usage of in which

[momo32]

Dear Instructors，

I don't know what is the precedent of which in following sentence.
And could you summarize the usage of prep + which .thx



Citing the recent increase in earnings by several computer companies, economists feel that a cycle has begun in which personal computer users, especially corporate consumers, are replacing their PC's with more powerful models

[tim]

1. I don't know what you mean by "precedent of which"; can you explain what you mean by "precedent"?

2. I'm not sure a summary is necessary or useful. You'll find it more helpful to learn how these phrases are used in actual GMAT problems than to attempt a comprehensive summary that may or may not be relevant to actual GMAT problems.

[momo32]

1. I don't know what you mean by "precedent of which"; can you explain what you mean by "precedent"?

2. I'm not sure a summary is necessary or useful. You'll find it more helpful to learn how these phrases are used in actual GMAT problems than to attempt a comprehensive summary that may or may not be relevant to actual GMAT problems.

Dear Tim，

I want to ask what is the antecedent of "which". Because i think which must follow a Noun, and i cannot find that Noun.

THX

[RonPurewal]

Note the following about "in which". (The same things are generally true for "preposition + which".)

• Like "which", it can follow a comma.
("in" + "___, which..." = "___, in which...")
This type of modifier follows exactly the same rules as "___, which...", from which it's derived.
(Note the use of "___, from which..." in that sentence.)

• Unlike "which", it can also NOT follow a comma.
("in" + "___ that..." = "___ in which..."
This type of modifier has the same freedom as the modifier from which it's derived ("___ that..."). <–– I used such a modifier in this sentence.
As you may know, "___ that..."——and, by extension, "___ in which..."——has A LOT of freedom. Check out the distance between "a standardized way" and "...that..." in #50 in the OG Diagnostic chapter. Quite a bit of distance indeed.

The problem at hand falls into the latter category.

[RonPurewal]

In the following problem, "____ that..." is used in EXACTLY the same way in which "____ in which..." is used in the sentence you posted:
not-one-of-the-potential-investors-is-expected-to-make-an-of-t6516.html

[RonPurewal]

NB:
You might have been tempted to think that "in" + "___ that..." would give "___ in that...".

If you thought that——nope. "In that..." does exist, but has zero similarity to any of the modifiers discussed above.

Some information on "in that" is here, if you're interested: post56463.html#p56463

[momo32]

Dear Ron，

Thanks for you reply.
After reading you reply. I try to work out the following sentence.

a cycle has begun in which personal computer users, especially corporate consumers, are replacing their PC's with more powerful models

I rephrase this sentence is

personal computer users 【that】has begun in a cycle，, are replacing their PC's with more powerful models

Its right？
THX

[RonPurewal]

Not really.
You can figure out by yourself that something is wrong, since "have begun in a cycle" is not a meaningful expression.

We can write that an event--but not a person--"has begun" (without an object).

Similarly, we can write that a person--but not an event--"has begun a/an NOUN".

There's no need to memorize either of these; you can just think about what the words mean.

[RonPurewal]

This particular sentence deals with a cycle in which PC users are doing xxxx.
"Has begun" is the main verb; stripped of all modifiers, the sentence reads as "A cycle has begun."

Because the modifier (in which PC users are doing xxx) is sooooooo long, the usual order of the verb and modifier (e.g., A cycle of new purchases has begun) is reversed.

You'll never be tested on this kind of ordering issue; since it's an issue of style and easy readability, not of actual right and wrong, it lies beyond the scope of this exam.
However, you need to know at least that it's permissible at times—in other words, that it's a thing that exists in written English. That way you won't erroneously mark it as wrong when you see it.

[asdfs361]

Hi dear manhattan instructors!

Since the sentence that momo32 posted is derived from a SC question, can I post the original question and ask some specific questions about it? :)

I sorry for not having a clear mind about where is the bottom line for propriety protection

[tim]

The circumstances of this thread do not change the absolute rules about what is and is not legal to post. Please refer to the forum rules for more information about which sources are legal and which are not.