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Doubt on "which"

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Doubt on "which"

by mehravikas » Thu Nov 05, 2009 12:42 pm
The rise of tennis, has been phenomenal, which is...


Question: Is the above sentence correct. From the rules of SC.

Which can only refer to preceding noun. However, in the above sentence we have phrase between comma "has been phenomenal" that at times is eliminated when looking for a correct answer.

For example in the sentence below the phrase between comma is "after capturing its prey", which we can get rid of provided that it doesn't change the meaning of the sentence.

The caterpillar of the geometrid moth strikes when special tactile hairs on its body are disturbed, after capturing its prey, holds the victim so that it cannot escape.

Correct answer: strikes when special tactile hairs on its body are disturbed and,


Sorry if I'm not clear above, I appeared for GMAT 3 weeks ago and got a similar problem.
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Re: Doubt on "which"

by palvarez » Sat Nov 07, 2009 4:07 pm
mehravikas wrote:The rise of tennis, has been phenomenal, which is...


Question: Is the above sentence correct. From the rules of SC.

Which can only refer to preceding noun. However, in the above sentence we have phrase between comma "has been phenomenal" that at times is eliminated when looking for a correct answer.

For example in the sentence below the phrase between comma is "after capturing its prey", which we can get rid of provided that it doesn't change the meaning of the sentence.

The caterpillar of the geometrid moth strikes when special tactile hairs on its body are disturbed, after capturing its prey, holds the victim so that it cannot escape.

Correct answer: strikes when special tactile hairs on its body are disturbed and,


Sorry if I'm not clear above, I appeared for GMAT 3 weeks ago and got a similar problem.
X, which is , has been phenomenal

If "which-clause is pretty long", you can rewrite that as "X has been phenomenal, which is ..."

Nothing wrong with it.


In your second sentence, just ignore that phrase. You have a couple of verbs; find a way to join them.

Whenever you see a comma, be wary of it.

1. A, B, and C
2. A and B
3*. A, B and C, and D
4. A, B but C, but D
5. A, B, or D
6. A, B or C, and D


Note the pattern with commas.
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Re: Doubt on "which"

by mehravikas » Sat Nov 07, 2009 4:27 pm
I don't think this is correct, "which" should not refer to phenomenal it should refer to tennis.

In my sentence, the phrase "has been phenomenal" is between commas, I am not able to understand can we ignore the phrase between comma and still use "which".

When I say ignore, I don't mean to remove it completely from the sentence.

palvarez wrote:
X, which is , has been phenomenal

If "which-clause is pretty long", you can rewrite that as "X has been phenomenal, which is ..."

Nothing wrong with it.
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by palvarez » Sat Nov 07, 2009 4:37 pm
phenomenal is an adj; so, which can't refer to it. Or if you are trying to describe how phenomenal it is, don't use which: use some resumptive modifer of sorts.
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by xcusemeplz2009 » Sun Nov 08, 2009 5:25 am
the rise of tennis , has been phenomenal , which is......

the phrase "has been phenomenal " is ,modifying the rise and is added information and hence a non restrictive phrase and therefore can be omited ....but which is reffering to the rise

in a construction like x of y, which (verb)is the case of verb decides to what which is reffering

but here the confusion is that tennis and the rise bth are singular .....

what is the source of the s/c....

if u have the full q then do post it
It does not matter how many times you get knocked down , but how many times you get up
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by mehravikas » Sun Nov 08, 2009 12:39 pm
This is not a complete question, I appeared for GMAT 3 weeks ago and I remember that I got a SC question that was very similar to the question I have posted.

Basically, I want to get a clear understanding of non-restrictive phrases with which.
xcusemeplz2009 wrote:the rise of tennis , has been phenomenal , which is......

the phrase "has been phenomenal " is ,modifying the rise and is added information and hence a non restrictive phrase and therefore can be omited ....but which is reffering to the rise

in a construction like x of y, which (verb)is the case of verb decides to what which is reffering

but here the confusion is that tennis and the rise bth are singular .....

what is the source of the s/c....

if u have the full q then do post it
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by mehravikas » Mon Nov 09, 2009 11:01 am
"which" cannot refer to rise.
xcusemeplz2009 wrote: in a construction like x of y, which (verb)is the case of verb decides to what which is reffering

but here the confusion is that tennis and the rise bth are singular .....
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by xcusemeplz2009 » Tue Nov 10, 2009 12:52 am
mehravikas wrote:"which" cannot refer to rise.
xcusemeplz2009 wrote: in a construction like x of y, which (verb)is the case of verb decides to what which is reffering

but here the confusion is that tennis and the rise bth are singular .....
HI VIKAS
THE BELOW LINK WILL TELL U THAT Y I THINK WHICH REFERS TO THE RISE...

ITS SUPPORTED BY RONS STATEMENT..... IF I AM WRNG , THEN MAY BE I HAVE INTERPRETED HIM WRNGLY AND THEN I TOO NEED A CLARIFICATION.....

https://www.beatthegmat.com/correct-use- ... 46727.html

NOW COMING TO YOUR QUERY I HOPE U MAY DIGEST SOMETHING FROM THIS LINK.....

https://www.beatthegmat.com/use-of-which-t18048.html

DO LET ME KNOW WHAT EXACTLY U UNDERSTOOD....

AS I AM TOTALLY CONFUSED.....
It does not matter how many times you get knocked down , but how many times you get up
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by mehravikas » Tue Nov 10, 2009 11:28 am
Hi xcusemeplz2009,

I am also very confused, I think there are some rules of "which" which we should be aware of.

Back to my problem, I still think "which" cannot refer to rise, however after reading Ron's comments, I can say that "which" can refer to "rise of tennis" - noun phrase.

Let's list all the uses of "which" with examples (if possible) and we will try to get comments from experts...!!
xcusemeplz2009 wrote:
mehravikas wrote:"which" cannot refer to rise.
xcusemeplz2009 wrote: in a construction like x of y, which (verb)is the case of verb decides to what which is reffering

but here the confusion is that tennis and the rise bth are singular .....
HI VIKAS
THE BELOW LINK WILL TELL U THAT Y I THINK WHICH REFERS TO THE RISE...

ITS SUPPORTED BY RONS STATEMENT..... IF I AM WRNG , THEN MAY BE I HAVE INTERPRETED HIM WRNGLY AND THEN I TOO NEED A CLARIFICATION.....

https://www.beatthegmat.com/correct-use- ... 46727.html

NOW COMING TO YOUR QUERY I HOPE U MAY DIGEST SOMETHING FROM THIS LINK.....

https://www.beatthegmat.com/use-of-which-t18048.html

DO LET ME KNOW WHAT EXACTLY U UNDERSTOOD....

AS I AM TOTALLY CONFUSED.....
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