Sc-Pls Explain this

Question

guys I am posting this question again to clear one of my doubt
https://www.gmatclub.com/phpbb/viewtopi ... 253#154253

The players were often punished by the referee's lack of alertness who penalized all those who were involved in fighting, regardless of who had instigated it.
A. The players were often punished by the referee's lack of alertness who penalized
B. The referee's lack of alertness often caused him to penalize
C. The players were punished by the lack of alertness of the referee who penalized often
D. Lacking alertness, the referee's choice was to penalize often
E. His lack of alertness to brutality often caused the referee to penalize

In the choice B the pronoun him is refering back to referee's lack a possesive noun

and also the subject and the object of the verb both are referee

Grammer rules says (source my grammer book) that the possesive noun should only be referenced by Reflexive Pronoun like (himself,herself)

The example given was why the answer is B here...even though the pronoun reference is wrong

Hubert's attempt in his compaign to dissociate himself from the jonson foreign policies was built around emphasis on hubert's senate career.

somebody pls explain this ....

OA to above question is B[/u]

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HIMALAYA · Answer

A. pronoun problem - "who" has no clear referant.
B. it also hasnot a clear referant for "him" - leave it. 
C. misplaced adjective "often".
D. totally awakward.
E. similar to D.

ok, the choices are clearly A and B. our job is to chose the best one if possible. if not then go for the least harmful one. B is not the best but is the least harmful one. so B seems better over A because B is in direct form and doesnot use passive form.

christoph · Answer

"him" doesnt refer to "the referee's lack of alertness". that makes no sense. it refers to "the referee", the object of the clause.

ong · Answer

"Grammer rules says (source my grammer book) that the possesive noun should only be referenced by Reflexive Pronoun like (himself,herself)"

---I not sure this grammar rule, but when I have to use reflextive pronoun, I always remind myself that "subject" is really done by his/her/themselves or not?

u can not use "himself" because "the lack of alertness" is not caused by the referee but it may cause by the hot weather, a bad moody and so on. The point is when we use reflextive pronoun, subject must reflex that action by himself/herself/themselves.....
--------------------------------------
In another case
Hubert's attempt in his compaign to dissociate  himself  from the jonson foreign policies was built around emphasis on hubert's senate career. 

In this case, we use himself since " the attempt" is caused by "Hubert" and "Hubert" do this action by himself.
--------------------------------------------
Now.....What do u say? ......

vc019 · Answer

I would agree with  HIMALAYA  on this Q.
Will vote for 'B'

Sc-Pls Explain this

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