Don't comment before you...

Question

Do these sentences have the same meaning? If not, please explain why. Was clause to phrase reduce transformation used in the second sentence?

1. Don't comment before you watch the whole video.

2. Don't comment before watching the whole video.

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

Hasibrahman
Do these sentences have the same meaning? If not, please explain why. Was clause to phrase reduce transformation used in the second sentence?

1. Don't comment before you watch the whole video.
2. Don't comment before watching the whole video.

Sentences 1 and 2 have the same meaning.

I'm not sure that "transformation" is really what's happening here, but there are grammarians who do like to think in terms of transformations.

It's just that after certain connectives, mostly connectives of time (when, after, before, while, since, until, if, unless, although)*, you can omit the subject if it repeats the subject of the main clause while simultaneously using an -ing form instead of a finite verb phrase for the predicate.

Students should do some research before they write their essays.
~ Students should do some research before writing their essays.

My mother always used to pour the milk into the flour while she mixed with a fork.
~ My mother always used to pour the milk into the flour while mixing with a fork.

The congressman has not been seen in public since he told reporters on Saturday morning that he intended to return to work.
~ The congressman has not been seen in public since telling reporters on Saturday morning that he intended to return to work.

CJ

*Only the first five of these are used regularly with the -ing construction. The last four are only rarely seen with that construction. And the -ing construction cannot be used after as soon as, as long as, by the time, where, or wherever, just to name a few examples.

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