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military leader

by kushal.adhia » Tue Nov 09, 2010 8:49 am
The French general Henri Petain, a highly-decorated World War I military leader, had his reputation ruined because of his collaboration with Nazis during the German Occupation in World War II.

A. The French general Henri Petain, a highly-decorated World War I military leader
B. Henri Petain, a French general who was also a highly-decorated World War I military leader
C. Highly-decorated World War I military leader, the French general Henri Petain
D. The French general Henri Petain, who was a highly-decorated military leader for World War I
E. The highly-decorated French general Henri Petain, a military leader for World War I

What is wrong with C ?

Kushal
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by limestone » Tue Nov 09, 2010 9:01 am
[spoiler]IMO: A[/spoiler]

In C:

"Highly-decorated World War I military leader" becomes the main noun phrase - the subject of the whole sentence.
"the French general Henri Petain " becomes a modifier of "Highly-decorated World War I military leader", and is put between two commas. Thus this phrase is subordinated and can be eliminated without changing the meaning of the sentence.

However, if we dismiss "the French general Henri Petain ", we will not know that who had his reputation ruined because of his collaboration with Nazis during the German Occupation in World War II. And what does "his" refer to?
Hence, "the French general Henri Petain " must be the main noun phrase/or the subject of the sentence.
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by Arcane66 » Tue Nov 09, 2010 9:07 am
A quick look at all the options leads me to believe that A is the correct answer. In B, you can't say he was a highly-decorated World War I military leader because it simply doesn't make sense. I don't know exactly how to explain why the others are wrong, but I think they are.
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by uwhusky » Tue Nov 09, 2010 9:11 am
You can be a military leader in WWI, but it's nonsensical to say that you're a military leader "for" WWI; eliminate D and E.

B puts essential information within non-essential modifier, plus the construction is very awkward and wordy.
Yep.
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