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Moon7296 Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

Grammaticality(or just if these sound OK) 2010 Yimyong gosi

1. To hear the news is a surprise.

2. It is a surprise to hear the news.

3. The news is a surprise to hear.

4. To hear the news is surprising.

5. It is surprising to hear the news.

6. The news is surprising to hear.

In Korean English teacher competitive exam, examples #1, #2 and #3 appeared; the question point is to match the same type of a noun that can have the same form as #1, #2 and #3.

Do you think #3 is grammatical(or accepatable or it sounds alright?)

The official answer from the exam maker regards #3 as grammatical while one of my lecturers doubts about it.

He thinks as #6 is ungrammtical, #3 must not be grammatical either.

What do you think?
  

Top answer

All six are natural utterances. #1 and #4 are least used, as native speakers do not usually like infinitives as subjects. #2 and #5 (introductory 'it') are undoubtedly the most common.

  • All six are natural utterances.
  • #1 and #4 are least used, as native speakers do not usually like infinitives as subjects.
  • #2 and #5 (introductory 'it') are undoubtedly the most common.
  • #3 and #6 are also quite natural.
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1 Answers
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All six are natural utterances. #1 and #4 are least used, as native speakers do not usually like infinitives as subjects. #2 and #5 (introductory 'it') are undoubtedly the most common. #3 and #6 are also quite natural.

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