agreed and moreover, second sentence is more precise in what do u eat.food, ice-cream etc.

stop@800 wrote:Which of the following is better is GMAT land?

I want to know what you eat and when you eat it.
or
I want to know what food you eat and when you eat it.

IMO first is incorrect as there is no clearcut antecedent of "it".
What you guys say?

@ stop@800

I assume this comes from the question -: Dental caries and gingivitis can be exacerbated not only by the foods patients eat but also by when the patients eat them.

If I am correct, this sentence incorrectly used 'them' which could either refer to foods or to patients.

Now coming to what you have asked, I think choice B is better because we have a clear referent of IT here.

wonder wrote:

stop@800 wrote:Which of the following is better is GMAT land?

I want to know what you eat and when you eat it.
or
I want to know what food you eat and when you eat it.

IMO first is incorrect as there is no clearcut antecedent of "it".
What you guys say?

@ stop@800

I assume this comes from the question -: Dental caries and gingivitis can be exacerbated not only by the foods patients eat but also by when the patients eat them.

If I am correct, this sentence incorrectly used 'them' which could either refer to foods or to patients.

but also by when the patients eat them.

If patients have been mentioned than I think it is clear that "them" refers to foods.

Now coming to what you have asked, I think choice B is better because we have a clear referent of IT here.

well you are right...but then "them" could refer to "Dental caries and gingivitis" its plural

True.
Thats why so much of confusion.

The actual Q:

Dental caries and gingivitis can be exacerbated not only by the foods patients eat but also by when the patients eat them.

A not only by the foods patients eat but also by when the patients eat them
B by not only the foods patients eat but also by when the patients eat them
C not only by the foods patients eat but also by time when the foods are eaten
D by not only the foods that are eaten by patients but also by the times the foods are eaten
E not only by what patients eat but also by when they eat it


The OA is [spoiler] E
I think there is no referrant of it in E
and in A them is incorrectly use.[/spoiler]

4me there is no problem with reference of IT to WHAT
What you eat means food

I also think that
I want to know what you eat and when you eat it.

is better than
I want to know what food you eat and when you eat it.