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I wonder if "that needs to be addressed" is modifying "a potential distraction" or "offices"

English Language Learners Asked by pheno8 on February 8, 2021

In a recent employers’ survey a wide variety of computer functions have/has been identified as a potential distraction in offices that needs to be addressed.

I’m confused here whether the modifier "that needs to be addressed" is modifying "a potential distraction" or "offices". in my view, it seems most likely that it’s modifying "a potential distraction".
Is this just an acceptable way that I don’t need to seize on? Do native speakers also happen to get confused by a sentence like this? but they can identify which noun is being modified depending on context?

One Answer

Correct

"that needs to be addressed" is modifying "a potential distraction in offices" and thus the key noun being modified is "distraction".

Tish is a common structure and a reasonably natural sentence. It is perhaps a bit on the wordy side, and influenced by bureaucratic language, but most fluent speakers should not be at all confused by it.

Answered by David Siegel on February 8, 2021

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