supposed vs supposedly

[yamini]

Carbon-14 dating reveals that the megalithic monuments in Brittany are nearly 2,000 years as old as any of their supposed Mediterranean predecessors.

(A) as old as any of their supposed
(B) older than any of their supposed
(C) as old as their supposed
(D) older than any of their supposedly
(E) as old as their supposedly

Answer - B. why not D?

(I am not sure about the source of this question. I found it in my old notes)

[AB]

Hi Yamini,

This is one of the OG question. "supposedly" is an adverb so as Adverb can modify verb, adjective and adverb. In this question, "supposedly"(Adverb) is modifying "Mediterranean"(Adjective). That results in the change of the meaning i.e. It is saying Mediterranean is supposed, though original sentence is saying that "Mediterranean Predecessor" is supposed.

Thanks,

Aishwary

[RonPurewal]

We nailed this one here.

There's a search box on the upper right-hand corner of these forum pages. If you use it, typing in key words like 'Mediterranean' (i.e., don't type in things that YOU would use to find the problem but which make terrible search strings, like problem numbers), then you can save yourself a lot of typing time by finding relevant old posts.[/url]

[agautamdai]

I made the same mistake, I thought that supposedly should be the right choice but because in the sentence it is not difined if objects that the monuments are being compared to are their predecessors, therefore we have to modify the predecessor which requires a supposed rather than supposedly.

[tim]

thanks..

[anjali.iitd]

A new analysis of ruins on the northernmost tip of Newfoundland reveals that the Viking settlement there is almost 600 years as old as the supposedly first North American colony.

A. as old as the supposedly
B. older than the supposedly
C. as old as the supposed
D. older than their supposed
E. as old as its first supposedly

The correct answer is B, why not D?

Source: Knewton SC test.

[Willy]

A new analysis of ruins on the northernmost tip of Newfoundland reveals that the Viking settlement there is almost 600 years as old as the supposedly first North American colony.

A. as old as the supposedly
B. older than the supposedly
C. as old as the supposed
D. older than their supposed
E. as old as its first supposedly

The correct answer is B, why not D?

Source: Knewton SC test.

'Their' refers to what in this sentence? 'Their' in option D is wrong.

[RonPurewal]

A new analysis of ruins on the northernmost tip of Newfoundland reveals that the Viking settlement there is almost 600 years as old as the supposedly first North American colony.

A. as old as the supposedly
B. older than the supposedly
C. as old as the supposed
D. older than their supposed
E. as old as its first supposedly

The correct answer is B, why not D?

Source: Knewton SC test.

"their" would have to refer to "the vikings", but only "the viking settlement" is in there. so you've got a pronoun issue.

[tim]

yeah. this also tests the difference between "supposed" as an adjective and "supposedly" as an adverb. look at our SC guide for a discussion about this distinction..