Writing: need an explanation

lotf629
Mon, 28 May 2007 22:22:40 +0000

Hey awelex, important clarification:

The Oxford Dictionary of English Grammar is referring to a type of relative clause that, while common enough in published writing, is usually considered poor usage. Grammar dictionaries (and other references) often err on the side of including all the possible forms of a grammatical construction. They don’t tell you which ones are considered best from a usage standpoint.

In SAT land (and in the minds of crotchety old English teachers everywhere), the word “which” is a relative pronoun that should have a clearly identifiable noun antecedent. Anything else is a usage error. And if you read the directions carefully, the instructions to the Writing section say, “The following sentences test your ability to recognize grammar and usage errors.”

So you need a grammar and usage manual, one intended to help students improve their writing, not a neutral and inclusive reference. Here’s what my usage manual (Hacker’s excellent Rules for Writers) says about your question:

“Generally, avoid broad reference of this, that, which and it. For clarity, the pronouns this, that, which, and it should ordinarily refer to specific antecedents rather than whole ideas or sentences. When a pronoun’s reference is needlessly broad, either replace the pronoun with a noun or supply an antecedent to which the pronoun clearly refers.”

Hope it helps!