who has considerable experience? The sentence is trying to say that the councilman has this experience and therefore is being appointed to the committee, but it doesn't do a very good job of this. The modifying phrase doesn't clearly refer to the councilman, so Choice (1) can be eliminated. Choices (2) and (3) may also be eliminated since the modifiers in these options refer to the mayor, not to the councilman.
Choices (4) and (5) remain. The placement of the modifiers in Choice (5) is correct (the councilman is the referent) but the sentence is incomplete. Eliminate.
Only Choice (4) remains.
The mayor appointed the new councilman, who has considerable experience with effective budgeting and fiscal management, to the city's appropriations committee. That sounds fine.
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