Ambiguous Pronoun

<p>The labor union is negotiating a contract with the hospital <a href="B">b</a> THAT** will satisfy the demands of the workers and be acceptable to all levels of management. <a href="E">b</a> No Error**</p>

<p>The answers is E, but I picked B because I thought THAT was an ambiguous pronoun which could refer to either the hospital or the contract. The fact that it was placed right beside HOSPITAL didn't help at all. Please don't say something like, "it's obvious that it isn't ambiguous." I'm looking for a grammatical rule that can clear things up for me. </p>

<p>I understand that THAT was intended to refer to the contract. But consider the following sentence: I served lemonade to the guests in pink cups.
Obviously, the guests weren't in pink cups, but by SAT logic wouldn't we say that the sentence is incorrect because it has a misplaced modifier? </p>

<p>Seems to me like sometimes we're using logic and ignoring ambiguity and sometimes we're not... </p>

<p>Thanks for reading.</p>

<p>Just a guy with input and without a grammatical rule to clear things up.</p>

<p>Within sentences I feel like ambiguity isn’t really a big deal. Usually SAT ambiguity focuses on an ambiguous pronoun across a series of sentences.</p>

<p>It’s not a great sentence but I don’t see anything grammatically (in SAT terms) wrong with “I served lemonade to the guests in pink cups.” Actually I feel like saying “I served lemonade in pink cups to the guests” is a worse sentence because it lacks fluidity and almost feels like it needs commas around “in pink cups” to set it apart. It’s probably not what you want to hear, but English is far from a perfect language and sometimes you have to settle and use your intuition.</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>That’s a misplaced modifier by any logic.</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>It’s not “worse” but you’re correct that it doesn’t exactly sound musical.</p>

<p>Have you guys been (mis)taught to never use passive voice?</p>

<p>The guests were served lemonade in pink cups.</p>

<p>We’ve been dissuaded from using it but if you’re a good enough writer nobody at my school will really tell you what to do. I agree that sentence is better than the two prior alternatives, although I would probably find something else entirely to write if given a context.</p>

<p>As for the SAT…</p>

<p>I got perfect writing scores both times I took it but I still am indeed curious: is “I served lemonade to the guests in pink cups” considered wrong? If so I ought to brush up on my grammar</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>It’s correct if your guests are either sitting in pink cups or wearing pink cups.</p>

<p>Otherwise, it is incorrect. Of course, only nerds like us would either know and/or care.</p>

<p>OP I think that they were really testing if the clause is restrictive- ie a that vs which situation.</p>

<p>See [Grammar</a> Girl : Which Versus That :: Quick and Dirty Tips ?](<a href=“http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/which-versus-that-0]Grammar”>Home - Quick and Dirty Tips)</p>

<p>Clearly the contract satisfying the demands of the works is essential. </p>

<p>“The labor union is negotiating a contract with the hospital, (B) which has three floors.”</p>

<p>My question wasn’t really about the second sentence guys. I only brought it up to highlight a possible discrepancy in the treatment of ambiguity. I am still waiting for an explanation of why “that” cannot refer to hospital in the first sentence. </p>

<p>To expand further, THAT is in a perfect position to modify hospital. It would modify hospital, for example, if the sentence read, “The labor union is negotiating a contract with the hospital that sits atop Chapel Hill.” So, once again, please someone help me figure this out. </p>

<p>@Jazzed I made that sentence up- the one about lemonade. If you want to look at a real SAT question with a misplaced modifier error, look at this: “During my most recent trip, I came across a wonderful antique store wandering in the old quarter of the city”</p>

<p>@argbargy
I’m sorry. I don’t understand your explanation. :/</p>

<p>Did you read the Grammar Girl link?</p>

<p>Yes, I did, but I still don’t understand how your post addresses my initial question, “Why can “that” not refer to the hospital?”</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>I could be wrong, but I think this is an ambiguous reference. In other words, I don’t know why “that” can’t refer to the hospital. </p>

<p>In still other words, I suspect that you’re right to question this.</p>

<p>Just curious…which book are you using? Do they give a rationale for the “no error” answer?</p>

<p>argbargy is right to suggest that you learn about restrictive clauses (if you haven’t already) but I think this is a different issue and until convinced otherwise I’m blaming the editor of your source material.</p>

<p>The labor union is negotiating with the hospital a contract that will satisfy the demands of the workers and be acceptable to all levels of management.</p>

<p>What’s the union negotiating with the hospital? A contract.</p>

<p>This question is from OG 2nd edition, actually. Pg.601 #13.</p>

<p>Pardon my ignorance, but what’s “OG”?</p>

<p>OG is the abbreviation people use on the boards here for The Official SAT Study Guide. You might also know it as BB or Blue Book.</p>

<p>Duh. Thanks. It means something else here in the hood.</p>

<p>As for this sentence, I’m guessing that their using the phrase “contract with the hospital” as the thing THAT they are negotiating.</p>

<p>Now I’m doubly curious—would you mind posting the question with all possible selections?</p>

<p>Sure.</p>

<p>The labor union [is negotiating]A a contract with the hospital [that]B [will satisfy]C the demands of the workers and [be acceptable to]D all levels of the management. [no error]E. </p>

<p>Thanks for the input, by the way. I think I am just going to look at all the questions with vague pronoun reference errors in the Official Guide and try to find a general pattern for what constitutes the said error in ETS’s opinion.</p>

<p>The labor union (A)is negotiating a contract with the hospital (B) THAT (C)will satisfy the demands of the workers and (D)be acceptable to all levels of management. (E) No Error</p>

<p>Its at the beginning of the section and bracketed by Easy level questions. It is an Easy level. </p>

<p>You guys are over thinking the pronoun.</p>

<p>What argbargy said. They are posing a “that” versus “which” question with (B). The correct answer is “that.” Nothing bigger going on here.</p>