zoezhuyan wrote:
Mike, this is a simple version from OG16, SC # 103, the original version is :
Nobody knows exactly how many languages there are in the world, partly because of the difficulty of distinguishing between a language and the sublanguages or dialects within it, but those who have tried to count typically have found about five thousand.
(A) and the sublanguages or dialects within it, but those who have tried to count typically have found
(B) and the sublanguages or dialects within them, with those who have tried counting typically finding
(C) and the sublanguages or dialects within it, but those who have tried counting it typically find
(D) or the sublanguages or dialects within them, but those who tried to count them typically found
(E) or the sublanguages or dialects within them, with those who have tried to count typically finding
when I read the explanation of C from OA,
The second appearance of it, referring to world languages, is incorrect because it does not agree in number with languages.
an question occurred in my mind, according to this explanation, I got an idea that pronoun in modifier of 2nd sentence is correct, in other hand, a pronoun in modifier is acceptable if no redundant,
then I should change my former idea that pronoun in modifier is always incorrect is incorrect,
I was not sure whether it is the test point, so posting the topic to implore confirmation.
have a nice day
>_~
Dear
zoezhuyan,
I see you received another good response from my brilliant colleague Chesley, but I will add a few thoughts as well.
My friend, be extremely cautious about deducing grammar rules of your own. If the OE says one answer choice is wrong, and then you create a new wrong reason about why it is wrong, you significantly compound your mistake. It is always 100% better to ask one of the experts here for a detailed explanation why something is wrong, rather than to deduce a pattern on your own. Does this make sense, my friend?
Here's (C):
...
and the sublanguages or dialects within it, but those who have tried counting it typically find ...
Notice that the first "
it" is 100% correct, even though it's part of a clause. The second "
it" is not correct purely because of an issue of
pronoun-antecedent agreement. Singular pronouns can't represent plural antecedents, and vice versa--that is a real rule, and one that the GMAT tests often! If we changed the second "
it" to "
them," then (C) would be correct. The only problem is the singular/plural mismatch.
The trouble with any kind of "pronouns in modifiers" rule is that it is absurdly too broad. It would be like the absurd rule, "
All people with black hair are bad people." Well, I have black hair, and perhaps you do as well, and I don't think we are bad people at all. Many people with black hair are very good people, but some are not so good people: I might cite
Benito Mussolini or
Idi Amin or
Pol Pot as less savory examples. Overall, the rule is neither true nor false: it's simply far too broad to be at all meaningful.
Mathematics lends itself to extremely broad patterns that are true. Human language, like the behaviors of real human peoples, has very few broad patterns that are true; instead, it's a field littered with exceptions and partial patterns that contradict each other.
Zoe Zhuan, I appreciate all your earnest questions and I genuinely want to help you learn. Have a wonderful weekend, my friend!
Mike