Can the answer be debated then?

in that case you wouldn't really have to decide which noun is modified, since the meaning of the sentence would be basically the same in either case.

you can't really do that. if you have
clause1, clause2, -ING
then, in most cases, the -ING will modify clause2, not clause1.

here's an example:

the truck spilled a tankful of gasoline, some of which spilled into the river, killing a large number of fish.
--> note that "killing a large number..." modifies the immediately preceding clause, not the first clause.




that wouldn't work; you'd need the commas. otherwise, you're qualifying the sentence: you're saying that you're only choosing from camcorders that weigh less than 11 ounces.

for instance:
the world's tallest man weighing under 150 pounds --> this means that you take the tallest man from the collection of men who weigh under 150 pounds, not the world's tallest man overall.

i want to know whether the subclause in blackface is a run-on sentence.

A run-on sentence is one that has two independent clauses mushed together without appropriate punctuation and/or connecting words (and, or, but, however, etc.).

Here, the entire phrase what it claims is the world's smallest digital camcorder is an object noun (because of the what):

The electronics company has unveiled something.
[-------subject--------] [---verb---][--object-]

Where "something" is that phrase beginning with "what." Alternative phrasings are "something that it claims is the world's smallest digital camcorder" or "a device that it claims is the world's smallest digital camcorder." Using "what" is more concise, but the idea is the same.

_________________
Emily Sledge
Instructor
ManhattanGMAT

thank you, emily! i thought that the following sentence is run-on,but now i know it is OK in GMAT.
1# what it claims is the world's smallest digital camcorder...

_________________
stephen

What I know about the use of 'claim' is that 'claim' must be followed by either 'that' or 'to'.

In this situation, 'claim' is followed by 'is'????

Can someone explain this.

Thanks
Punzo.

Hi Punzo,

You have to look at the context of the entire sentence to answer your question regarding what follows "claims."

The electronics company has unveiled what it claims...

The major verb here is unveils and it must take an object that answers "unveils WHAT?" "is" in the answer choices helps the reader see that what was unveiled IS "the world’s smallest network digital camcorder..." or more precisely what the company claims IS "the world’s smallest network digital camcorder"

In other contexts, the verb "to claim" can be followed by any number of objects such as "to be", "that", or prepositions such as "for." In this case, you had to choose from between "to be" and "is." "To be" is wrong for any number of the reasons cited earlier in the thread.

I would worry less about what you're "used to seeing" after claim and more about what is going on in the sentence.

Thanks,
Chris

_________________
Chris Brusznicki
MGMAT Instructor
Chicago, IL

I think that is correct.

cool.

_________________
Tim Sanders
Manhattan GMAT Instructor

The electronics company has unveiled what it claims is the world’s smallest network digital camcorder weighing less than 11 ounces.[/quote]

that wouldn't work; you'd need the commas. otherwise, you're qualifying the sentence: you're saying that you're only choosing from camcorders that weigh less than 11 ounces.

for instance:
the world's tallest man weighing under 150 pounds --> this means that you take the tallest man from the collection of men who weigh under 150 pounds, not the world's tallest man overall.[/quote]

Will this be correct:

The electronics company has unveiled what it claims is the world’s smallest network digital camcorder, weighing less than 11 ounces.
If the above sentence is correct, then "weighing" modifies "the electronics company" or "what it claims"? Thank you

that wouldn't work; you'd need the commas. otherwise, you're qualifying the sentence: you're saying that you're only choosing from camcorders that weigh less than 11 ounces.

for instance:
the world's tallest man weighing under 150 pounds --> this means that you take the tallest man from the collection of men who weigh under 150 pounds, not the world's tallest man overall.[/quote]

Will this be correct:

The electronics company has unveiled what it claims is the world’s smallest network digital camcorder, weighing less than 11 ounces.
If the above sentence is correct, then "weighing" modifies "the electronics company" or "what it claims"? Thank you[/quote]

that wouldn't work either -- in that case, the implication would be the following:
(1) the electronics company weighs less than 11 oz., AND
(2) the company's weight (!) has some sort of intimate relationship with the action of unveiling the camcorder.
both of these fail.

for a more general statement of these requirements on COMMA -ING modifiers, see here:
post46255.html#p46255

i have the same question as he does.
claims and is are 2 verb in one object-clause?
I am not a native speaker,so this is really confusing.
plus,can I alway use "something that"in stead of "what",when i choose an answer? because the former one is easier for me to understand.

here, "it claims" is a modifier. i don't know the name for this kind of modifier, but i can tell you how it is used: it's inserted into a sentence, either with or without commas, in order to attribute a claim to the person (or organization, etc.) that made that claim.

for instance:
original sentence --
this picture shows a bacterium that lives in hydrothermal vents under the ocean.
sentence with modifier --
this picture shows a bacterium that(,) scientists say(,) lives in hydrothermal vents under the ocean. (this sentence is ok with or without the commas -- note that punctuation is not tested, so you don't have to worry about that particular aspect)



hmm?

the former isn't in the answer choices; it's an alternative, equivalent construction that emily was using in order to explain how the latter one works.
since both of them are acceptable (although the latter is better written), you will not ever be faced with the choice between them.

The electronics company has unveiled what it claims to be the world’s smallest network digital camcorder, the length of which is that of a handheld computer, and it weighs less than 11 ounces.

My analogy:

There are 2 valid idioms with "claims"; "claims to be" and "claims that"

1) if X claims on itself, then it is better to use "claims to be"
2) if X claims on Y, then it is better to use "claims that Y is..."

in the case of this question, the company claims that camcorder is ....<something>, hence better to go with the 2nd idiom.

A. to be the world’s smallest network digital camcorder, the length of which is that of a handheld computer, and it weighs

"to be" is wrong

B. to be the smallest network digital camcorder in the world, which is as long as a handheld computer, weighing

"to be" is wrong

C. is the smallest network digital camcorder in the world, which is as long as a handheld computer, and it weighs

"Which" referes to "the world " .... wrong.

D. is the world’s smallest network digital camcorder, which is as long as a handheld computer and weighs

correct

E. is the world’s smallest network digital camcorder, the length of which is that of a handheld computer, weighing

"weighing" modifies "the length of camcorder" --- wrong

Masters. please correct me if i am wrong.