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Jonathan1 Posted 11 years ago
Grammar
Gerund as a start of an answer to a question or not?
Hello,
As part of my homework in the English subject, I had to read a text and answer the questions that the text is followed by.
One of the questions is:
"A student who wants to user Shakespeare's line should do TWO things. What are they?"
I started my two sentences (that contain the two things) with a gerund (for example, "Writing quotation marks"), though my teacher said that it is not correct, and that the answer has to be started with "He should use quotation marks".
I wanted to ask - which of the two possibilities is the correct one?
I feel that it should start with a gerund because the question asks specifically about the two things.
Thanks in advance, Jonathan
As part of my homework in the English subject, I had to read a text and answer the questions that the text is followed by.
One of the questions is:
"A student who wants to user Shakespeare's line should do TWO things. What are they?"
I started my two sentences (that contain the two things) with a gerund (for example, "Writing quotation marks"), though my teacher said that it is not correct, and that the answer has to be started with "He should use quotation marks".
I wanted to ask - which of the two possibilities is the correct one?
I feel that it should start with a gerund because the question asks specifically about the two things.
Thanks in advance, Jonathan
Top answer
It is common in English tests for the response to be a complete sentence. Especially so, when the question may not be immediately printed ahead of the given answer. " Then the continuous tense would be more acceptable.
- It is common in English tests for the response to be a complete sentence.
- Especially so, when the question may not be immediately printed ahead of the given answer.
- " Then the continuous tense would be more acceptable.
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10 Answers
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It is common in English tests for the response to be a complete sentence. Especially so, when the question may not be immediately printed ahead of the given answer.
If the question had read, "Two habits a student must get into the habit of doing are ?" Then the continuous tense would be more acceptable.
If the question had read, "Two habits a student must get into the habit of doing are ?" Then the continuous tense would be more acceptable.
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Thanks for your reply.
The point is that we are told not to answer full answers (which means rewriting the question and adding the answer), but to write only the relevant part.
For example, for the question "Who ate the chocolate", we are supposed to answer in our tests "Danny", and not "Danny ate the chocolate".
In addition, after the written question in my workbook (the one ment
The point is that we are told not to answer full answers (which means rewriting the question and adding the answer), but to write only the relevant part.
For example, for the question "Who ate the chocolate", we are supposed to answer in our tests "Danny", and not "Danny ate the chocolate".
In addition, after the written question in my workbook (the one ment
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Then, in that case, you should have stayed in case: "Write quotation marks."
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Thank you, but is there any explanation for this? And how can I spot the case in our tests and recognize wheter I should use gerund, your form or the form of my English teacher?
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“…line should do TWO things. What are they?”
First what are the two things I must do?
“Write quotation marks” and “Spell the words correctly.”
First what are the two things I must do?
“Write quotation marks” and “Spell the words correctly.”
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If I may:
The question, simplified, is asking "What should a student do?" The answer will clearly be a verb.
"Writing (quotation marks)" is a gerund noun, and so incorrect.
"Write (quotation marks)" is the proper verb form.
Does that help?
The question, simplified, is asking "What should a student do?" The answer will clearly be a verb.
"Writing (quotation marks)" is a gerund noun, and so incorrect.
"Write (quotation marks)" is the proper verb form.
Does that help?
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Jonathan1A student who wants to1. (He or she should) ...useruse Shakespeare's line should do TWO things. What are they? (~What are the two things he or she should do?)
2. (He or she should) ...
Even if you leave out "should", you still need the verb form that woul
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Thank you, I understand. And I saw that I mistakenly wrote 'user' instead of 'use', but I didn't find the option to edit my message.
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Jonathan1the option to edit my message.If you catch it in time, you can use the 'edit' function to change your post. It's made visible by clicking the icon just left of the reply button.
CJ
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