Bowerbirds

[gmatrant]

The bowerbirds of Australia derive their name from the fact that the males build elaborate bowers of sticks and twigs to attract females, decorating them with flowers and other vegetation in a display of courtship

Choices

the elaborate bowers of sticks and twigs that the males build and decorate with flowers and other vegetation in order to attract females
- This is the OA.

the elaborate bowers of sticks and twigs, decorated with flowers and other vegetation that the males use to attract females.
Want to discuss this choice along with the above OA with respect to usage of 'that'.

The questions is not with respect to the right answer, I want to clarify a basic doubt here. Can the pronoun 'that' refer to compound subjects.

Here 'flowers and other vegetation' is referred to by 'that'.

Similarly what happens to a phrase (prepositional phrase) with the 'of' construction
"one of the many aspects of the ocean environment that (is/are)"
In the above sentence does 'that' refer to the nearest noun which in this case is 'environment' or to the whole phrase.
Also can 'that' pronoun refer to aspects in the above sentence.
For a moment let us forget it is of the construction 'one of the Xs that" so the verb must be plural. I am curious to know what is 'that' referring to.

[gmatrant]

Hi - Can someone please update me.

[mschwrtz]

1) Bumping delays your answer. We respond oldest post first.

2) Yes, the relative pronouns that, which, who, etc. can refer to compound nouns.

3) Generally, noun modifiers, including relative pronouns and prepositional phrases used as noun modifiers, modify the nouns they touch directly. Exceptions are addressed in your SC guide on page 234.

4) Of sticks and twigs modifies bowers. That is not an exceptional case. That the males build modifies the elaborate bowers of sticks and twigs. That is an exceptional case; of sticks and twigs is a "mission-critical modifer.