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Thread: relative pronoun

  1. #1
    Taka is offline Senior Member
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    Default relative pronoun

    He ate the pre-packed sandwiches and drank the cans of Coke that he brought with him in his backpack, discarding the debris on the way.

    About the relative pronoun in bold, does it refer to both 'the pre-packed sandwiches' and 'the cans of Coke', or 'the cans of Coke' only?

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    Default Re: relative pronoun

    Probably both, but we can't be sure.
    Context is important. Please provide enough for us to be able to deal effectively with your question.
    Your thread title should include all or part of the word/phrase being discussed.
    If you just want to know the meaning of a word, try OneLook Dictionary Search first.


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    Taka is offline Senior Member
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    Default Re: relative pronoun

    What do you think the meaning of 'pre-packed' here is?

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    Default Re: relative pronoun

    Quote Originally Posted by Taka View Post
    What do you think the meaning of 'pre-packed' here is?
    What the words say - pre-packed - packed (wrapped) beforehand.
    Context is important. Please provide enough for us to be able to deal effectively with your question.
    Your thread title should include all or part of the word/phrase being discussed.
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    Taka is offline Senior Member
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    Default Re: relative pronoun

    No possibility that it means 'put in the backpack beforehand?

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    Default Re: relative pronoun

    Quote Originally Posted by Taka View Post
    No possibility that it means 'put in the backpack beforehand?
    It's unlikely, in my opinion, particularly in that sentence.
    Context is important. Please provide enough for us to be able to deal effectively with your question.
    Your thread title should include all or part of the word/phrase being discussed.
    If you just want to know the meaning of a word, try OneLook Dictionary Search first.


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    SoothingDave is online now VIP Member
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    Default Re: relative pronoun

    It would be awfully redundant if it just meant that the sandwiches were packed into the backpack. Of course they were "pre" packed. When else are you going to pack them? After?
    5jj likes this.

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    Taka is offline Senior Member
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    Default Re: relative pronoun

    Quote Originally Posted by SoothingDave View Post
    It would be awfully redundant if it just meant that the sandwiches were packed into the backpack.
    Yes. That's why I asked the question. If 'pre-packed' meant that way, I thought the relative pronoun should refer to the cans of Coke only.

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