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Vubar
Joined: 03 Sep 2021
Last visit: 13 Feb 2025
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Schools: Harvard '24 LBS '24 Sloan '24 Stanford '24 Yale '24
GMAT 1: 690 Q42 V42
GMAT 2: 760 Q49 V42
GMAT 3: 770 Q49 V47
GMAT 4: 750 Q49 V44
Schools: Harvard '24 LBS '24 Sloan '24 Stanford '24 Yale '24
GMAT 4: 750 Q49 V44
Posts: 96
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20 Dec 2021, 20:08
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Hello experts! I am hoping someone can clarify a minor point for me. I have tried to search for a specific answer to this, but couldn't find one, so I am sorry if this post is redundant at all.
Can anyone please clarify exactly what the relative pronoun needs to agree with when it follows a list or a noun phrase in the form of 'x of y'? Also, if possible, it would be great if you can include any examples from OG questions that illustrate this!
Here are some specific examples to clarify my question:
- The board of directors, which was formed last year, has changed the direction of the company significantly.
versus
- The board of directors, who were assembled last year, have changed the direction of the company significantly.
Also:
- The decline in revenue can be attributed to many factors, including the fluctuating economy, increasingly restrictive legislation, and the greater influence of the media, which were impossible to predict.
versus
- The decline in revenue can be attributed to many factors, including the fluctuating economy, increasingly restrictive legislation, and the greater influence of the media, which was impossible to predict.
I have been informed by some that using a relative pronoun such as 'which' in each of these situations (x of y, lists), the 'which' will always refer to the closest noun only. To me it seems that these should be referring to the first noun in x of y (e.g., the board) or be plural (i.e., refer to the entire list, not just the final item).
Can anyone clarify how the GMAT treats these situations, and if possible, reference some OG questions which address them?
Thank you so much in advance!
Can anyone please clarify exactly what the relative pronoun needs to agree with when it follows a list or a noun phrase in the form of 'x of y'? Also, if possible, it would be great if you can include any examples from OG questions that illustrate this!
Here are some specific examples to clarify my question:
- The board of directors, which was formed last year, has changed the direction of the company significantly.
versus
- The board of directors, who were assembled last year, have changed the direction of the company significantly.
Also:
- The decline in revenue can be attributed to many factors, including the fluctuating economy, increasingly restrictive legislation, and the greater influence of the media, which were impossible to predict.
versus
- The decline in revenue can be attributed to many factors, including the fluctuating economy, increasingly restrictive legislation, and the greater influence of the media, which was impossible to predict.
I have been informed by some that using a relative pronoun such as 'which' in each of these situations (x of y, lists), the 'which' will always refer to the closest noun only. To me it seems that these should be referring to the first noun in x of y (e.g., the board) or be plural (i.e., refer to the entire list, not just the final item).
Can anyone clarify how the GMAT treats these situations, and if possible, reference some OG questions which address them?
Thank you so much in advance!
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21 Dec 2021, 02:15
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Vubar
First example is correct and "which" is modifying "board"; "has" is the correct verb for "board".
Second sentence is incorrect for the simple reason that the "main clause" is:
The board of directors have changed the direction of the company significantly.
- It is easy to see that there is a mismatch between the subject ("board") and the verb ("have").
Quote:
While both sentence are "grammatically" correct, the first one makes more "logical" sense to me, since "which" is modifying the entire list.
Quote:
Not really. Here is an official example:
Unlike the shuttle and earlier spacecraft, which were capable of carrying sufficient power in fuel cells and batteries for their short flights, a permanently orbiting space station will have to generate its own electricity.
Clearly, which is modifying the list "the shuttle and earlier spacecraft".
Vubar
Joined: 03 Sep 2021
Last visit: 13 Feb 2025
Posts: 96
Given Kudos: 16
Location: Australia
Schools: Harvard '24 LBS '24 Sloan '24 Stanford '24 Yale '24
GMAT 1: 690 Q42 V42
GMAT 2: 760 Q49 V42
GMAT 3: 770 Q49 V47
GMAT 4: 750 Q49 V44
21 Dec 2021, 02:21
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[quote="EducationAisle"][/quote]
Thank you! That's really helpful. I'll look up that example.
Posted from my mobile device
Thank you! That's really helpful. I'll look up that example.
Posted from my mobile device
