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Vsuresh Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

sentence

Hi
Please help me with this.
These laws have discouraged the scientific thinking and many people have done so.

Here the writer means people who think scientifically are discouraged. But for this to be grammatical  done so requires "have thought scientifically" in the clause before that.
My question: I want to know from the members how serious an error this is. 
  

Top answer

vsuresh These laws have discouraged the scientific thinking and many people have done so. It is written to the point of being incomprehensible. I cannot understand what these "many people" have done.

  • vsuresh These laws have discouraged the scientific thinking and many people have done so.
  • It is written to the point of being incomprehensible.
  • I cannot understand what these "many people" have done.
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4 Answers
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vsureshThese laws have discouraged the scientific thinking and many people have done so.
It is written to the point of being incomprehensible.
I cannot understand what these "many people" have done.
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Thank you Alphecca Stars for you help.
I am sorry for not making it clear.
There was a question on a passage about blind faith among some people.
The question was - How has *** laws- laws which convicted and penalized those who questioned blind faith- affected the progress of the society?

One student gave the answer I posted. He means the laws have discouraged many people who
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Well, I would give the benefit of the doubt as to his comprehension (full credit), but not give a good grade on writing.

Clearer writing (with minimal changes) would be something like this:

These laws have discouraged the scientific thinking and many people have thought (think) that way.
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Thank you very much, Alphecca Stars.

Suresh

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