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Eipjoo Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Can it be changed into a gerund?

Given the sentence:

Perhaps it’s a sigh of things to come.

Can we replace to-infinitive into gerund, coming.
  

Top answer

Perhaps it’s a sign of things to come. " This would be a good sentence: Perhaps it’s a sign of things coming to haunt us.

— AlpheccaStars

  • Perhaps it’s a sign of things to come.
  • " This would be a good sentence: Perhaps it’s a sign of things coming to haunt us.
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6 Answers
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Perhaps it’s a sign of things to come.

This is a set phrase, so it does not quite sound the same with the participle "coming."
This would be a good sentence:

Perhaps it’s a sign of things coming to haunt us.
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Hi

Alphecca is right: A "sign of things coming" is OK as English, but it doesn't have the same meaning

A sign of "things to come" has become a set phrase in the language since a 1936 film, as shown in the picture

Dave



[Low-res, for critical reference to the film]
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"Perhaps it's a sign of thing coming up." has a similar sense.
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Hi

Sorry if the last two messages don't make entire sense

The picture is at Wikipedia, Things to Come

EnglishForward seems to have lost connection to the rest of the web, momentarily

Dave
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Hi

I hate being beaten by technology. Here is another go at the picture...

[Low-res, for critical reference to film]

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