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Anonymous Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
A noun clause as a complement
Hi,
"...but that dictatorship didn't work, that if there were – if – a serious new
constitution, pluralist political parties and real and genuine free elections,
Syria might just climb out of its tragedy but that the government was running
out of time, fast." [From The Independent.]
Is the "- if -" used for emphasis in the sentence?
Thank you.
"...but that dictatorship didn't work, that if there were – if – a serious new
constitution, pluralist political parties and real and genuine free elections,
Syria might just climb out of its tragedy but that the government was running
out of time, fast." [From The Independent.]
Is the "- if -" used for emphasis in the sentence?
Thank you.
Top answer
Is the "- if -" used for emphasis in the sentence? -- Yes. that dictatorship didn't work, that if there were – and it's a big 'if' – a serious new constitution...
- Is the "- if -" used for emphasis in the sentence?
- -- Yes.
- that dictatorship didn't work, that if there were – and it's a big 'if' – a serious new constitution...
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2 Answers
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Is the "- if -" used for emphasis in the sentence?-- Yes. Another common expression is this:
...that dictatorship didn't work, that if there were – and it's a big 'if'– a serious new constitution...
...that dictatorship didn't work, that if there were – and it's a big 'if'– a serious new constitution...
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Thank you, MM, for your useful reply. Sorry, I've mistakenly pasted the tread title 'a noun clause as a complement' instead of 'if'.
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