Verbal Review OG 19

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schumi_gmat: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 377; Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2008 9:30 amFollowed by: 2 members; Thanked: 15 times

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?

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Source: Beat The GMAT — Sentence Correction | Thu Nov 20, 2008 5:47 pm

Karen: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 101; Joined: Sun Oct 26, 2008 5:32 pmFollowed by: 16 members; Location: NY and Boston; Thanked: 56 times

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]

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schumi_gmat: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 377; Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2008 9:30 amFollowed by: 2 members; Thanked: 15 times

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.

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logitech: Legendary Member; Posts: 2134; Joined: Mon Oct 20, 2008 11:26 pmFollowed by: 25 members; Thanked: 237 times; 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!"

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Karen: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 101; Joined: Sun Oct 26, 2008 5:32 pmFollowed by: 16 members; Location: NY and Boston; Thanked: 56 times

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]

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