pronoun referent

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pronoun referent

by geemat » Fri Aug 28, 2009 9:52 am
Marconi's conception of the radio was as a substitute
for the telephone, a tool for private conversation;
instead, it is
precisely the opposite, a tool for
communicating with a large, public audience.

(C) Marconi conceived of the radio as a tool for
private conversation that could substitute for the
telephone; instead, it has become


Query:
does it in this choice clearly refer to radio? please explain how?
Source: — Sentence Correction |

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by crackgmat007 » Fri Aug 28, 2009 12:54 pm
Marconi - Subject
conceived - verb
radio - object

It refers to radio. 'It' cannot refer to Marconi.

HTH

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by bharathh » Sat Aug 29, 2009 11:17 am
I think it is ambiguous as well. Why cannot it refer to telephone?

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by crackgmat007 » Sat Aug 29, 2009 6:38 pm
IMO 'it' can refer to either subject or object of verb. In option C, in the first main clause, radio is neither subject or object of verb.

HTH.

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