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Jooney Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
Bare infinitive
Hi,
“These are institutions that we call the people’s university, but all of us who are in it have just watched this thing collapse on itself being starved for resources year after year,” said Lillian Taiz, the president of the California Faculty Association, the union that represents professors in the California State University system. “What keeps happening is that we are turning the university into a place where really only the wealthy can go. The students are watching their parents fall out of the middle class and watching their own ability to move into it be sabotaged.”
Q1) Shouldn't the "be" deleted, as in the following example?
...watching their own ability to move into it sabotaged.
similar example:
I saw them beaten by him.(correct)
I saw them be beaten by him.(incorrect)
Q2) What is the meaning of the noun phrase "their own ability to move into it"?
I'd appreciate your help.
“These are institutions that we call the people’s university, but all of us who are in it have just watched this thing collapse on itself being starved for resources year after year,” said Lillian Taiz, the president of the California Faculty Association, the union that represents professors in the California State University system. “What keeps happening is that we are turning the university into a place where really only the wealthy can go. The students are watching their parents fall out of the middle class and watching their own ability to move into it be sabotaged.”
Q1) Shouldn't the "be" deleted, as in the following example?
...watching their own ability to move into it sabotaged.
similar example:
I saw them beaten by him.(correct)
I saw them be beaten by him.(incorrect)
Q2) What is the meaning of the noun phrase "their own ability to move into it"?
I'd appreciate your help.
Top answer
1-- For style, I would delete 'be' and change 'watch' to 'see', but it can remain. 2-- The students' ability to move into the middle class via a university education.
- 1-- For style, I would delete 'be' and change 'watch' to 'see', but it can remain.
- 2-- The students' ability to move into the middle class via a university education.
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1 Answers
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1-- For style, I would delete 'be' and change 'watch' to 'see', but it can remain.
2-- The students' ability to move into the middle class via a university education.
2-- The students' ability to move into the middle class via a university education.
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