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idilbayar
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TTP Modifiers SC Question 06 Mar 2023, 12:57
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(C) Happy consuming many foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and twigs, the Black Rat has a desire to be close to human populations, which, along with its ability to harbor in its blood a wide-range of infectious bacteria, such as Yersinia pestis, the Black Plague pathogen, makes the Black Rat a highly effective disease vector.

The above sentence is the correct answer to an example sentence correction question of TTP
When I read the sentence, I eliminated it since I thought the usage of "which" was incorrect. According to my knowledge, a relative pronoun should be placed right after its antecedent (a noun). So I thought "which" refers to the plural noun "populations." Can you explain why this is not the case and how a relative pronoun can refer to a noun phrase?
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TTP Modifiers SC Question 06 Mar 2023, 14:12
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idilbayar
According to my knowledge, a relative pronoun should be placed right after its antecedent (a noun). So I thought "which" refers to the plural noun "populations." Can you explain why this is not the case and how a relative pronoun can refer to a noun phrase?
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Hi idilbayar.

The information you have is incorrect. A relative pronoun, such as "which," can refer not only to the preceding noun but alternatively to the preceding noun phrase.

You can see lesson 1550 in the TTP course for a full discussion of this topic.
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TTP Modifiers SC Question 07 Mar 2023, 06:16
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idilbayar
According to my knowledge, a relative pronoun should be placed right after its antecedent (a noun). So I thought "which" refers to the plural noun "populations." Can you explain why this is not the case and how a relative pronoun can refer to a noun phrase?
Hi idilbayar.

The information you have is incorrect. A relative pronoun, such as "which," can refer not only to the preceding noun but alternatively to the preceding noun phrase.

You can see lesson 1550 in the TTP course for a full discussion of this topic.
Show more

Hi Marty,
Thank you so much for your reply, your explanations are the best. Sorry to bother but what do you mean by lesson 1550? I can see chapters with their headings and their respective lessons like 4.1, 4.2.. etc.
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TTP Modifiers SC Question 07 Mar 2023, 06:49
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idilbayar
(C) Happy consuming many foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and twigs, the Black Rat has a desire to be close to human populations, which, along with its ability to harbor in its blood a wide-range of infectious bacteria, such as Yersinia pestis, the Black Plague pathogen, makes the Black Rat a highly effective disease vector.

The above sentence is the correct answer to an example sentence correction question of TTP
When I read the sentence, I eliminated it since I thought the usage of "which" was incorrect. According to my knowledge, a relative pronoun should be placed right after its antecedent (a noun). So I thought "which" refers to the plural noun "populations." Can you explain why this is not the case and how a relative pronoun can refer to a noun phrase?
Show more

Although Marty already answered, I will try to give an explanation:
If you look at the structure of the sentence, "which" cannot logically refer to "populations". Consider crossing out the intermediate modifier: "along... pathogen". The sentence then becomes "the black has a desire to be close to human populations, which makes The Black Rat a highly effective disease vector". Notice that "which" is referring to the black rat's desire, and it is perfectly logical for it to do so - there is no other logical way to read the sentence. Moreover, the modifier right after "which" uses "along with ITS ability to..", its refers to a singular option, which must refer directly to The Black Rat, and not populations (plural).

Hope this helps!
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idilbayar
Hi Marty,
Thank you so much for your reply, your explanations are the best. Sorry to bother but what do you mean by lesson 1550? I can see chapters with their headings and their respective lessons like 4.1, 4.2.. etc.
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When you're in a lesson, go to the url. The url of the lesson will end with a number. You can access lesson 1550 by replacing the number in the url with 1550 and going to that page.
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idilbayar
(C) Happy consuming many foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and twigs, the Black Rat has a desire to be close to human populations, which, along with its ability to harbor in its blood a wide-range of infectious bacteria, such as Yersinia pestis, the Black Plague pathogen, makes the Black Rat a highly effective disease vector.

The above sentence is the correct answer to an example sentence correction question of TTP
When I read the sentence, I eliminated it since I thought the usage of "which" was incorrect. According to my knowledge, a relative pronoun should be placed right after its antecedent (a noun). So I thought "which" refers to the plural noun "populations." Can you explain why this is not the case and how a relative pronoun can refer to a noun phrase?

Although Marty already answered, I will try to give an explanation:
If you look at the structure of the sentence, which cannot logically refer to "populations". Consider crossing out the intermediate modifier: "along... pathogen". The sentence then becomes "the black has a desire to be close to human populations, which makes The Black Rat a highly effective disease vector". Notice that "which" is referring to the black rat's desire, and it is perfectly logical for it to do so - there is no other logical way to read the sentence. Moreover, the modifier right after "which" uses "along with ITS ability to..", its refers to a singular option, which must refer directly to The Black Rat, and not populations (plural).

Hope this helps!
Show more

Hi mysterymanrog,
Thank you so much for your help.
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TTP Modifiers SC Question 07 Mar 2023, 12:50
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idilbayar
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idilbayar
(C) Happy consuming many foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and twigs, the Black Rat has a desire to be close to human populations, which, along with its ability to harbor in its blood a wide-range of infectious bacteria, such as Yersinia pestis, the Black Plague pathogen, makes the Black Rat a highly effective disease vector.

The above sentence is the correct answer to an example sentence correction question of TTP
When I read the sentence, I eliminated it since I thought the usage of "which" was incorrect. According to my knowledge, a relative pronoun should be placed right after its antecedent (a noun). So I thought "which" refers to the plural noun "populations." Can you explain why this is not the case and how a relative pronoun can refer to a noun phrase?

Although Marty already answered, I will try to give an explanation:
If you look at the structure of the sentence, which cannot logically refer to "populations". Consider crossing out the intermediate modifier: "along... pathogen". The sentence then becomes "the black has a desire to be close to human populations, which makes The Black Rat a highly effective disease vector". Notice that "which" is referring to the black rat's desire, and it is perfectly logical for it to do so - there is no other logical way to read the sentence. Moreover, the modifier right after "which" uses "along with ITS ability to..", its refers to a singular option, which must refer directly to The Black Rat, and not populations (plural).

Hope this helps!

Hi mysterymanrog,
Thank you so much for your help.
Show more

No problem! I am glad you found my post useful.
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