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16 Mar 2016, 08:33
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samichange
Hi samichange, SC Nirvana details the concept of which modifying nearest grammatically eligible word. This would come in handy.
In this sentence, the word that is nearest to which is Susan Huntington Dickinson. But is this word grammatically eligible? No, because (as chetan has already pointed above) which is only grammatically eligible to modify non-persons.
The next nearest word is letters. Is this word grammatically eligible? Absolutely and hence, which will modify letters.
In fact, a brilliant official example comes to my mind, in this regard. Following is the correct answer:
Although she had been known as an effective legislator first in the Texas Senate and later in the United States House of Representatives, Barbara Jordan did not become a nationally recognized figure until 1974, when she participated in the hearings on the impeachment of President Richard Nixon, which were televised nationwide.
What is which modifying? Let's see:
i) Nearest word: President Richard Nixon. Is this word grammatically eligible? No, because which is only grammatically eligible to modify non-persons
ii) Next nearest word: impeachment. Is this word grammatically eligible? No, because impeachment is singular, while the verb used is plural (were).
iii) Next nearest word: hearings. Is this word grammatically eligible? Absolutely, and hence, which will modify hearings.
p.s. Our book EducationAisle Sentence Correction Nirvana discusses concept of "which", its application and examples in significant detail. If someone is interested, PM me your email-id, I can mail the corresponding section.
01 Apr 2016, 10:57
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EducationAisle
No, I am unable to cite an example from OG in which a relative pronoun modifier "which......" skips the nearest grammatically eligible word. I also appreciate the detailed explanations you have provided in this thread. I have refrained from commenting on the book Nirvana, and agree with Chetan in that it is inappropriate to judge a whole book from one example.
Nevertheless, my question remains:
The restrictive modifier "that" is used to define or identify a particular item in a group (hence the name restrictive).
Restrictive: The dog that barks never bites. We are defining only that dog that barks from the whole group of dogs.
Non-restrictive: The dog, which barks, never bites. We have already identified the dog; "which barks" says something more about that already identified dog.
Similarly let us consider your example:
The Independence-war of America that was fought between 1775-83 resulted in "American Enlightenment".
If there were many independence wars of America, then using the restrictive "that" would be alright to define the one that took place between 1775 and 1783. However there was only one Independence war of America, and to determine that we do not need external knowledge: the capitalization of Independence depicts that already the war has been identified. In such case I do not agree that we still require to use the restrictive modifier"that".
I have another question:
If we agree that "which" cannot skip the nearest grammatically eligible word "America", why would it be acceptable that "that" can skip?
I would sincerely want to understand your take on this and am open for a healthy discussion.
11 Apr 2016, 06:48
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sayantanc2k
That's what I expected. As I mentioned in my post above, GMAT has been pretty consistent (and very frequent) in testing which. That's the reason we have elaborately covered this topic in our book.
Quote:
Reiterating, this example is perfectly fine, insofar as its intent to depict the usage of which is concerned.
Quote:
Not sure if you went thru my posts above. GMAT does not explicitly test this concept: There has never been a question (in my knowledge) in which the only difference between two given options hinges upon the ability to distinguish between this aspect (restrictive/non-restrictive).
In fact, one could even argue that if test takers were to apply this aspect to choose an option, they might end up choosing the wrong option.
OG-16, #75:
Many house builders offer rent-to-buy programs that enable a family with insufficient savings for a conventional down payment to move into new housing and to apply part of the rent to a purchase later.
The reason I have specifically cited this example, is because there are other options in this sentence that use which. Meaning-wise, I would argue that which actually makes more sense here (from a restrictive/non-restrictive point of view). It is very clear that this sentence is not interested in mentioning all the programs offered by all the builders; the sentence is already qualifying (restricting) the programs by using the phrase Many house builders offer rent-to-buy programs.
Clearly it is a characteristic of all such qualified programs that these programs enable a family with insufficient savings to apply part of the rent to a purchase later.
So, the usage of which (from a restrictive/non-restrictive point of view) would have been more appropriate.
