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S-v doubt

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by madhur_ahuja » Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:35 am
The study indicates that even after a decade young men and women still experience some of the effects of a divorce that occurred when they were children.

The sentence is correct as written. However, what does they refer to ?

Since men and women are themselves plural, isn't it a case of ambiguous reference ?[/b]
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by georgeung » Tue Aug 11, 2009 10:40 am
"when they were children." is a subordinate clause. Because of the subordinate clause, "they" has to reference the young men and women again in order to have a subject.

I can only see "they" referring to the young men and women. There's no other nouns "they" can refer to.

The study indicates that even after a decade young men and women still experience some of the effects of a divorce that occured when [the young men and women] were children.
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Re: S-v doubt

by goelmohit2002 » Tue Aug 11, 2009 10:52 am
madhur_ahuja wrote:The study indicates that even after a decade young men and women still experience some of the effects of a divorce that occurred when they were children.

The sentence is correct as written. However, what does they refer to ?

Since men and women are themselves plural, isn't it a case of ambiguous reference ?[/b]
I don't find any ambiguity here...can you please elaborate more what issue you find in this ?
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Re: S-v doubt

by madhur_ahuja » Tue Aug 11, 2009 10:58 am
goelmohit2002 wrote:
madhur_ahuja wrote:The study indicates that even after a decade young men and women still experience some of the effects of a divorce that occurred when they were children.

The sentence is correct as written. However, what does they refer to ?

Since men and women are themselves plural, isn't it a case of ambiguous reference ?[/b]
I don't find any ambiguity here...can you please elaborate more what issue you find in this ?
I meant they could either refer to men OR women. ?
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Re: S-v doubt

by real2008 » Tue Aug 11, 2009 11:13 am
madhur_ahuja wrote:
goelmohit2002 wrote:
madhur_ahuja wrote:The study indicates that even after a decade young men and women still experience some of the effects of a divorce that occurred when they were children.

The sentence is correct as written. However, what does they refer to ?

Since men and women are themselves plural, isn't it a case of ambiguous reference ?[/b]
I don't find any ambiguity here...can you please elaborate more what issue you find in this ?
I meant they could either refer to men OR women. ?
Look! The subject is 'young men and women', so 'they' surely refers the subject i.e. to 'young men and women' as a whole and not separately.
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by madhur_ahuja » Tue Aug 11, 2009 11:15 am
Thanks :)
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