1

I am having a problem in using the relative pronoun which inappropriately. Hence I would like to confirm that the below sentence is a right usage of it.

Animals & birds are butchered for food by humans, which a few folks support it by stating that the ecological balance rests entirely upon one depending on the other for food

Can this sentence be constructed in any other form to make it clear.

Secondly, can I use a comma before words such as who , which, where, while in a sentence for sentence clarity?

For example, in the above example I used as "food by humans, which few folks". Is this comma acceptable?

Improve this question
1
  • 1
    I have edited your question and, in particular, your example sentence so the only error to be discussed is the one you ask about.
    – StoneyB on hiatus
    Feb 22, 2014 at 4:40

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
2

Animals and birds are butchered for food by humans, which a few folks support it by stating that the ecological balance is based upon one depending on the other for food.

In a relative clause, the relative pronoun replaces* one constituent of a full sentence and then 'moves' to the head. The correct phrasing of your relative clause is constructed like this:

      A few folks support   it    by stating &c ...
                             ↓
      A few folks support [which] by stating &c ...
    ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ↵
   ↓
which a few folks support         by stating &c ...

Note the ‘gap’ between support and by. (Of course you take out all the extra white space when you write it.) Your mistake is that you have left in place the constituent—it—which is supposed to be replaced by which, so the verb now has two direct objects, which and it.

Your comma is proper. It makes clear that which does not refer to humans but to the entire sentence which precedes it:

      A few folks support [(that) animals and birds are butchered for food by humans].
                                                     ↓
      A few folks support                            it  
                                                     ↓
      A few folks support                         [which].
Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .