Deepthi Subbu wrote:Can words of this form (were/was + past participle) become the main verb of the sentence?

Sure, why not. More specifically, were is the main verb and written, as you said, is a past participle (a verbal, in Grammar parlance).

Thanks , but as per OG12, the sentence has an error -

Explanation - 'The long, wordy opening clause gives too much emphasis to the period when Dickinson's letters were written; it is unclear what outnumbering refers to.'

Cant the sentence mean

' Emily Dickinson's letters to Susan Huntington Dickinson were written over a period beginning a few
years before Susan's marriage to Emily's brother and ending shortly before Emily's death in 1886, THEREBY
outnumbering her letters to anyone else. '

Here's the correct sentence -

'Emily Dickinson's letters to Susan Huntington Dickinson, which were written over a period beginning a few years before Susan's marriage to Emily's brother and ending shortly before Emily's death in 1886, outnumber her letters to anyone else.'

A main clause can have only one verb. Here 'which' refers to the letters and if 'were written' becomes the main verb for the main clause , how can another verb 'outnumber' exist .

I guess am highly confused somewhere , but unable to realize as to where exactly the confusion is.

Hi Deepthi,

Actually there are two clauses in the correct sentence (split just by the nature of the sentence):

1. Emily Dickinsons letters to Susan Huntington Dickinson outnumber her letters to anyone else.

2. which were written over a period beginning a few years before Susans marriage to Emilys brother and ending shortly before Emilys death in 1886

Now, perhaps it would be easy for you to figure out that outnumber is the main verb in the first clause and were is the main verb in the second clause.

An easier example to understand how Independent clause can be split would be:

Sachin, who scored a century, is a great cricketer.

The two clauses here are:

1. Sachin is a great cricketer - is is the main verb

2. Who (Sachin) scored a century - scored is the main verb

EducationAisle wrote:Hi Deepthi,

Actually there are two clauses in the correct sentence (split just by the nature of the sentence):

1. Emily Dickinsons letters to Susan Huntington Dickinson outnumber her letters to anyone else.

2. which were written over a period beginning a few years before Susans marriage to Emilys brother and ending shortly before Emilys death in 1886

Now, perhaps it would be easy for you to figure out that outnumber is the main verb in the first clause and were is the main verb in the second clause.

An easier example to understand how Independent clause can be split would be:

Sachin, who scored a century, is a great cricketer.

The two clauses here are:

1. Sachin is a great cricketer - is is the main verb

2. Who (Sachin) scored a century - scored is the main verb

Oh ya , got it now
That was a great explanation