NDA (II) 2016 GAT Q50: The painting which they were looking at was done by my

Q: What is the answer to NDA (II) 2016 GAT Q50?

B. Correct — B, that. The clause 'they were looking at' is doing identifying work — it tells the reader which painting is meant — and there is no comma before it, and on the rule this paper follows an identifying clause of that kind takes 'that'.

NDA (II) 2016 General Ability Test · Question 50 of 150

Question text verified against the official NDA question paper.

The painting which they were looking at was done by my sister.

(a)what
(b)that
(c)whom
(d)NO IMPROVEMENT

Answer

Why

Correct — B, that. The clause 'they were looking at' is doing identifying work — it tells the reader which painting is meant — and there is no comma before it, and on the rule this paper follows an identifying clause of that kind takes 'that'.

Why the others are wrong

(a)what — 'What' already contains its own antecedent and means 'the thing which', so it cannot be used after a noun that has just been named.
(c)whom — 'Whom' refers only to people, and the noun being described here is a painting.
(d)NO IMPROVEMENT — By the identifying-clause rule the paper is testing, 'which' is reserved for a clause that merely adds information and is set off by commas.

Concept

The choice among relative pronouns turns on what kind of noun is being described and on whether the clause identifies it or merely adds to it.

Two of the options can be dismissed on solid ground — 'what' cannot follow an expressed noun and 'whom' cannot describe a thing. The remaining choice is a matter of the rule the paper applies. Careful British usage does allow 'which' in an identifying clause, so the printed sentence is not wrong in ordinary writing; the split that reserves 'that' for identifying clauses and 'which', with commas, for adding clauses is the stricter convention, and the official key follows it here. Answer by the paper's rule and know that everyday usage is broader.

Key facts

An identifying clause narrows down which one is meant and is written without commas; an adding clause gives extra information and is fenced by commas.
'Who' and 'whom' are used of people, 'which' of things, and 'that' of either.

Study next

Relative pronouns and the nouns each may describeIdentifying clauses and adding clauses, and the commas that mark them'What' as a pronoun that carries its own antecedent

Common traps

Using 'what' after a noun that has already been named.
Using 'whom' for a thing, or 'which' for a person.

Asked as a sentence-improvement item that tests both the person-or-thing rule and the identifying-clause convention in one blank.

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.

Practice

practice — not a real PYQ
Which option best improves the underlined part — This is the book what I told you about.
- (a)that
- (b)whom
- (c)whose
- (d)No improvement
Answer(a) that — 'what' cannot follow a noun that has already been named.
practice — not a real PYQ
Which option best improves the underlined part — The officer which signed the order has been transferred.
- (a)who
- (b)what
- (c)whose
- (d)No improvement
Answer(a) who — 'which' cannot describe a person.