BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem

Verbal Review OG 19

This topic has expert replies
Post new topic Locked
Previous Topic Next Topic
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 377
Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2008 9:30 am
Thanked: 15 times
Followed by:2 members

Verbal Review OG 19

by schumi_gmat » Thu Nov 20, 2008 5:47 pm
While depressed property values can hurt some large investors, they are potentially devastating for homeowners, whose equity - in many cases representing a life's saving - can plunge or even disappear.

Only thing i want to know is can pronoun they refer to Values which is in-animate?
Top
Source: — Sentence Correction |
User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 101
Joined: Sun Oct 26, 2008 5:32 pm
Location: NY and Boston
Thanked: 56 times
Followed by:16 members

by Karen » Thu Nov 20, 2008 5:52 pm
Yes, there's no rule that pronouns can refer only to humans.

In fact, even the pronoun 'whose' can refer to a thing, as in "The police were unable to identify the owner of the car whose windshield was broken." In everyday conversation, I think many speakers would think that usage sounds funny, so it would be avoided. According to the rules of formal written English, though, it's OK. I think I've even seen it on the GMAT, though I can't recall which example.
Karen van Hoek, PhD
Verbal Specialist

Test Prep New York
maximize your score, minimize your stress
www.testprepny.com
[email protected]
Top
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 377
Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2008 9:30 am
Thanked: 15 times
Followed by:2 members

by schumi_gmat » Thu Nov 20, 2008 6:02 pm
Thanks Karen. It is nice to have you on this forum.

I was making this mistake for quiet sometime and now it is clear that pronouns such as they can refer to things.

Will this also apply to all third person personal pronouns such as
they - subjective form
their - possesive form
them - objective form

Thanks.
Top
User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 2134
Joined: Mon Oct 20, 2008 11:26 pm
Thanked: 237 times
Followed by:25 members
GMAT Score:730

by logitech » Thu Nov 20, 2008 6:04 pm
How about WHO ?

MGMAT clearly indicates that WHO can refer only humans.
LGTCH
---------------------
"DON'T LET ANYONE STEAL YOUR DREAM!"
Top
User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 101
Joined: Sun Oct 26, 2008 5:32 pm
Location: NY and Boston
Thanked: 56 times
Followed by:16 members

by Karen » Thu Nov 20, 2008 6:30 pm
schumi_gmat: yes, 'they', 'them', 'their', 'themselves' can all refer to inanimate things.

logitech -- you're right, 'who' can only refer to humans (and 'which' can never refer to humans, by the way). But 'whose' is considered the possessive form for both 'who' and 'which'. It sounds weird when it's used to refer to inanimate objects, though, so many speakers avoid it. But technically, it's OK, and I think I've seen it on the GMAT.
Karen van Hoek, PhD
Verbal Specialist

Test Prep New York
maximize your score, minimize your stress
www.testprepny.com
[email protected]
Top
Post new topic Locked
• Page 1 of 1