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555-605 Level|   Idioms/Diction/Redundancy|   Meaning/Logical Predication|   Pronouns|                     
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Hi experts,

What exactly is "the number of which" in answer choice D? Is really just equal to "which"? I originally thought it was a complete clause after the semicolon because of the following logic: "...the number [of which] will ultimately be dictated...".
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samgyupsal
Hi experts,

What exactly is "the number of which" in answer choice D? Is really just equal to "which"? I originally thought it was a complete clause after the semicolon because of the following logic: "...the number [of which] will ultimately be dictated...".
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Yes, it is grammatically similar to which, in the sense that it acts as a relative clause and hence, the structure the number of which.... cannot be a complete clause (Independent clause).

p.s. Note that all relative clauses ae dependent clauses.
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AjiteshArun
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Do you think A has a problem of joining two independent clauses with only a comma?
Hi shanks2020,

No. That is not a problem in option A. The one on the right is not an independent clause.
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AjiteshArun
Hello,
I can't figure out why the right side (the size of the population, however, will...in the area) is not the independent clause! Could you clarify, please?
Thanks__
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TheUltimateWinner
AjiteshArun
Hello,
I can't figure out why the right side (the size of the population, however, will...in the area) is not the independent clause! Could you clarify, please?
Thanks__
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Hi TheUltimateWinner,

I'm sure you've already gone through the post just above yours. If we're looking for another way to approach this, we could always fall on back on "sound", and check whether that part of the sentence sounds like a complete sentence.

The number of which will be dictated by {something}. ← The of which makes it very hard to read this as a complete sentence. This construction needs a noun before it.

Keep in mind that the of which does not refer to the number. Instead, there should be something else, of which the number will be dictated.
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Both (B) and (C) look fine, but (C) is more clearer in clearing the ambiguity. The "population" can be of the "officials" or "wolves"?
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lakshya14
Both (B) and (C) look fine, but (C) is more clearer in clearing the ambiguity. The "population" can be of the "officials" or "wolves"?
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Hello, lakshya14. Although (C) does clarify what, exactly, is being counted, it incorrectly places a comma before however where a semicolon ought to be, thereby creating a comma splice. Yes, however is a transition word that can take either a semicolon or a comma before it, but the comma version is only used to interrupt a single clause. Compare:

1) Mr. Jones forbade his students from texting in class; however, he felt it would be okay to do so personally while his students were taking a test.

2) Mr. Jones forbade his students from texting in class; he, however, felt it would be okay to do so personally while his students were taking a test.

In addition, since the wolf population is mentioned earlier in the sentence in the non-underlined portion, a subsequent reference to the population can be understood to apply to the wolves rather than the officials, especially since the wolf population falls closer to the potentially ambiguous element.

I hope that helps clarify the issue. (B) is a much stronger answer in the end.

- Andrew
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Can you post about how to identify IC and DC i usually misses this thing that's why i was confused between option B and C
Thought however is used with DC only and chose option C
Need help on this issue

Posted from my mobile device
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saby1410
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Can you post about how to identify IC and DC i usually misses this thing that's why i was confused between option B and C
Thought however is used with DC only and chose option C
Need help on this issue

Posted from my mobile device
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Hello, saby1410. You have to be careful not to be overzealous about adhering to or, especially, creating so-called rules. To identify an independent clause, you need to be able to spot a subject, something that either is a noun or that acts in the capacity of a noun, and a verb. Certain verbs require an object to function—e.g., I fixed is not a sentence, but I fixed the mower is fine—while other verbs do not. Concerning however specifically, the majority of the time, it is used to either introduce an independent clause or interrupt one as part of a contrasting element. My post just about yours illustrates two ways in which however functions in this manner. There are certain cases in which however can be used to introduce a dependent clause or phrase, but such cases are rare, and offhand, I cannot think of any I have seen in official GMAT™ material. An example might be, However infrequently seen, the moose is not exactly a unicorn in the woodlands of Canada.

Keep an eye on the subject and verb of a sentence, and many SC questions will seem easier to you. I hope that helps with your query. Thank you for thinking to ask.

- Andrew
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dear AndrewN,
I am curious about the number of wolves will be dictated in C, is it correct ?
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zoezhuyan
dear AndrewN,
I am curious about the number of wolves will be dictated in C, is it correct ?
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Hello, zoezhuyan. Let me put it this way: The number [of something] will be dictated by [something] is not incorrect. It is a passive construct, of course, but that is a matter of stylistic preference, and besides, all five iterations of the sentence in this question adhere to the same form. (C) can be eliminated for other reasons that have been discussed in earlier posts, my own included, but not because of anything inherently wrong with the clause in question. (We are allowed to count individual wolves or an entire population of them.)

- Andrew
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Do connectors like For, and , but, or, yet, so need to be preceded by a comma ?
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​​Next month, state wildlife officials are scheduled to take over the job of increasing the wolf population in the federally designated recovery area, the number of which will however ultimately be dictated by the number of prey in the area.

(A) area, the number of which will however
“Which” refers to the wolf population. But you cannot have the number of wolf population. It is either the number of wolves or the size of the wolf population. Eliminate.

(B) area; the size of the population, however, will
A semicolon is used to connect two independent clauses. The error in A has been corrected in option B.

(C) area, however the number of wolves will
The number of wolves is correct. However, we cannot use a comma to connect two independent clauses. “However” cannot be used as a conjunction to connect two independent clauses. Eliminate.

I was tired, however, I could not sleep- Incorrect.
I was tired. However, I could not sleep- correct.
I was tired; however, I could not sleep- correct.
I was tired but I could not sleep- correct. “But” is a conjunction and hence can be used as a connector.

(D) area; the number of which will, however,
Same as A. Eliminate.

(E) area, when the size of the population will, however,
“When” is incorrect as there is no reference to time. Eliminate.
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Do connectors like For, and , but, or, yet, so need to be preceded by a comma ?
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Hi Aditi, when these connectors are used to connect two Independent clauses, they should be preceded by a comma.

Having said that, the presence or absence of comma in such instances should not be the sole reason to pick/eliminate an answer choice.
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aditijain1507
Do connectors like For, and , but, or, yet, so need to be preceded by a comma ?
CrackverbalGMAT
​​Next month, state wildlife officials are scheduled to take over the job of increasing the wolf population in the federally designated recovery area, the number of which will however ultimately be dictated by the number of prey in the area.

(A) area, the number of which will however
“Which” refers to the wolf population. But you cannot have the number of wolf population. It is either the number of wolves or the size of the wolf population. Eliminate.

(B) area; the size of the population, however, will
A semicolon is used to connect two independent clauses. The error in A has been corrected in option B.

(C) area, however the number of wolves will
The number of wolves is correct. However, we cannot use a comma to connect two independent clauses. “However” cannot be used as a conjunction to connect two independent clauses. Eliminate.

I was tired, however, I could not sleep- Incorrect.
I was tired. However, I could not sleep- correct.
I was tired; however, I could not sleep- correct.
I was tired but I could not sleep- correct. “But” is a conjunction and hence can be used as a connector.

(D) area; the number of which will, however,
Same as A. Eliminate.

(E) area, when the size of the population will, however,
“When” is incorrect as there is no reference to time. Eliminate.
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Hello aditijain1507,

We hope this finds you well.

To answer your query, "and", "but", "or", and "yet" are conjunctions, meaning they must be preceded by a comma when they are used to join independent clauses and when they are used to introduce the last element in a list of more than two elements. "for" can be used as a preposition and as conjunction; when it is used as a conjunction, the same rules apply, however, "for" is typically not used to introduce elements in a list.

We hope this helps.
All the best!
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Rid21sa
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Hi Experts sayantanc2k GMATNinja
I got down to B and D based on sentence structure. (Coma+FANBOYS absent in remaining options for joining two independent clauses)

I think which in (D) correctly refers to wolf population. On which basis can one eliminate D?


"Which" always refers to the noun immediately preceding it. In the case of 'D', it refers to "area" and not the wolf population, hence you can eliminate this.
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nope, not always, actually there're quite a few exceptions have shown in official problems.
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adkikani
Hi Experts sayantanc2k GMATNinja
I got down to B and D based on sentence structure. (Coma+FANBOYS absent in remaining options for joining two independent clauses)

I think which in (D) correctly refers to wolf population. On which basis can one eliminate D?
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D) has the problem with `which`,
It has 2 contenders 1) Officials 2) Wolves, that is why the confusion.
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Errors:

1. "which" is a Noun-Modifier. Must always refer to closest Noun possible.
"the number of which" ... It seems to refer to "wolf", but wolf is an adjective to "population". "the number of wolf population" does not seems logical.

Eliminate A and D.

2. "however" is not a conjunction or sub-ordinator. It cant start a new clause just with a comma.

Option C - run on sentence.

3. "when the size of population...." it does not make any sense with previous clause.
",when..." is an adverbial modifier. must modify the verb of previous clause.
"wildlife official are scheduled ....., when the size of population..." .... does not make any sense to me.

4. in option D, "; the number of which..." its not an IC. So usage of ";" is wrong. Semicolon is used to separate two IC, beside other usages.
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Hi MartyTargetTestPrep, can you please share your opinion on why choice B is better than C?

Since I was unsure of the role 'however' plays, and if we have a run-on sentence, I focused on the meaning. It makes more sense to say that 'the size of the population will be dictated by the number of prey' instead of 'the number of wolves will be dictated by the number of prey'.

In the hindsight, I'm thinking can however be used to connect two clauses?

Thank you!
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Next month, state wildlife officials are scheduled to take over the job of increasing the wolf population in the federally designated recovery area, the number of which will however ultimately be dictated by the number of prey in the area.

; however being tested. The number vs size: countable vs uncountable concept. Population number is illogical.
', however' cannot be used as however is a transition word to indicate that two independently standing sentences or clauses have some relation.
Valid uses are: independent clause 1; however Independent clause 2 OR independent clause 1. However Independent clause 2
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Hi MartyTargetTestPrep, can you please share your opinion on why choice B is better than C?

Since I was unsure of the role 'however' plays, and if we have a run-on sentence, I focused on the meaning. It makes more sense to say that 'the size of the population will be dictated by the number of prey' instead of 'the number of wolves will be dictated by the number of prey'.

In the hindsight, I'm thinking can however be used to connect two clauses?

Thank you!
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Hello CrushTHYGMAT,

We hope this finds you well.

To answer your query, "however" cannot be used to connect two independent clauses.

We hope this helps.
All the best!
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CrushTHYGMAT
Hi MartyTargetTestPrep, can you please share your opinion on why choice B is better than C?

Since I was unsure of the role 'however' plays, and if we have a run-on sentence, I focused on the meaning. It makes more sense to say that 'the size of the population will be dictated by the number of prey' instead of 'the number of wolves will be dictated by the number of prey'.

In the hindsight, I'm thinking can however be used to connect two clauses?

Thank you!
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Both "the size of the population will be dictated by the number of prey," and "the number of wolves will be dictated by the number of prey," make sense.

So, the only strong reason to eliminate (C) is the use of "however" to connect two independent clauses, which is incorrect since "however" is not a conjunction. It's a conjunctive adverb.
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