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Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
For + objective + to +verb.
I just read a sentence from a novel.
'That was a very nice question for my boy to ask.'
I tried to interpret it as I did other senences which have the same grammar structure but it didn't make sence. I can roughly understand but it's still vague to me.
These below are the examples that I can understand
'It is a widely accepted practice for people to consume their dinner in font of TV.'
'It is not agood idea for me to work here'
I guess this sentence, 'That was a very nice question for my boy to ask', has the same meaning as 'the question that you asked me was a very nice question'.
Here are my questions.
Do they have the same grammar structure??
does the sentence that I changed have the same meaning as the original one??
'That was a very nice question for my boy to ask.'
I tried to interpret it as I did other senences which have the same grammar structure but it didn't make sence. I can roughly understand but it's still vague to me.
These below are the examples that I can understand
'It is a widely accepted practice for people to consume their dinner in font of TV.'
'It is not agood idea for me to work here'
I guess this sentence, 'That was a very nice question for my boy to ask', has the same meaning as 'the question that you asked me was a very nice question'.
Here are my questions.
Do they have the same grammar structure??
does the sentence that I changed have the same meaning as the original one??
Top answer
for my boy to ask = complement of question'; non-finite clause subordinate to the whole sentence for my boy to ask = my boy asked (a very nice question) The subject in tenseless subordinate clauses is often realized by a prepositional phrase (for my boy; for him)
- for my boy to ask = complement of question'; non-finite clause subordinate to the whole sentence for my boy to ask = my boy asked (a very nice question) The subject in tenseless subordinate clauses is often realized by a prepositional phrase (for my boy; for him)
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2 Answers
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for my boy to ask = complement of question'; non-finite clause subordinate to the whole sentence
for my boy to ask = my boy asked (a very nice question)
The subject in tenseless subordinate clauses is often realized by a prepositional phrase (for my boy; for him)
for my boy to ask = my boy asked (a very nice question)
The subject in tenseless subordinate clauses is often realized by a prepositional phrase (for my boy; for him)
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AnonymousDo they have the same grammar structure??They are both for ... to ... clauses, so they are the same in structure.
However, they function differently. Those infinitives in sentences with dummy "it" are, in effect, subjects of the sentence, and therefore like nouns.
It is not a good idea for me to work here. =~
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