lilisanei wrote:A controversial figure throughout most of his public life, the Black leader Marcus Garvey advocated that some Blacks return to Africa, the land that, to him, symbolized the possibility of freedom.
(A) that some Blacks return to Africa, the land that, to him, symbolized the possibility of freedom
(B) that some Blacks return to the African land symbolizing the possibility of freedom to him
(C) that some Blacks return to Africa which was the land which symbolized the possibility of freedom to him
(D) some Black's returning to Africa which was the land that to him symbolized the possibility of freedom
(E) some Black's return to the land symbolizing the possibility of freedom to him, Africa


I do not understand the camas in A.

How I reached to the answer:

COMMA + Which--is 100% incorrect in GMAT.--This kills C and D.

Land symbolizing--is NOT correct. -This kils B and E.

A is the correct answer.

Now, come to your question.

Some thoughts:

COMMA + CONCRETE NOUN modifies the NOUN immediately before COMMA.

Example:

I know Delhi, the capital of India.---The capital of India modifies "Delhi".
I have read Das Capital, a book that defines economics.--A book modifies Das Capital.

Such "COMMA + NOUN" takes a that clause after it.

Non-essential modifier:

If word/words (is)are separated by comma on both the sides, those word/words (is) are non-essential modifier. These non-essential modifier can be omitted without losing the grammatical accuracy of the sentence.

Example:

Karim, who studies in New Delhi, can be expert in Hindi.

--> See here, "who studies.." is non-essential modifier. it has no bearing on the grammar of the main sentence. If we eliminate this modifier, we get...

Karim can be expert in Hindi. ---> Grammar is not affected by the omission of the non-essential modifier.


Now, come to your sentence.


Marcus advocated that some Blacks return to Africa, the land that, to him, symbolized the possibility of freedom.

--> The bold words are non-essential modifier.

If we eliminate the modifier, we get the main sentence as;

Marcus advocated that some Blacks return to Africa, the land that symbolized the possibility of freedom.

Look at Africa, the land that Here "COMMA + NOUN" has been used as the modifier of "Africa".

Hope it helps.

Your explanation was great, thanks