Louis Agassiz....

[Infinite7]

His studies of ice-polished rocks in his Alpine homeland, far outside the range of present-day glaciers, led Louis Agassiz in 1837 to propose the comcept of an age in which great ice sheets had existed in now currently temperate areas.
A. in which great ice sheets had existed in now currently temperate areas
B. in which great ice sheets existed in what are now temperate areas
C. when great ice sheets existed where there were areas now temperate
D. when great ice sheets had existed in current temperate areas
E. when great ice sheets existed in areas now that are temperate

What is the answer and why do think it is correct?

[harishr1981]

Imo b...

[GoISB]

IMO B.

In A...now and currently are redundant.
In C,D,E...Usage of when to modify "an age" is incorrect.When refers only to a definite time period & not abstract time such as "an age".

[ShivS]

IMO B is the correct answer.

Negating A - redundant

Basic principle for pronoun- 'when' can be used to modify a noun event or time, such as period, age, 1987, or decade. Moreover in certain situations you can use 'in which'.

C. where there were areas now temperate
Not a correct diction.
D. when great ice sheets had existed in current temperate areas
I really don't think we need past prefect tense to emphasis the action.
E. when great ice sheets existed in areas now that are temperate
areas is placed wrongly, must be post temperate w.r.t context.


-Shiv

[xenos14]

Hey Shiv,

Can you state the specific situation to use "in which"

IMO B is the correct answer.

Negating A - redundant

Basic principle for pronoun- 'when' can be used to modify a noun event or time, such as period, age, 1987, or decade. Moreover in certain situations you can use 'in which'.

C. where there were areas now temperate
Not a correct diction.
D. when great ice sheets had existed in current temperate areas
I really don't think we need past prefect tense to emphasis the action.
E. when great ice sheets existed in areas now that are temperate
areas is placed wrongly, must be post temperate w.r.t context.


-Shiv

[GoISB]

Hi Xenos14,
IMO "in which" can be used when the usage doesn't require to modify a "real place" or " real time"...
Eg:
1) DVDs have a huge market where transactions are expensive.===Incorrect
2) DVDs have a huge market in which transactions are expensive.=== CORRECT

here, the "market" being refered is not a real market where we go for shopping, but a concept/an abstract term.Had the "market" refered to a place of shopping then 1st sentence would have been correct.
In the question above, "When" is incorrect because the sentence referes to "concept of an age" Not directly to "an age".

[ShivS]

GoISB thanks for the explanation.
The question refers to "concept of age" rather than directly to "an age". Hence 'in which' is needed.
Just off the track, the pronoun 'where' can be used to modified a noun places such as area, site, country.
But 'where' can't modify 'metaphorical' places, such as arrangement, situation, circumstances. In these cases, use 'in which' rather than 'where.

-Shiv

[Infinite7]

Thank you all for your explanations, they help . But my q is two actions occurred here,
1- Louis's studies led him ....
2- when great ice sheets existed

For the second action isn't had required? It is a past earlier action after all. What do you guys think????

[GoISB]

Hi Infinite,
His studies of ice-polished rocks in his Alpine homeland, far outside the range of present-day glaciers, led Louis Agassiz in 1837 to propose the comcept of an age in which great ice sheets had existed in now currently temperate areas.
1) there is only one past action, because the areas are temperate even today.
2) He proposed a concept of an age in which ice-sheets existed i.e ice-sheet existed when he gave that proposition."His studies of ice-polished rocks in his Alpine"
3) had it been "led Louis Agassiz in 1837 to propose the concept of an age in which great ice sheets had existed in areas that were temperate". We must use simple past as long as no clear two actions in the past exist.
4) now currently in A is redundant.

[Infinite7]

Hi Infinite,
His studies of ice-polished rocks in his Alpine homeland, far outside the range of present-day glaciers, led Louis Agassiz in 1837 to propose the comcept of an age in which great ice sheets had existed in now currently temperate areas.
1) there is only one past action, because the areas are temperate even today.
2) He proposed a concept of an age in which ice-sheets existed i.e ice-sheet existed when he gave that proposition."His studies of ice-polished rocks in his Alpine"
3) had it been "led Louis Agassiz in 1837 to propose the concept of an age in which great ice sheets had existed in areas that were temperate". We must use simple past as long as no clear two actions in the past exist.
4) now currently in A is redundant.

So, your saying that two past actions occurred (kind of) simultaneously. If you look at #2 in your reply you can see that there are two actions you mentioned that happened in the past. So either they happened together or one occurred before the other (in this case, the existance of ice-polished rocks)?????