why does it mean here?

Question

The owner of a Saudi-owned oil supertanker hijacked by Somali pirates says the 25 crew members are safe.Here, who does say about "25 crew members are safe"?

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

The person who owns the ship.

Nithila · Answer

what is the way to you found this answer? it has been confusing ..
please help me

Alda1119 · Answer

because "the owner of a Saudi-owned oil supertanker...... is your subject.

CalifJim · Answer

The owner of a Saudi-owned oil supertanker hijacked by Somali pirates

says the 25 crew members are safe.
____
The owner of a Saudi-owned oil supertanker hijacked by Somali pirates
The supertanker was owned by a Saudi. A Saudi owned the supertanker.
The supertanker carries oil.
The supertanker was hijacked. Somali pirates hijacked the supertanker.

says

the 25 crew members are safe.

CJ

Clive · Answer

Hi,
The owner of a Saudi-owned oil supertanker hijacked by Somali pirates says the 25 crew members are safe.

what is the way to you found this answer?

Here are a couple of suggestions.

The best way is to think about what the basic information in the sentence is, and what is 'extra and unnecessary' information that can be eliminated.
The sentence still makes sense if you eliminate the information about what the owner owns, and also the fact that the ship was hijacked by pirates. That leaves the basic sentence as
The owner ~~of a Saudi-owned oil supertanker hijacked by Somali pirates~~ says the 25 crew members are safe.
Now it is easier to see that the subject is 'the owner'.

Here's another way to think about this sentence.
The main verb is 'says', which is singular.
A 'tanker' (ie a ship) can't say anything.
The noun 'pirates' is plural, so that doesn't fit with a singular verb.
So, only the term 'the owner' is left as a possible subject.

Best wishes, Clive

Nithila · Answer

Now, i'm very clear ..

Thanks a lot CJ and Clive..

AlpheccaStars · Answer

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