goodyear2013 wrote:
Hi,
I want to know how this sentence works (just for OA), please.
I can see "suggest that" and an idiom "contain in".
It is not clear what "figures" doing in this sentence.
The
research reports submitted to the board of directors contain
in their appendices figures which suggest that the firm should actively cultivate foreign markets.
'their' is the antecedent of 'reports'. Eliminate C and D, first.
Removing the prepositional phrases (for identifying properly, the modifiers) we have,
The
research reports submitted to the board of directors contain
figures which
suggest that the firm should actively cultivate foreign markets.
(A)
in their appendices figures which suggest that
removing the prep. phrase, we see that the reports contain figures, and these figures suggest that the firm actively cultivate foreign markets.(B) figures in their appendices which would suggest the fact that
suggest is modifying appendices (and not figures). Also usage of 'would' is wrong.(C) figures in its appendix which suggest(D) figures in its appendix which suggests thatin their appendices figures which suggest the fact that(E) in their appendices figures which suggest the fact that
'figures' cannot suggest a fact. Probably, they can reveal a fact.My only issue with the sentence is that, a subjunctive should have been used, because X is suggesting Y to do something.