Hi All,
In the past several years, astronomers have detected more than 80 massive planets, most of them as large or larger than Jupiter, which circle other stars.
In the above sentence, 'WHICH' modifies either '80 massive planets' or 'Jupiter' ?
Is the placement of which is correct or wrong ?
Regards,
Uva.
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Placement of modifier 'Which'
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David@GMATPrepNow
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Hi Uva@90,
In your sentence, "which" is meant to refer to "planets," not "Jupiter." We can see that the sentence still makes sense when we remove the clause that mentions Jupiter:
In the past several years, astronomers have detected more than 80 massive planets which circle other stars.
The use of "which" in the sentence is correct. For more about using "which" or "that" in sentences, watch our free video:
https://www.gmatprepnow.com/module/gmat- ... on?id=1165
Good luck!
In your sentence, "which" is meant to refer to "planets," not "Jupiter." We can see that the sentence still makes sense when we remove the clause that mentions Jupiter:
In the past several years, astronomers have detected more than 80 massive planets which circle other stars.
The use of "which" in the sentence is correct. For more about using "which" or "that" in sentences, watch our free video:
https://www.gmatprepnow.com/module/gmat- ... on?id=1165
Good luck!
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Uva@90
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Hi David,David@GMATPrepNow wrote:Hi Uva@90,
In your sentence, "which" is meant to refer to "planets," not "Jupiter." We can see that the sentence still makes sense when we remove the clause that mentions Jupiter:
In the past several years, astronomers have detected more than 80 massive planets which circle other stars.
The use of "which" in the sentence is correct. For more about using "which" or "that" in sentences, watch our free video:
https://www.gmatprepnow.com/module/gmat- ... on?id=1165
Good luck!
Thanks for replying.
Even I felt that usage of which is correct. But in one of the blog they stated that it is wrong,
"this modifier is not written in correct construction since which is typically preceded by a comma.
Remember that the comma that precedes "which" does not separate "which" but is part of the comma pair that separates the modifier - most of them...from the rest of the sentence."
So does it mean 'which' is not used corretly right ? or I took in a wrong way ?
Note: It is from the blog 'https://e-gmat.com/blogs/?p=3471'.
Regards,
Uvaraja S
Known is a drop Unknown is an Ocean
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David@GMATPrepNow
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I guess I would want to see what the answer choices are, as a strategic means for eliminating answer choices. There are cases where a sentence can correctly be constructed with either "which" or "that," for example - although the meaning changes. Consider the following two sentences:
1. My car [that has a red hood and fat tires] needs painting.
2. My car, [which has a red hood and fat tires], needs painting.
In the first sentence, the use of "that" suggests that I own more than one car and need to explain to you that we are talking about a particular car of mine - the one with a red hood and fat tires. Without the relative clause, you wouldn't know which one of my cars needs the paint job.
The second sentence tells you that I own only one car and I am letting you know that it has a red hood and fat tires. I could leave out the information in that relative clause, and the sentence would still make sense.
You are correct that "which" is usually preceded by a comma - and in my original answer I left that out by mistake - my bad!
1. My car [that has a red hood and fat tires] needs painting.
2. My car, [which has a red hood and fat tires], needs painting.
In the first sentence, the use of "that" suggests that I own more than one car and need to explain to you that we are talking about a particular car of mine - the one with a red hood and fat tires. Without the relative clause, you wouldn't know which one of my cars needs the paint job.
The second sentence tells you that I own only one car and I am letting you know that it has a red hood and fat tires. I could leave out the information in that relative clause, and the sentence would still make sense.
You are correct that "which" is usually preceded by a comma - and in my original answer I left that out by mistake - my bad!
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Uva@90
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So David,David@GMATPrepNow wrote:I guess I would want to see what the answer choices are, as a strategic means for eliminating answer choices. There are cases where a sentence can correctly be constructed with either "which" or "that," for example - although the meaning changes. Consider the following two sentences:
1. My car [that has a red hood and fat tires] needs painting.
2. My car, [which has a red hood and fat tires], needs painting.
In the first sentence, the use of "that" suggests that I own more than one car and need to explain to you that we are talking about a particular car of mine - the one with a red hood and fat tires. Without the relative clause, you wouldn't know which one of my cars needs the paint job.
The second sentence tells you that I own only one car and I am letting you know that it has a red hood and fat tires. I could leave out the information in that relative clause, and the sentence would still make sense.
You are correct that "which" is usually preceded by a comma - and in my original answer I left that out by mistake - my bad!
This concludes that 'WHICH' should always preceded by noun + {comma}.
In other words, other modifiers should not come in between noun and 'WHICH'.
Is my conclusion correct ?
Here is the complete question:
In the past several years, astronomers have detected more than 80 massive planets, most of them as large or larger than Jupiter, which circle other stars.
A) most of them as large or larger than Jupiter, which circle
B) most of them as large or larger than Jupiter and circling
C) most of them at least as large as Jupiter, circling
D) mostly at least as large as Jupiter, which circle
E) mostly as large or larger than Jupiter, circling
Thanks in advance.
Regards,
Uva
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In A, B and E, as large must be followed by another as.Uva@90 wrote: This concludes that 'WHICH' should always preceded by noun + {comma}.
In other words, other modifiers should not come in between noun and 'WHICH'.
Is my conclusion correct ?
Here is the complete question:
In the past several years, astronomers have detected more than 80 massive planets, most of them as large or larger than Jupiter, which circle other stars.
A) most of them as large or larger than Jupiter, which circle
B) most of them as large or larger than Jupiter and circling
C) most of them at least as large as Jupiter, circling
D) mostly at least as large as Jupiter, which circle
E) mostly as large or larger than Jupiter, circling
Correct idiom: X is as large as Y.
Eliminate A, B and E.
D: mostly at least as large as Jupiter
Here, MOSTLY as large as Jupiter implies ALMOST as large as Jupiter, while AT LEAST as large as Jupiter implies AS LARGE AS Jupiter or LARGER THAN Jupiter.
Since the two meanings contradict each other, eliminate D.
The correct answer is C.
D: more than 80 massive planets, mostly at least as large as Jupiter, which circle other stars
Here, the only viable antecedent for which circle (which + plural verb) is planets (the nearest preceding plural noun).
The structure here is as follows:
INTENDED ANTECEDENT FOR WHICH + COMMA + MODIFYING PHRASE + COMMA + which.
An OA on the GMAT will not insert the structure in red -- COMMA + MODIFYING PHRASE + COMMA -- between which and its intended antecedent.
Eliminate D.
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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].
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David@GMATPrepNow
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Hi Uva@90,
Thanks for posting the full question and answer choices - that makes it easy!
You can eliminate all of the answer choices that fail to show the correct structure of "something AS large AS something else." Answer choices A, B and E fail to show the correct structure; instead of the using the second "AS" they each use "than."
Both C and D use the correct "something AS large AS something else" structure, but D is confused in its use of "mostly at least," which is always incorrect.
That leaves answer choice C, the correct answer!
Thanks for posting the full question and answer choices - that makes it easy!
You can eliminate all of the answer choices that fail to show the correct structure of "something AS large AS something else." Answer choices A, B and E fail to show the correct structure; instead of the using the second "AS" they each use "than."
Both C and D use the correct "something AS large AS something else" structure, but D is confused in its use of "mostly at least," which is always incorrect.
That leaves answer choice C, the correct answer!
