For the following sentences, select the underlined portion that contains the error.
9. Because of (A) his failed drug test, (B) which revealed the presence of the steroid stanozolol, Ben Johnson's gold medal from the 1988 Olympics was passed to Carl Lewis, (C) who in the same event became the world record holder in the 100-meter dash.
can we refer Johnson to pronoun his because both are in possessive form or not?
sc doubt
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- conquistador
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- ceilidh.erickson
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The issue you're referring to is "POSSESSIVE POISON." Some grammar textbooks claim that a pronoun should not refer to an antecedent that's being used as a possessive. However, there are several OG questions that disregard this rule, so we have to assume that the GMAT does not consider "possessive poison" grammatically incorrect.
For more, see posts here:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/mgmat-awkwar ... tml#695917
https://www.beatthegmat.com/illogical-me ... tml#764310
For more, see posts here:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/mgmat-awkwar ... tml#695917
https://www.beatthegmat.com/illogical-me ... tml#764310
Ceilidh Erickson
EdM in Mind, Brain, and Education
Harvard Graduate School of Education
EdM in Mind, Brain, and Education
Harvard Graduate School of Education