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Pokh Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

Modifier

"In A.D. 391, resulting from the destruction of the largest library of the ancient world at Alexandria, …”

ETS says :

The largest library of the ancient world at Alexandria is both cumbersome and ambiguous because it suggests that the ancient world was located at (and only at) Alexandria.”

My doubt is at Alexandria is a essential modifier coz it is not separated by comma from ancient world..

Thus, it should mean that there are other ancient world as well...Why does ETS says at (and only at) Alexandria..

Please help me out

..
  

Top answer

D. 391, resulting from the destruction of the largest library of the ancient world at Alexandria, …... " "At Alexandria" is grammatically non-essential.

— Avangi

  • D.
  • 391, resulting from the destruction of the largest library of the ancient world at Alexandria, …...
  • " "At Alexandria" is grammatically non-essential.
  • But without context, the average reader would be glad of its inclusion.
  • Personally, I don't miss the comma, and feel that common sense overrules the two possible ambiguities.
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1 Answers
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pokhIn A.D. 391, resulting from the destruction of the largest library of the ancient world at Alexandria, …...
I agree with you that technically, there should be a comma after "world."
"At Alexandria" is grammatically non-essential.

But without context, the average reader would be glad of its inclusion.

Personally, I don't miss the comm
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