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Microsoft Edge offers improvements in security and speed over Internet Explorer, which is no longer being actively developed and is available only for legacy purposes.

In this sentence, which modifies the noun of Internet Explorer.

May you tell me

  1. Why does which not modifies the sentence of Microsoft Edge offers improvements in security and speed over Internet Explorer?
  2. Why does which not modifies the noun of Microsoft Edge ?
  3. How to confirm which which modify?
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    Hi, I'm afraid you're asking three questions instead of one. You've taken the tour right?
    – FeliniusRex - gone
    Commented Aug 13, 2021 at 18:45
  • @FelinusRex Are they though? Seems to me the OP's question boils down to "why does 'which' modify Internet Explorer and not Microsoft Edge?" If the OP said "how do I use relative pronouns in this sentence and why should it be in the present tense?" then you could argues they've asked more than one question.
    – fred2
    Commented Aug 15, 2021 at 17:08

1 Answer 1

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Relative pronouns, like "who", "which" and "that", modify the closest noun before them that matches (person or non-person). In this case, "which" matches "Internet Explorer" because it is the first noun before it.

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  • Can whichi matches the sentence before in some sentences?
    – Y. zeng
    Commented Aug 14, 2021 at 12:37
  • Yes, or part of the sentence before.
    – gotube ♦
    Commented Aug 15, 2021 at 19:49
  • Please let me sort out the logic. So, which could modify the closest noun before it or the sentence before it, and it could not modify the noun which is not the closest. Am I right?
    – Y. zeng
    Commented Aug 16, 2021 at 12:48
  • @Y.zeng Here in the comment section isn't the right place for a lesson on relative pronoun referents. There's plenty of information available with a search for "relative pronouns".
    – gotube ♦
    Commented Aug 16, 2021 at 17:24
  • Thanks a lot! I will do it.
    – Y. zeng
    Commented Aug 17, 2021 at 12:33

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