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Tkacka15 Posted 8 years ago
Vocabulary

They have been built

Although the companies are aware of the problems and have made efforts to fix them – developing systems to tackle fake news, bots and influence operations – they have been built to “maximise profit more than maximise social good”. (The Guardian.)

Does the pronoun "they" refer to "the companies" in the sentence above?

  

Top answer

Hi I'd say no. The 'they' refers to the systems. It is they, the systems, the bots, and so on, that have been built to maximise profit (In a good sentence, 'they' will refer back to the last plural noun which, here, is 'systems', not the companies).

  • Hi I'd say no.
  • The 'they' refers to the systems.
  • It is they, the systems, the bots, and so on, that have been built to maximise profit (In a good sentence, 'they' will refer back to the last plural noun which, here, is 'systems', not the companies).
  • I'm sure that's how it works here Dave
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1 Answers
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Hi

I'd say no. The 'they' refers to the systems. It is they, the systems, the bots, and so on, that have been built to maximise profit

(In a good sentence, 'they' will refer back to the last plural noun which, here, is 'systems', not the companies). I'm sure that's how it works here

Dave

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