Please explain

**helix** · 04-01-2008, 02:41 PM

Many writers of modern English have acquired careless habits that damage the clarity of their prose, but these habits can be broken if they are willing to take the necessary trouble.

(A) but these habits can be broken
(B) but these habits are breakable
(C) but they can break these habits
(D) which can be broken
(E) except that can be broken

Why not A?

**willywonka14** · 04-01-2008, 03:30 PM

i think its (D)..is that right? I dont think its (a) or (b) because habits is repeated twice which is redundant and could be replaced with a pronoun?

**aikhan** · 04-01-2008, 05:43 PM

because there is a comma just before the underlined phrase and plus which is clearly replacing the noun, furthermore but is a conjunction that is usually used to join linguistically equivalent things; that i suspect is not the case here.

**mannu08** · 04-02-2008, 11:19 AM

IMO ans is A.

@helix: Official Answer please

**800Bob** · 04-02-2008, 11:25 AM

Originally Posted by helix

Many writers of modern English have acquired careless habits that damage the clarity of their prose, but these habits can be broken if they are willing to take the necessary trouble.

(A) but these habits can be broken
(B) but these habits are breakable
(C) but they can break these habits
(D) which can be broken
(E) except that can be broken

Why not A?

A and B make the pronoun "they" ambiguous: does it refer to "writers" or "habits"?
In D, "which" illogically refers to "prose".
E makes no sense, and in any case the conjunction "except that" would need to be followed by a clause with a subject and verb, not just a verb.

The answer is C.

**aikhan** · 04-02-2008, 04:38 PM

yes yes
I agree with you

**notahug** · 04-02-2008, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by 800Bob

A and B make the pronoun "they" ambiguous: does it refer to "writers" or "habits"?
In D, "which" illogically refers to "prose".
E makes no sense, and in any case the conjunction "except that" would need to be followed by a clause with a subject and verb, not just a verb.

The answer is C.

Totally agree with 800Bob

**ForestGump** · 04-04-2008, 05:59 AM

but in C too..they can refer too habits or writers!!! isnt it???

**800Bob** · 04-04-2008, 09:19 PM

Originally Posted by ForestGump

but in C too..they can refer too habits or writers!!! isnt it???

The pronoun refers to the subject of the preceding clause. And furthermore, "habits" is the object of the second clause. How could the subject pronoun refer to its own object?

**sandeep_chads** · 08-20-2008, 05:09 PM

Originally Posted by 800Bob

The pronoun refers to the subject of the preceding clause. And furthermore, "habits" is the object of the second clause. How could the subject pronoun refer to its own object?

Hey Bob, I didn't get this:

e.g.

Though the police ate pies, they are not good. (can't think of fancy examples)

Here Subject - Police
Object = Pies

Here, the antecedent of they is pies or police?

I always thought the pronoun refers to the closest noun in the previous clause, but apropos your suggestion, they only refers to the subject of the previous clause. Therefore, they refers to POLICE and NOT PIES?