A question about grammar

Question

Is there any (big) difference between these 3 sentences?

a. Having completed his military service, he started his own business. b. Upon completing his military service, he started his own business. c. Completing his military service, he started his own business.

Thanks for your any hint.

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]Is there any (big) difference between these 3 sentences? a. Having completed his military service, he started his own business. b. Upon completing his military service, he started his own business.[/nq]
They could both refer to exactly the same events. In version a, the sequence of events is emphasized he had to leave military service before he could start his business. In b, the emphasis is on the timing he started his business as soon as he left military service.
[nq:1]c. Completing his military service, he started his own business.[/nq]
This one could mean the same thing as well, but it's not an ordinary way to say it. It might be read as implying that the last thing he had to do in order to complete his military service was to start his own business (but of course this makes no sense).

Mark Brader, Toronto > "Common sense isn't any more common on Usenet (Email Removed) > than it is anywhere else." Henry Spencer

My text in this article is in the public domain.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Thanks for your any hint.[/nq]
Delete "your". "Any hint" is all right by itself, but if you want to include "you", you could say something like "any hint you may have to offer."

Mark Brader > "I always pass on good advice. It's the only thing Toronto > to do with it. It is never any use to oneself." (Email Removed) > Lord Goring (Oscar Wilde: An Ideal Husband)

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Is there any (big) difference between these 3 sentences? a. Having completed his military service, he started his own business. b. Upon completing his military service, he started his own business. c. Completing his military service, he started his own business.[/nq]
No.
[nq:1]Thanks for your any hint.[/nq]
Best guess: Thanks for your help.
You're welcome.
Jon Miller

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Is there any (big) difference between these 3 sentences?[/nq]
Hi *****.
There certainly are differences. They are all
grammatically correct, but they all mean different things. And I would say that, yes, the differences are "big" enough for you to want to be aware of them.
[nq:1]a. Having completed his military service, he started his own business.[/nq]
This sentence tells us that he completed military service, and then later started his own business. It doesn't tell us how much later; it just tells us that one thing happened before the other. Logical analysis might lead us to conclude that the interval was quite short, but there is nothing in the sentence to tell us that.
[nq:1]b. Upon completing his military service, he started his own business.[/nq]
This tells us that he started his own business immediately after completing his military service. That's what the "upon" denotes immediacy. There was no significant gap in time.
[nq:1]c. Completing his military service, he started his own business.[/nq]
To me, this suggests simultaneity. Two things are
happening at once: he is completing military service, and he is starting his own business.

Michael West
Melbourne, Australia
(In the shadow of the You-Yangs)

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