Although various eighteenth and nineteenth-century American poets had professed an interest in Native American poetry and had pretended to imitate Native American forms in their own works, until almost 1900,scholars and critics did not begin seriously to study traditional Native American poetry in native languages.
A)until almost 1900,scholars and critics did not begin seriously to study
B)until almost 1900 scholars and critics had not begun seriously studying
C)not until almost 1900 were scholars and critics to begin seriously to study
D)it was not almost until 1900 when scholars and critics began to seriously study
E)it was not until almost 1900 that scholars and critics seriously began studying
This is an o.g question and E is the correct answer. I however do not understand what is the 'it' referring to.
I understand we make this usage in colloquial language, but can someone please explain its grammatical significance and how and when "it" can be used.
a few other examples from the o.g.
-Long before it was fashionable to be an expatriate, Josephine Baker made Paris her home
-It can hardly be said that educators are at fault for not anticipating the impact of microcomputer technology
*Important concept*- pronoun without reference is ok.
This topic has expert replies
-
- Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
- Posts: 75
- Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2010 5:04 pm
- Thanked: 1 times
- GMAT Score:760
Last edited by magnus opus on Thu Oct 28, 2010 2:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- EducationAisle
- Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
- Posts: 434
- Joined: Sat Mar 27, 2010 10:42 pm
- Location: Bangalore, India
- Thanked: 91 times
- Followed by:46 members
"it" is not referring to anything here, but just used as a 'placeholder'. In that sense, 'it' is a special pronoun in that it may or may not refer to an antecedent.
Some examples where 'it' is not referring to anything:
It is far from truth that the team did not give its best in the match.
It has been bright and sunny for the entire month.
Whether or not 'it' should have a valid antecedent depends upon the context of the sentence and you need to be sensitive to the meaning of the sentence to interpret whether or not 'it' should have an antecedent.
Some examples where 'it' is not referring to anything:
It is far from truth that the team did not give its best in the match.
It has been bright and sunny for the entire month.
Whether or not 'it' should have a valid antecedent depends upon the context of the sentence and you need to be sensitive to the meaning of the sentence to interpret whether or not 'it' should have an antecedent.
Ashish
MBA - ISB, GMAT - 99th Percentile
GMAT Faculty @ EducationAisle
www.EducationAisle.com
Sentence Correction Nirvana available at:
a) Amazon: Sentence Correction Nirvana
b) Flipkart: Sentence Correction Nirvana
Now! Preview the entire Grammar Section of Sentence Correction Nirvana at pothi
MBA - ISB, GMAT - 99th Percentile
GMAT Faculty @ EducationAisle
www.EducationAisle.com
Sentence Correction Nirvana available at:
a) Amazon: Sentence Correction Nirvana
b) Flipkart: Sentence Correction Nirvana
Now! Preview the entire Grammar Section of Sentence Correction Nirvana at pothi
-
- Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
- Posts: 75
- Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2010 5:04 pm
- Thanked: 1 times
- GMAT Score:760
thanks for replying.
I am looking for something more concrete. A rule, which can help easily identify if such usage of "it" is correct.
I am looking for something more concrete. A rule, which can help easily identify if such usage of "it" is correct.
- GMATGuruNY
- GMAT Instructor
- Posts: 15539
- Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 12:04 pm
- Location: New York, NY
- Thanked: 13060 times
- Followed by:1906 members
- GMAT Score:790
In some SCs, it will be an EXPLETIVE: a pronoun serving to delay the subject.
In these cases, the referent for it will typically be a that-clause, a whether-clause, or an infinitive phrase that appears later.
E: It was not until almost 1900 that scholars and critics seriously began studying traditional Native American poetry in native languages.
Here, it is standing in for the that-clause in blue.
Conveyed meaning:
That scholars and critics seriously began studying traditional Native American poetry in native languages was not until almost 1900.
For other examples, check my second post here:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/sentence-str ... tml#740186
In these cases, the referent for it will typically be a that-clause, a whether-clause, or an infinitive phrase that appears later.
E: It was not until almost 1900 that scholars and critics seriously began studying traditional Native American poetry in native languages.
Here, it is standing in for the that-clause in blue.
Conveyed meaning:
That scholars and critics seriously began studying traditional Native American poetry in native languages was not until almost 1900.
For other examples, check my second post here:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/sentence-str ... tml#740186
Last edited by GMATGuruNY on Fri Jul 15, 2016 5:11 am, edited 1 time in total.
Private tutor exclusively for the GMAT and GRE, with over 20 years of experience.
Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.
As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.
For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
Student Review #1
Student Review #2
Student Review #3
Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.
As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.
For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
Student Review #1
Student Review #2
Student Review #3
-
- Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
- Posts: 75
- Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2010 5:04 pm
- Thanked: 1 times
- GMAT Score:760
-
- Legendary Member
- Posts: 944
- Joined: Wed May 30, 2012 8:21 am
- Thanked: 8 times
- Followed by:5 members
Hi Mitch - I think the followings are two ERRORS option D.
1. As IT is used as expletive in this SC, IT must be followed by THAT-clause or WHETHER-clause or an infinitive. But option D uses WHEN-clause after expletive IT. So,this construction is INCORRECT.
2. The PHRASE almost until 1900 is AWKWARD.
Am I correct ?
1. As IT is used as expletive in this SC, IT must be followed by THAT-clause or WHETHER-clause or an infinitive. But option D uses WHEN-clause after expletive IT. So,this construction is INCORRECT.
2. The PHRASE almost until 1900 is AWKWARD.
Am I correct ?
- GMATGuruNY
- GMAT Instructor
- Posts: 15539
- Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 12:04 pm
- Location: New York, NY
- Thanked: 13060 times
- Followed by:1906 members
- GMAT Score:790
These lines of reasoning are sound.RBBmba@2014 wrote:Hi Mitch - I think the followings are two ERRORS option D.
1. As IT is used as expletive in this SC, IT must be followed by THAT-clause or WHETHER-clause or an infinitive. But option D uses WHEN-clause after expletive IT. So,this construction is INCORRECT.
2. The PHRASE almost until 1900 is AWKWARD.
Am I correct ?
Private tutor exclusively for the GMAT and GRE, with over 20 years of experience.
Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.
As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.
For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
Student Review #1
Student Review #2
Student Review #3
Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.
As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.
For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
Student Review #1
Student Review #2
Student Review #3