Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[river1974]

Dear teachers:

(a) The table has a plurality of values therein, each corresponding to a character.
(b) The table has a plurality of values therein, each corresponds to a character.

Which one is correct?

Thanks.

[bud]

(a) is correct and natural.

(b) would be correct if you replaced the comma with either a semi-colon or a period. In my opinion that would be natural, but probably not as much as (a).

[river1974]

Thanks bud. Here is another example: The table has a plurality of values therein, each of which corresponds to a character.
In my understanding, it is a correct sentence. But could you explain why it is correct? Because of the use of the pronoun "which"?

[bud]

That's interesting River. Yes, the new sentence is correct, and it has to be because of "of which." I can't explain why that addition makes it correct, though.

Anyone else out there know?

[lotus]

Hi,

Sometimes little points in grammar and usage are hard to explain. I think this is one of them. I'll give it a try, but I'm sure there are better and simpler explanations out there.

Let's simplify the sentences:

a) The table has many values, each corresponding to a character.

b) The table has many values. Each corresponds to a character.

c) The table has many values, each of which corresponds to a character.

All three sound good.

In (a), "corresponding to a character" is an adjective participial phrase following "each." "Each corresponding to a character" is phrase describing "many values."

In (b), "each corresponds to a character" is a complete sentence in the present tense; therefore it should be separated by a semicolon, dash or period.

In (c), "each of which corresponds to a character" is a subordinate clause to "the table has many values."

"Each" is next to and the appositive to "many values." "Which" is a relative pronoun in the prepositional phrase "of which" which modifies "each" in the phrase "each of which." Since "each" is an indefinite pronoun, and "of which" modifies "each", "which" must modify "many values." Since it modifies "many values" in the first clause, it depends on the first clause for meaning. It is a dependent (subordinate) clause. Since it is a dependent subordinate clause, it is set off by a comma after the main clause.

"WHEW!"
I'm sure there are better or simpler explanations out there! I just don't know them right now.


--lotus

[river1974]

Thanks lotus. Your explanations make sense to me.

[LucentShade]