Far from being modern inventions, ______ more than 5,000 years ago.

Let's begin by understanding the meaning of this sentence. We'll use our understanding of pause points and segment the sentence as shown - understanding and assimilating the meaning of each segment bit by bit!

Sentence Structure

Far from being modern inventions,
     (?) more than 5,000 years ago.

Where (?):

• A: Sumerians in ancient Mesopotamia used drinking straws
• B: drinking straws were used by Sumerians in ancient Mesopotamia
• C: the use of drinking straws by Sumerians in ancient Mesopotamia happened
• D: ancient Mesopotamia was home to Sumerians who used drinking straws

Understanding the Meaning

Let's start reading from the beginning:

'Far from being modern inventions'

• This opening phrase is describing something.
• 'Far from being' means 'contrary to what you might think' or 'not actually.'
• So this phrase is saying that something is NOT a modern invention.

This is where we have the blank.

Let's look at the choices – they're giving us different subjects to start the main part of the sentence:

• Choice A starts with "Sumerians"
• Choice B starts with "drinking straws"
• Choice C starts with "the use of drinking straws"
• Choice D starts with "ancient Mesopotamia"

To see what works here, let's read the rest of the sentence and understand what it's saying!

All the choices end with 'more than 5,000 years ago' – so we're learning about something that happened in ancient times.

Now let's really understand what this is telling us:

• The opening phrase 'Far from being modern inventions' is describing something
  • It's saying that something is not a modern invention (even though you might think it is)
• The sentence is making a point about drinking straws existing in ancient times
  • Specifically, that Sumerians in ancient Mesopotamia used them more than 5,000 years ago

What do we notice about the structure here?

• When you have a describing phrase at the start of a sentence (before a comma),
  • whatever comes RIGHT AFTER that comma must be what you're describing
  • And there needs to be a logical fit – the description has to make sense for that subject
• So I need to ask: What can logically be described as "far from being modern inventions"?
  • Can people (Sumerians) be "inventions"? No
  • Can objects (drinking straws) be "inventions"? Yes!
  • Can a "use" be "inventions"? No – uses aren't inventions, objects are
  • Can a place (ancient Mesopotamia) be "inventions"? No
• Only "drinking straws" can logically be described as inventions (or not inventions)

So we need Choice B: "drinking straws were used by Sumerians in ancient Mesopotamia"

This gives us: "Far from being modern inventions, drinking straws were used by Sumerians in ancient Mesopotamia more than 5,000 years ago."

The sentence is saying: Contrary to what you might think, drinking straws aren't a modern invention – they were actually used over 5,000 years ago!

Grammar Concept Applied

Placing Modifiers Next to What They Describe

When you start a sentence with a describing phrase (called an introductory modifier in grammar terms) followed by a comma, whatever comes immediately after that comma must be what you're describing. And crucially, there must be a logical fit between the description and the subject.

The pattern:

• [Describing phrase], [what it describes] [rest of sentence]

Example 1:

• INCORRECT: Hoping to see wildlife, the forest was explored by the hikers.
• "Hoping to see wildlife" describes... the forest? No! Forests can't hope for anything.
• CORRECT: Hoping to see wildlife, the hikers explored the forest.
• "Hoping to see wildlife" describes the hikers – that makes sense!

Example 2:

• INCORRECT: After boiling for ten minutes, I removed the pasta from the pot.
• "After boiling for ten minutes" describes... I? No! I wasn't boiling!
• CORRECT: After boiling for ten minutes, the pasta was removed from the pot.
• "After boiling for ten minutes" describes the pasta – logical!

In our question:

• The describing phrase is "Far from being modern inventions"
• This can only logically describe something that can BE an invention
• Of all the choices, only "drinking straws" can be an invention
• People, uses, and places cannot be inventions
• Therefore, "drinking straws" must come immediately after the comma

The key is always asking: Does the describing phrase make logical sense with the subject that follows?