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Anonymous Posted 22 years ago
Grammar
Peculiar usage of THAT ??
I am new to this forum..
Please help me out with my doubts..
In teh following example, which is correct in GMATLand, what is "that is bringing" referring to ??
As I understand that is referring to "market".. But I somehow get the impression that "that" should refer to "television shows" and correct sentence should contain "that are bringing" instead of "that is bringing".
Out of public's interest in the details of and conflicts in other people's lives has grown a booming market for "reality" television shows that is bringing "regular" people onto the television screen with increasing frequency.
how will you figure out what is "that" referring to in such complex sentences ??
Kaplan ,a GMAT book, explains this as below. .
Out of the .... interest... has grown a ... market ...that is bringing....
So "that " is referring to market.
Please help me out with my doubts..
In teh following example, which is correct in GMATLand, what is "that is bringing" referring to ??
As I understand that is referring to "market".. But I somehow get the impression that "that" should refer to "television shows" and correct sentence should contain "that are bringing" instead of "that is bringing".
Out of public's interest in the details of and conflicts in other people's lives has grown a booming market for "reality" television shows that is bringing "regular" people onto the television screen with increasing frequency.
how will you figure out what is "that" referring to in such complex sentences ??
Kaplan ,a GMAT book, explains this as below. .
Out of the .... interest... has grown a ... market ...that is bringing....
So "that " is referring to market.
Top answer
Hi Sharad, Welcome to EnglishForward. I hope you enjoy yourself here. I agree that this sentence is not very clearly constructed; however, 'that' refers to 'market' because 'market' is singular, and 'that is' is singular.
- Hi Sharad, Welcome to EnglishForward.
- I hope you enjoy yourself here.
- I agree that this sentence is not very clearly constructed; however, 'that' refers to 'market' because 'market' is singular, and 'that is' is singular.
- 'Shows' is plural.
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9 Answers
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Hi Sharad,
Welcome to EnglishForward. I hope you enjoy yourself here.
I agree that this sentence is not very clearly constructed; however, 'that' refers to 'market' because 'market' is singular, and 'that is' is singular. 'Shows' is plural.
Welcome to EnglishForward. I hope you enjoy yourself here.
I agree that this sentence is not very clearly constructed; however, 'that' refers to 'market' because 'market' is singular, and 'that is' is singular. 'Shows' is plural.
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Hi Mister Micawber,
thanks for the reply. Here is anther choice given for the same qn in GMAT..
Out of public's interest in the details of and conflicts in other people's lives has grown a booming market for "reality" television shows that bring "regular" people onto the television screen with increasing frequency.
Here that is refering "television shows" correct ??
thanks for the reply. Here is anther choice given for the same qn in GMAT..
Out of public's interest in the details of and conflicts in other people's lives has grown a booming market for "reality" television shows that bring "regular" people onto the television screen with increasing frequency.
Here that is refering "television shows" correct ??
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a booming market for "reality" television shows that bring : Yes, the reference is to "shows".
has grown a booming markets for "reality" television shows that bring : Here you spoiled your own example!
"has" should be "have" and remove the "a": have grown booming markets for "reality" television shows that bring : Now the reference is ambiguous; it's either "markets" or "s
has grown a booming markets for "reality" television shows that bring : Here you spoiled your own example!
"has" should be "have" and remove the "a": have grown booming markets for "reality" television shows that bring : Now the reference is ambiguous; it's either "markets" or "s
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Just another doubt..
In the following sentence, what is that illustrate ? nations or relations between nations or episodes ??
Dr. Sayre's lecture recounted several little-known episodes in the relations between nations that illustrate what is wrong with alliances and treaties that do not have popular support.
In the following sentence, what is that illustrate ? nations or relations between nations or episodes ??
Dr. Sayre's lecture recounted several little-known episodes in the relations between nations that illustrate what is wrong with alliances and treaties that do not have popular support.
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'Episodes... that illustrate'. In this case, it takes some semantic interpretation to see that the episodes are meant as illustrations by the lecturer rather than the relations themselves.
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Thanks.. I was under the impression that modifier should always be closer to what it modifies.
This rule many a times left me confused..
This rule many a times left me confused..
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Shorter modifiers are usually closer to the word they modify; longer ("heavier") modifiers can be placed farther away, and often are.
Note how awkward the alternative is. In fact, it borders on incomprehensible:
... little-known episodes that illustrate what is wrong with alliances and treaties that do not have popular support in the relations between nations
Note how awkward the alternative is. In fact, it borders on incomprehensible:
... little-known episodes that illustrate what is wrong with alliances and treaties that do not have popular support in the relations between nations
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If it were an option, I would write, "In the relations between nations, Dr. Sayre's lecture recounted several little-known episodes that illustrate what is wrong with alliances and treaties that do not have popular support." That would bring the relative clause, that illustrate, closer to the noun that it modifies. It would also allow the prepositional phrase "between nations" to modify its refer
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