That of

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Hi teachers,Mentally remove his papal vestments and imagine him in a suit, and Joseph Ratzinger becomes just a Bavarian bureaucrat who has failed in the only task he was ever set - that of damage control. Can you please tell me the whole structure of "that of damage control" and "of damage control"?  (I understand it as the only task of damage control.)ThanksTinanam

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

tinanam0102the only task he was ever set - that of damage control.

the only task he was ever set - (namely,) the task of damage control.

that takes the place of the previously mentioned noun task.

the task of damage control ~ the task which consists in controlling damage.

CJ

Tinanam0102 · Answer

Hi CalifJim,

Thanks for explaining the structure to me.

1. Can "that" be deleted, so the sentence becomes "of damage control"? If not does that mean it act as a determiner?

2. "....only task he was ever set" Does this mean "he is the receiver of the action"? Someone set the task for him to do.

Thank you.

Tinanam

CalifJim · Answer

tinanam0102Can "that" be deleted, so the sentence becomes "of damage control"?

Then it becomes ... the only task he was ever set of damage control. The meaning is different then. This says that, of all the tasks that were ever assigned to him, this was the only one of those tasks that involved damage control.

So you can't delete that and retain the same meaning.

tinanam0102"....only task he was ever set" Does this mean "he is the receiver of the action"? Someone set the task for him to do.

Yes. As originally written, it says that there was only one task that was ever assigned to him, and that task was to control damage.

CJ

Tinanam0102 · Answer

Hi CalifJim,

I finally see the pattern now. Can you tell me why writers use a dash? Is "comma" ok?

"....the only task he was ever set - that of damage control."

Thank you.

Tinanam

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