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aisen
Joined: 13 Feb 2006
Posts: 36
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 Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 8:10 pm Post subject: acceptable? |
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Hi members,
Is the following sentence acceptable?
Where is the tree the top of which was broken by the storm?
How does it sound? If it sounds awkward, how would you correct this sentence?
Best Regards, |
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Anuradha Chepur
Joined: 20 May 2006
Posts: 933
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| Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 10:35 pm Post subject: |
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A comma after 'tree' should make it acceptable by all means.
Alternately we can say,
Where is the tree, whose top was broken by the storm?
Last edited by Anuradha Chepur on Thu Jul 20, 2006 3:06 am; edited 1 time in total |
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aisen
Joined: 13 Feb 2006
Posts: 36
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| Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 12:02 am Post subject: Why comma? |
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| Anuradha Chepur wrote: |
A comma after 'tree' should make it acceptable by all means.
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I appreciate your help. I am wondering why I need a comma here? Why does a comma makes this sentence acceptable? What is the difference between the sentence with a comma and without one?
Yours |
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Anuradha Chepur
Joined: 20 May 2006
Posts: 933
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| Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 3:07 am Post subject: |
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| A descriptive clause or a relative clause is separated by a comma. |
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Jintii
Joined: 18 Feb 2006
Posts: 111
Location: New York City
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| Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 6:54 am Post subject: |
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I agree with Anuradha's sentence, but without the comma.
Here's why:
If the phrase that starts with who/which could be left out without changing the meaning (that is, it's non-essential), we separate it from the rest of the sentence with a comma (or two, if the phrase comes in the middle of the sentence).
If the phrase that starts with who/which is essential to the meaning (the sentence's meaning would change without it), we don't use a comma.
For example: Children, who are lazy, don't like to go to school.
This basically means that children in general are lazy and none of them like to go to school. You can picture the commas as parentheses (), enclosing additional but non-essential information. If you crossed out who are lazy, the sentence's meaning wouldn't really change: children don't like to go to school.
But: Children who are lazy don't like to go to school.
No commas here. This sentence means that only LAZY children don't like to go to school. So, if you left out who are lazy, the meaning of the sentence would really change.
In your sentence, you definitely mean only the tree whose top was broken by the storm. So, whose top was broken by the storm is essential to the sentence. If it's essential, we don't use a comma.
If you want to read more about this, check out http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_comma.html or search online for essential and non-essential relative clauses, or restrictive and non-restrictive relative clauses. |
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aisen
Joined: 13 Feb 2006
Posts: 36
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| Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 6:01 pm Post subject: Thanks both of you |
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| Jintii wrote: |
I agree with Anuradha's sentence, but without the comma.
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Mmmm, I can't decide which is correct. Maybe I have to hit the books. |
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Anuradha Chepur
Joined: 20 May 2006
Posts: 933
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| Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 5:11 am Post subject: |
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| Aisen, I guess Jintii is right and you may go by what he says. The relative clause here is a defining one, so no comma. |
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LucentShade
Joined: 30 Dec 2003
Posts: 542
Location: Nebraska, USA
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| Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 9:28 pm Post subject: |
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If you want something more natural...
Where is the tree that got its top broken off by the storm? |
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lotus
Joined: 25 Jan 2004
Posts: 862
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| Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 11:49 pm Post subject: |
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Hi aisen,
How about:
Where is the tree whose top was blown off by the storm?
--lotus |
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