With the glimmer

Question

The race for a Covid vaccine is reaching a crucial stage, with the glimmer of a possibility that one of the leading contenders will be approved by Christmas.

https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/30/its-possible-the-race-to-approve-a-covid-vaccine-by-christmas

What does the prepositional phrase "with the gimmer...by Christmas" modify here? Does it function adverbially?

Is "that one of..." a relative clause modifying the noun "possibility"?

Thank you in advance!

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

JigneshbharatiWhat does the prepositional phrase "with the glimmer...by Christmas" modify here?

I suppose you could say that it "modifies" (or simply adds to) the whole sentence that precedes it. It's really more like a whole new clause if you consider the meaning:

The race for a Covid vaccine is reaching a crucial stage, [with the / and there is a] glimmer of a possibility that one of the leading contenders will be approved by Christmas.

JigneshbharatiIs "that one of..." a relative clause modifying the noun "possibility"?

No. It's a content clause that is a complement to 'a possibility'. The content clause says more specifically which possibility the writer is referring to.

And it's not a relative clause because there is nothing missing in the that-clause (no 'gap') where the antecedent 'possibility' could go.

Relative clause

a possibility that the researchers hope to explore _____ (gap at the end)

Here the researchers hope to explore a possibility. So a possibility is modified by the relative clause that the researchers hope to explore.

Not a relative clause

However,

a possibility that a contender will be approved (no gap anywhere)

You can't put a possibility anywhere in that a contender will be approved where it makes sense. There's no relative clause here.

CJ

With the glimmer

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