Relative pronoun

English grammar questions, answered by Alan

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toedrika
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Relative pronoun

Post by toedrika »

Dear Professor,

"An earthquake is the shaking of the surface of the Earth resulting from a sudden release of energy in the Earth's lithosphere that creates seismic waves. "

Question: Where is the antecedent of "that"? Is it "release", or "lithosphere"?

Thank you !
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Antoine Ghannoum
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Alan
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Re: Relative pronoun

Post by Alan »

This is primarily a sense (not a grammar) issue, but I would say that sense clearly indicates 'release' as the antecedent.
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