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lcy - 21 Sep 2010 07:34 GMT

Dear all,
Please help me pick the best answer to the following question.
Thank you very much!

It results in not only spiritual and soul but hip-hop, ___
teenagers today like most.
a) x b) that c) whatever d) what

The answer is D, but I would like to know if it is ok to fill out the
word "which" in the blank.
Thank you very much!

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Athel Cornish-Bowden - 21 Sep 2010 07:55 GMT

> Dear all,
> Please help me pick the best answer to the following question.
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
> The answer is D,

Says who? C is better than D.

> but I would like to know if it is ok to fill out the
> word "which" in the blank.

Yes, but it changes the meaning.

> Thank you very much!

Signature

athel

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Peter Moylan - 21 Sep 2010 08:39 GMT

>> Dear all,
>> Please help me pick the best answer to the following question.
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
>
> Yes, but it changes the meaning.

It has a meaning? None of the four choices produces a sensible English
sentence.

The question can't really be answered without knowing what the "it" is
that results in these things.

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Peter Moylan, Newcastle, NSW, Australia. http://www.pmoylan.org
For an e-mail address, see my web page.

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annily - 21 Sep 2010 09:03 GMT

>>> Dear all,
>>> Please help me pick the best answer to the following question.
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
> The question can't really be answered without knowing what the "it" is
> that results in these things.

If D is the answer, I assume it means that spiritual, soul and hip-hop
are "what teenagers today like most".

Signature

Long-time resident of Adelaide, South Australia,
which probably influences my opinions.

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mm - 24 Sep 2010 20:12 GMT

>>>> Dear all,
>>>> Please help me pick the best answer to the following question.
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
>If D is the answer, I assume it means that spiritual, soul and hip-hop
>are "what teenagers today like most".

I thought the final phrase only referred to hip-hop, but I also felt
the sentence was ambiguous because some people would think it applies
to all 3, like you do, Bad sentence.

"What" isn't totally out of the question. I think I would have said
"what" when I was under 20. When I read the sentence using "what",
I'm reminded of being a child. But no particular sentneces come to
mind.

Either times have changed or it relates to where I lived (see below).
For the last 30 or 40 years I would say "which".

Signature

Posters should say where they live, and for which area
they are asking questions. I was born and then lived in
Western Pa. 10 years
Indianapolis 7 years
Chicago 6 years
Brooklyn, NY 12 years
Baltimore 26 years

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Athel Cornish-Bowden - 29 Sep 2010 08:43 GMT

>>>>> Dear all,
>>>>> Please help me pick the best answer to the following question.
[quoted text clipped - 28 lines]
> "What" isn't totally out of the question. I think I would have said
> "what" when I was under 20.

When you were a teenager, in fact, and knew what at least one teenager
liked most!

> When I read the sentence using "what",
> I'm reminded of being a child. But no particular sentneces come to
> mind.
>
> Either times have changed or it relates to where I lived (see below).
> For the last 30 or 40 years I would say "which".

Signature

athel

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HVS - 21 Sep 2010 09:20 GMT

On 21 Sep 2010, Peter Moylan wrote

Absolutely. And for the only readings of "it" I can think of, "what" seems
wrong, while "that" or "which" might conceivably work.

Impossible to tell as it stands, though.

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Cheers, Harvey
CanEng and BrEng, indiscriminately mixed

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Discussion Groups / English Usage / September 2010

what