Writing Quest

Test Preparation
1

<p>"[Though the damage caused by strip-mining was often irreparable to the natural environment, it] was once used to supply half the coal produced annually in the United States."
*I know this sentence is incorrect because I think "it" is referring to "damage"... and that can't be right because "strip-mining" should refer to "it"... right?</p>

<p>"[Though strip mining often caused irreparable damage to the natural environment, it] was once used to supply the coal produced in the U.S."
*I think this is right, but.... I get really confused when there is a comma and then something right afterwards like in this sentence, couldn't "it" be referring to "environment" because it comes right before it? Isn't that like a rule for dangling modifier/referring to pronouns? (I get confused with those kinds of 'reference/modifier' rules)</p>

<p>Help!</p>

2

<p>no, your right, “it” is ambigous.</p>

3

<p>Ask yourself, what word would make the most sense if I replaced “it” with it? Only strip-mining would be able to supply coal. Damage does not supply coal, and people just don’t say that the environment supplied coal. Also, look at the term “although”. It is key to this sentence because the sentence is saying: “strip mining is bad, but it did supply a bunch of coal.”</p>