Referring

[AUTOMOON]

"The guesthouse is located at the hi-tech park, a nice and beautiful enviroment that never failed to attract any visitors."

What does the "enviroment" refer? Is it guesthouse or the park?


And there are other cases when confusion is involved for the reference.
I can't name any of them but still welcome your comments and discussions.

[Naamplao]

"The guesthouse is located at the hi-tech park, a nice and beautiful enviroment that never failed to attract any visitors."

What does the "enviroment" refer? Is it guesthouse or the park?

Environment means surroundings.

It refers to the park where the guesthouse is located. This phrase "a nice and beautiful environment that never failed to attract any visitors." modifies park.

Just for completeness I would also add that I would say "the guesthouse is located in the hi-tech park..."

[Harry Smith]

"The guesthouse is located at the hi-tech park, a nice and beautiful enviroment that never failed to attract any visitors."

What does the "enviroment" refer? Is it guesthouse or the park?


And there are other cases when confusion is involved for the reference.
I can't name any of them but still welcome your comments and discussions.

It refers to the park, of course where the guesthouse is located.

[BobK]

Environment means surroundings.

It refers to the park where the guesthouse is located. This phrase "a nice and beautiful environment that never failed to attract any visitors." modifies park.

Just for completeness I would also add that I would say "the guesthouse is located in the hi-tech park..."

Also, the "any" makes this example sound very odd. Where did it come from?

If something 'never failed to attract visitors' it's attractive. If it 'never failed to attract any visitors', the phrase implies that most of the time it managed to attract at least a few visitors - and that the occasions when it attracted none were rare. The stress would be: 'never failed to attract any visitors'.

b

[Naamplao]

Also, the "any" makes this example sound very odd. Where did it come from?

If something 'never failed to attract visitors' it's attractive. If it 'never failed to attract any visitors', the phrase implies that most of the time it managed to attract at least a few visitors - and that the occasions when it attracted none were rare. The stress would be: 'never failed to attract any visitors'.

b

Yes I missed that...I think it should be "any visitor". "Any" is used with a singular noun. I think "has failed" is better than "failed" too.

"The guesthouse is located in the hi-tech park, a nice and beautiful environment that has never failed to attract any visitor."