Most of them

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I don't know if it is correct the use of "most of them" in this case. Could someone help me, please.

Cambridge, that has been an important university for centuries, has a large student population, most of them male, who have to take a special examination to get in.
 

bhaisahab

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I don't know if it is correct the use of "most of them" in this case. Could someone help me, please.

Cambridge, that has been an important university for centuries, has a large student population, most of them male, who have to take a special examination to get in.

Change "that" to "which" and the sentence is OK.
 

Odessa Dawn

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..., most of them male,...

Don’t we need the auxiliary verb are that goes after them and before male, please?


 

bhaisahab

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emsr2d2

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Don’t we need the auxiliary verb are that goes after them and before male, please?



No.

Twenty-five people, most of them female, attended the bridal fair.
One hundred balloons, most of them green, were released into the air after the demonstration.
Two thousand cats, most of them moggies and crossbreeds, are rehomed by rescue centres every year.

It is the word order which determines whether you need the verb.

Twenty-five people attended the bridal fair. Most of them were female.
One hundred balloons were released into the air after the demonstration. Most of them were green.
Two thousand cats are rehomed by rescue centres every year. Most of them are moggies and crossbreeds.
 

billmcd

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I don't know if it is correct the use of "most of them" in this case. Could someone help me, please.

Cambridge, that has been an important university for centuries, has a large student population, most of them male, who have to take a special examination to get in.

With "population" I think I would prefer to use "it" rather than "them".
 
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