3

Consider:

They may play games, sports or simply sit and chat together, activities which are far healthier than sitting alone hunched over a screen.

Can we omit activities?

They may play games, sports or simply sit and chat together, which are far healthier than sitting alone hunched over a screen.

Also is it appropriate to place a noun (activities) just before the relative clause referring the whole sentence? In many cases, these are typically the same structure.

jimm101
  • 10,753
aquestion
  • 31
  • 1
    You need an or here: They may play games or* sports or simply sit and chat together...* – Tinfoil Hat Dec 12 '22 at 15:21
  • 1
    Using "activities" makes it clear what "which" applies to: all the options rather than just the last. – Stuart F Dec 12 '22 at 15:32
  • Why would you want to omit activities> – Lambie Dec 12 '22 at 16:02
  • any of which are far healthier... – Jim Dec 12 '22 at 17:00
  • Your original example, "They may play games, sports or simply sit and chat together, activities which are far healthier than sitting alone hunched over a [computer?] screen" sounds just right to me. Omitting "activities" makes it less clear in my opinion. Have you taken the "Tour" yet? To find it, just click on the question mark in a circle at the top of this page. Welcome to EL&U. – Mark Hubbard Dec 13 '22 at 22:12

1 Answers1

1

As I see this question, it all depends on how the author wants to treat the antecedent. If he/she chooses to consider it as a set of activities, then he/she can do away with "activities", but then has to change the number of the verb.

  • They may play games, sports or simply sit and chat together, which is far healthier than sitting alone hunched over a screen.

On the other hand, if the antecedent is to be treated as separate activities, "activities" is necessary (and the number of the verb remains unchanged, of course).

  • They may play games, sports or simply sit and chat together, activities which are far healthier than sitting alone hunched over a screen.

The reason for that would be that the identification of the antecedent is not made easily in this case; there is a missing point of view: you could substitute "pastime" for activities, and the sentence would make sense too, but you'd be looking at the things mentioned under a somewhat different light. you could even speak of time-killing activities, instead. You might then say "But why should one choose among the possible points of view available?", and there is nothing I can answer, particularly so, in the light of the possibility of treating the antecedent as a set; nevertheless, using a "rounding-up term" seems rather necessary to me.

LPH
  • 20,841
  • what do you mean by "the number of the verb". I couldn't understand the explanation for your first example. Could you clarify it ? – aquestion Dec 12 '22 at 17:45
  • @aquestion https://www.toppr.com/ask/content/concept/the-verb-persons-and-numbers-205317/ – LPH Dec 12 '22 at 18:13