<p>Computers compiling statistics for scientists have supplied (a deluge of information, and it has changed) the way that research is conducted.</p>
<p>My wrong answer: a deluge of information, and it has
Correct answer: so much information that they have</p>
<p>My reason for my answer:</p>
<p>"it" refers to deluge and I chose it because the correct answer had "they" which does not have a clear antecedent: it could be computers or scientists. </p>
<p>How do I distinguish the two answers? </p>
<p>Thanks :)</p>
<p>“They” is potentially ambiguous. You’re right. OTOH, the standard way of identifying an antecedent (backtracking to the nearest possible noun) brings us to “scientists,” and that makes perfect sense, so no big worries there. Here are two possible reasons for preferring the other:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>“deluge” refers to a flood. Even used metaphorically, it should retain some sense of that. In this case, “supply” is an awkward choice. You would almost never say that someone supplied a flood. Floods are unexpected and typically unwanted, not something you go out and deliberately generate.</p></li>
<li><p>“and” is the weakest of all connectors. “so much . . . that” indicates a cause-effect relationship. So this version makes the central idea more clear than the “and” version. My best guess is that this is what the test writers were going for.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>“compiling statistics for scientists” is an adverbial phrase that modifies the head subject of “computers.” hence, “they” is not ambiguous at all but can only modify the main subject. “it” is not logical in context, because it makes more sense that the computers, not the deluge of information, changed the way researchers conduct research.</p>
<p>the explanation of a deluge symbolizing a flood has no relevance as that is purely subjective and sat grammar is never subjectively interpreted or solved</p>
<p>It’s actually a participial phrase… Lol</p>