Preposition + NOUN + VERBing

[ParthJ26]

Dear Sage/Stacey,

Hi.

I was going through Ron's post on the forum regarding some question and drew the following conclusion about a common issue on the GMAT.

If you have "preposition + NOUN + VERBing", then "VERBing" is just a modifier, and can be dropped without changing the surrounding grammar.
therefore, the sentence should still make sense, in context, if you write it as just "preposition + NOUN", without the "VERBing" modifier.

For example:

1. I have a picture of my cousin playing hockey. CORRECT!

= essentially the same as

I have a picture of my cousin.

2. I have never heard of bees stinging. INCORRECT.

If we drop the -ing, we get:

I have never heard of bees = NOT THE INTENDED MEANING.

I tried to apply this concept to some question but was puzzled by the following OG. I have rephrased it so as to not cause any trouble.

Despite the increasing number of women graduating from medical schools, the proportion of doctors who are women has not risen comparably. CORRECT (OA)

If I drop the ING, I get:

Despite the increasing number of women, the proportion of doctors who are women has not risen comparably.

WHY IS THIS CORRECT?

Thanks in advance.

Parth Jain

[Sage Pearce-Higgins]

I answered this one here: https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/foru ... ml#p128736