syntactic options

[algren]

Tell me please which of the three structures is to be preferred in writing?

1. "I can't see what my chances of winning the big prize all my closest friends desired so much are." [This seems to be the correct one but it's barely understandable without re-reading it several times.]

2. "I can't see what are my chances of winning the big prize all my closest friends desired so much." [This seems better but is less correct grammatically.]

3. "I can't see what my chances are of winning the big prize all my closest friends desired so much." [same as (2)]

[RosalindaPerez]

The third sentence is your best bet. :)

Rosalinda Perez

[Syl]

I don't think any of them is clear. All three examples talk about a person that "can't see...." about his/her chances of winning. The part that is not clear: his/her friends desired what? The prize or the other person's winning?

;)

Syl

[Francis]

Your first sentence is the best of you three,but not very correct. You sentence is of a subordinate clause type, hence it's supposed to be separated by a comma somewhere.
''I can't see what my chances of winning the big price,all my friends desired so much,are.''

[Syl]

I disagree, Francis. The way you suggest isn't clear either... sorry :(

And besides, one shouldn't put the auxiliary "are" (as in your example) , in the end of the sentence.

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