Avisek47 wrote:
In the past several years, astronomers have detected more than 80 massive planets, most of them as large or larger than Jupiter, which circle other stars.
Can someone please clarify the following doubts -
'which' modifies "80 massive planets" or "Jupiter"?
generally 'which' modifies the immediate preceding noun before the comma. Here we have an additional modifier "most of them as large or larger than Jupiter" which can be skipped , so 'which' modifies "80 massive planets"?
If this is correct then apart from idiom error in (A) there seems no other error.
For (D) -->is the issue with "mostly" since it changes slightly the intended meaning ?
(C) --> "circling" modifies the entire clause "most of them at least as large as Jupiter"?
Hi Avisek,
Let's understand the intended meaning of this sentence
In the past several years ( is a prepositional phrase that gives more info about time frame)
astronomers have detected more than 80 massive planets (this is an independent clause that has a subject astros and verb detected)
,most of them as large or larger than Jupiter, ( this phrase is giving information about planets that is additional and if ignored than you would see - astronomers have detected more than 80 massive planets, which circle other stars.
so now you know that which is a relative pronoun that refers to planets)
An other problem with the sentence is "as large or larger than" that is unidiomatic. The correct usage will be at least as large as .
Thus we can eliminate all answer choices except E and D.
The only difference in E and D is of adjective most. the usage of mostly is incorrect because mostly is an adverb that can't modify the noun planets.
in the end, as i said before " most of them....larger than Jupiter" is an additional phrase which can be omitted then you would see- astronomers have detected more than 80 massive planets,circling other stars. in this sentence circling is modifying the planets.
Hope it helps.