A pioneer in the ﬁeld of taphonomy (the study of how organic remains become fossils), ______ may be just as prevalent in the
fossil record as those of thick-shelled organisms.
fossils of thin-shelled organisms, Anna Behrensmeyer demonstrated in a 2005 analysis,
Anna Behrensmeyer demonstrated in a 2005 analysis that fossils of thin-shelled organisms
it was demonstrated in a 2005 analysis by Anna Behrensmeyer that fossils of thin-shelled organisms
a 2005 analysis—by Anna Behrensmeyer—demonstrated that fossils of thin-shelled organisms
Choice B is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-modiﬁer placement. This choice makes the noun phrase
“Anna Behrensmeyer” the subject of the sentence and places it immediately after the modifying phrase “a pioneer…fossils.”
In doing so, this choice clearly establishes that Anna Behrensmeyer—and not another noun in the sentence—is a pioneer in
the ﬁeld of taphonomy.
Choice A is incorrect because it results in a dangling modiﬁer. The placement of the noun phrase “fossils of thin-shelled
organisms” immediately after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that the “fossils” are a pioneer in the ﬁeld of
taphonomy. Choice C is incorrect because it results in a dangling modiﬁer. The placement of the pronoun “it” immediately
after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that “it” is a pioneer in the ﬁeld of taphonomy. Choice D is incorrect because it
results in a dangling modiﬁer. The placement of the noun phrase “a 2005 analysis” immediately after the modifying phrase
illogically suggests that “a 2005 analysis” is a pioneer in the ﬁeld of taphonomy.