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Mr. Tom Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
Expression: It's they who does it.
Please let me know how many of the following expressions do you find natural and correct?
Tom
1) It's they who do it.Thanks,
2) It's them who do it.
3) It's they who does it.
4) It's them who does it.
Tom
Top answer
Only one is correct and that is number 1, although it is unlikely that you would ever see it. It seems clumsy, so most English speakers would reword the whole sentence eg It is the plumbers that do it, they are the ones who do it etc.
- Only one is correct and that is number 1, although it is unlikely that you would ever see it.
- It seems clumsy, so most English speakers would reword the whole sentence eg It is the plumbers that do it, they are the ones who do it etc.
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6 Answers
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Only one is correct and that is number 1, although it is unlikely that you would ever see it. It seems clumsy, so most English speakers would reword the whole sentence eg It is the plumbers that do it, they are the ones who do it etc.
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Many thanks to both of you. But...
Tom
...it's you who likes to tease her.I want some more light shed on this please.
Tom
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where did you take or see this usage from ?
Can you show us the link ?
It is subject pronouns which / who / that
Can you show us the link ?
It is subject pronouns which / who / that
00
<< ...it's you who likes to tease her. >>
This one's a slam-dunk. It's subjective all the way around.
The tough ones are when the objective case comes into play.
It's you whom she likes to tease. The antecedent of "whom" is subjective, but the requirements of the clause take precedence. "Whom" is object of the infinitive "to tease."
This one's a slam-dunk. It's subjective all the way around.
The tough ones are when the objective case comes into play.
It's you whom she likes to tease. The antecedent of "whom" is subjective, but the requirements of the clause take precedence. "Whom" is object of the infinitive "to tease."
00
Ah, I took your phrase literally, ie the 'does it' bit.
In the phrase 'it's you who likes to tease her', the speaker is using a form of stress in his speech. There is an implied idea that someone has suggested that the speaker likes to tease someone and he is being indignant and contradicting this suggestion.
A commonplace example of this type of thing comes from younger people
In the phrase 'it's you who likes to tease her', the speaker is using a form of stress in his speech. There is an implied idea that someone has suggested that the speaker likes to tease someone and he is being indignant and contradicting this suggestion.
A commonplace example of this type of thing comes from younger people
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