# English help... Is this sentence correct? **URL:** \ **Category:** English Grammar & Usage\ **Created:** [July 12, 2022, 10:39am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/english-help-is-this-sentence-correct/221660 "2022-07-12T10:39:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TaipAmy](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/taipamy/32/188329_2.png) [@TaipAmy](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/TaipAmy)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 10:39am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/english-help-is-this-sentence-correct/221660/1 "2022-07-12T10:39:14Z")
**Whichever** item coated with this unique paint can maintain a lower temperature than its surroundings. The noun clause doesn’t sound right to me, but that is the answer according to the key. I’d just write “Items coated…” or “Whatever item is coated…”. My nephew needs your help. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Lost.in.space](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/lost.in.space/32/181081_2.png) [@Lost.in.space](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/Lost.in.space)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 10:41am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/english-help-is-this-sentence-correct/221660/2 "2022-07-12T10:41:09Z")
> [@TaipAmy](#): > > Whichever This is a type of pronoun. Not sure what type but it means a set of alternatives. So that would be the plural maybe ? ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Milker](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/dr_milker/32/181996_2.png) [@Dr\_Milker](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/Dr_Milker)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 10:44am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/english-help-is-this-sentence-correct/221660/3 "2022-07-12T10:44:00Z")
> [@TaipAmy](#): > > I’d just write “Items coated…” This works. Or “Any item…” ---
**Author:** ![TaipAmy](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/taipamy/32/188329_2.png) [@TaipAmy](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/TaipAmy)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 10:49am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/english-help-is-this-sentence-correct/221660/4 "2022-07-12T10:49:01Z")
Yes, but I need to know if the question is flawed or if the grammar is correct. It’s from the official college entrance exam prep material ordered by the high school. ---
**Author:** ![Lost.in.space](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/lost.in.space/32/181081_2.png) [@Lost.in.space](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/Lost.in.space)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 10:57am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/english-help-is-this-sentence-correct/221660/5 "2022-07-12T10:57:54Z")
We need more context. But, if you have a paint that has a specific purpose like high temperature paint you may apply the paint to specific items that have a specific purpose. An example is engine components. So the grammar is not incorrect. Whichever ( **pronoun** ) item ( **of a range of items given by the type of paint** ) coated with this unique paint can maintain a lower temperature than its surroundings. ---
**Author:** ![TaipAmy](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/taipamy/32/188329_2.png) [@TaipAmy](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/TaipAmy)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 10:58am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/english-help-is-this-sentence-correct/221660/6 "2022-07-12T10:58:18Z")
It seems like a demonstrative pronoun to me. ---
**Author:** ![Lost.in.space](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/lost.in.space/32/181081_2.png) [@Lost.in.space](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/Lost.in.space)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 10:59am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/english-help-is-this-sentence-correct/221660/7 "2022-07-12T10:59:41Z")
I don’t know much more than I have given. But you will see this type of grammar often in industrial MSDS or other instructions. ---
**Author:** ![TaipAmy](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/taipamy/32/188329_2.png) [@TaipAmy](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/TaipAmy)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 11:03am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/english-help-is-this-sentence-correct/221660/8 "2022-07-12T11:03:39Z")
So there is no need for another verb (is) in the example? Whichever item **is** coated with… It seems like the passive voice. But if I use “No matter which/what item **is** coated…” the “is” is essential? I’ll post a pic of the question. ![IMG_20220712_190521](https://forumosauploads-12829.kxcdn.com/original/3X/e/9/e9d47f0073fc92fb34a59c25655ca99edfeff107.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![TaipAmy](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/taipamy/32/188329_2.png) [@TaipAmy](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/TaipAmy)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 12:30pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/english-help-is-this-sentence-correct/221660/9 "2022-07-12T12:30:33Z")
@afterspivak @BiggusDickus @DrewC @Ducked @TT @jimipresley You are all professors from what I remember. Sorry if I missed anyone. Can any of you give me a definitive answer? Thanks ---
**Author:** ![TT](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/tt/32/271883_2.png) [@TT](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/TT)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 12:33pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/english-help-is-this-sentence-correct/221660/10 "2022-07-12T12:33:55Z")
> [@TaipAmy](#): > > I’d just write “Items coated…” Me, too. None of the given options is good, who wrote that? Lol, and I just read the opening sentence. ---
**Author:** ![dan2006](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/ea666f/32.png) [@dan2006](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/dan2006)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 12:34pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/english-help-is-this-sentence-correct/221660/11 "2022-07-12T12:34:37Z")
Looks correct to me but it should be ‘whichever item IS coated…’ It’s just a strange way of saying it. Most people would use the word ‘any’ vs whichever in this case. (Or as TT said, ‘items coated’ is good) ---
**Author:** ![TaipAmy](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/taipamy/32/188329_2.png) [@TaipAmy](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/TaipAmy)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 12:36pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/english-help-is-this-sentence-correct/221660/12 "2022-07-12T12:36:32Z")
It’s from the official college entrance exam prep book for next year’s test. There is a photo of the whole passage in the thread. ---
**Author:** ![TT](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/tt/32/271883_2.png) [@TT](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/TT)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 12:37pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/english-help-is-this-sentence-correct/221660/13 "2022-07-12T12:37:17Z")
> [@TaipAmy](#): > > It’s from the official college entrance exam prep book for next year’s test That’s telling, isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![TT](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/tt/32/271883_2.png) [@TT](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/TT)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 12:37pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/english-help-is-this-sentence-correct/221660/14 "2022-07-12T12:37:54Z")
> [@TaipAmy](#): > > There is a photo of the whole passage in the thread. Yes, whoever wrote it doesn’t have a great command of English ---
**Author:** ![RickRoll](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/rickroll/32/180921_2.png) [@RickRoll](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/RickRoll)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 12:38pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/english-help-is-this-sentence-correct/221660/15 "2022-07-12T12:38:35Z")
> [@TaipAmy](#): > > It’s from the official college entrance exam prep book for next year’s test. There is a photo of the whole passage in the thread. Answer (D) sounds better to me. But I’m not a native speaker, so… :idunno: ---
**Author:** ![superking](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/superking/32/197217_2.png) [@superking](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/superking)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 12:39pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/english-help-is-this-sentence-correct/221660/16 "2022-07-12T12:39:11Z")
> [@TaipAmy](#): > > Can any of you give me a definitive answer? I think it’s a mistake by the question setter. _Whichever_ is not a grammatically correct answer. ---
**Author:** ![TaipAmy](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/taipamy/32/188329_2.png) [@TaipAmy](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/TaipAmy)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 12:39pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/english-help-is-this-sentence-correct/221660/17 "2022-07-12T12:39:55Z")
I would think D definitely requires the “is”. I was just wondering if there was a rare usage where A is really correct. ---
**Author:** ![TaipeiGuy2000](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/taipeiguy2000/32/155716_2.png) [@TaipeiGuy2000](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/TaipeiGuy2000)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 1:02pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/english-help-is-this-sentence-correct/221660/18 "2022-07-12T13:02:38Z")
The sentence is not correct. None of the options work without further changes to the sentence. I am not a native speaker, but much of the text is badly written. ---
**Author:** ![hannes](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/hannes/32/161150_2.png) [@hannes](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/hannes)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 2:03pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/english-help-is-this-sentence-correct/221660/19 "2022-07-12T14:03:11Z")
Whoever tasked with writing this should be like 🤦‍♂️. ---
**Author:** ![mad\_masala](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/mad_masala/32/182103_2.png) [@mad\_masala](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/mad_masala)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 2:22pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/english-help-is-this-sentence-correct/221660/20 "2022-07-12T14:22:55Z")
Whichever. > **Summary** > > ![image](https://forumosauploads-12829.kxcdn.com/original/3X/2/c/2cb61977e67ba69f3c18e4d4e8f08abda106b3cd.png) [Next page](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/english-help-is-this-sentence-correct/221660.md?page=2)