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Yiduo Posted 13 years ago
Grammar
that
Hello,
Citizens wake up to an orange sky and strong winds THAT cover the city in a thick brown-yellow dust.
In this sentence,what does THAT refer to, an orange sky OR an orange sky and strong winds ? How can we tell that ?
Thanks
Citizens wake up to an orange sky and strong winds THAT cover the city in a thick brown-yellow dust.
In this sentence,what does THAT refer to, an orange sky OR an orange sky and strong winds ? How can we tell that ?
Thanks
Top answer
yiduo In this sentence,what does THAT refer to, an orange sky OR an orange sky and strong winds ? I think it refers to both. Just orange sky is not possible, though.
- yiduo In this sentence,what does THAT refer to, an orange sky OR an orange sky and strong winds ?
- I think it refers to both.
- Just orange sky is not possible, though.
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7 Answers
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yiduoIn this sentence,what does THAT refer to, an orange sky OR an orange sky and strong winds ?I think it refers to both. Just orange sky is not possible, though.
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yiduoHello, Citizens wake up to an orange sky and strong winds THAT cover the city in a thick brown-yellow dust.In this sentence,what does THAT refer to, an orange sky OR an orange sky and strong winds ?Citizens wake up to an orange sky and strong winds THAT cover the city in a thick brown-yellow dust.
Both.
yiduoHow
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Sorry for the mistake. I actually want to ask:
In this sentence,what does THAT refer to, strong winds OR an orange sky and strong winds ?
How can we tell that ?
In this sentence,what does THAT refer to, strong winds OR an orange sky and strong winds ?
How can we tell that ?
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Citizens wake up to an orange sky and strong winds THAT cover the city in a thick brown-yellow dust.
I would take that in this sentence to refer to the strong winds only. The wind is stirring up the dust that covers the city, and presumably the orange sky is an effect of the dust in the air. I don't think the sky is responsible for the dust.
I would take that in this sentence to refer to the strong winds only. The wind is stirring up the dust that covers the city, and presumably the orange sky is an effect of the dust in the air. I don't think the sky is responsible for the dust.
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So you mean:
1.In such occasions,we can only tell that by the meaning of the sentence or the context,not the grammatical structure.
2.If "and presumably the orange sky is an effect of the dust in the air" is true,so the result is before the reason.Can we be sure that the logical meaning here is possible?
1.In such occasions,we can only tell that by the meaning of the sentence or the context,not the grammatical structure.
2.If "and presumably the orange sky is an effect of the dust in the air" is true,so the result is before the reason.Can we be sure that the logical meaning here is possible?
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Yes. Sometimes the grammar will make more than one interpretation possible, but if only one makes sense it is probably the correct one.
I assume the sentence describes a sandstorm, and I infer that the orange sky is due to dust in the air. Of course that may not be the case, the sentence doesn't say so, but I think it is a reasonable guess. It is certainly possible, even if the orange sky
I assume the sentence describes a sandstorm, and I infer that the orange sky is due to dust in the air. Of course that may not be the case, the sentence doesn't say so, but I think it is a reasonable guess. It is certainly possible, even if the orange sky
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