HELP, I'm at a loss!!!!

Question

Hello all,

Can anyone out there answer the following question? I can't find any reference to this in Swan's or Parrot's grammar books and I really need an answer desperately.

The word 'he' could be inserted before 'cleaned it' as follows: He took it in and he cleaned it.

The same applies to the words 'cleaning it', they could be inserted after 'finished' as follows: Then, when he finished 'cleaning it' he decided to start it.

These insertions were not included in the original text, can anyone help explain why?

Thank you for your help,
Diana Mae St-Peter

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

AnonymousThe word 'he' could be inserted before 'cleaned it' as follows: He took it in and he cleaned it.

The repetition of the subject is not necessary.

Example:
She bought the expensive gown, wore it once to the party, took it back to the store and asked for a refund.

The subject is the same for all the verbs. It is a compound predicate in one sentence. If you insert the subject, then it becomes a series of independent clauses (a compound sentence).

A compound predicate tells two (or more) things about the same subject (without repeating the subject).
A compound sentence has more than one independent clause.

AnonymousThe same applies to the words 'cleaning it', they could be inserted after 'finished' as follows: Then, when he finished 'cleaning it' he decided to start it.

The verb "finish" can be used either with an object or without.
He finished early today. (without an object)
He finished his work on time. (with an object)

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousThese insertions were not included in the original text, can anyone help explain why?

If I understand your question correctly, I'd say the author of the original text thought his readers would be smart enough to understand his meaning without the extra words. Why write more words when fewer will do just as well?

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you ever so much for your response, I needed a better answer for a student of mine other than "the other thinks you're smart enough to know that!". I am a beginner tutor and still have much to learn myself.

Muched obliged,
Diana

AlpheccaStars · Answer

Diana;

Have you tutored the vocabulary of sentence structures: simple, compound and complex? That seems to apply to your first sentence, and what you should look for in your reference books.

Dokterjokkebrok · Answer

Anonymousany reference to this in Swan's

There is an entry on this subject in Swan. It is listed under ellipsis.

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousI am a beginner tutor

Ah, well. That's different.

The amount of explanation varies with the level of student. If you have a beginning student you might just point out very informally that once a subject has been stated, you can leave it out in all the following "and" and "but" clauses if it's the same subject anyway. With more advanced students you can get into "independent clauses" and that sort of grammar talk if your student wants it or needs it.

The example with "finished" has a different explanation. There you'll probably have to explain that what was finished might have been mentioned earlier, that sentences are not to be considered isolated but part of an entire text, that you have to pay attention to the information in each sentence because that information may be useful in understanding the next sentence(s). Here I think it really is a matter of common sense and is not entirely a matter of grammar.

Good luck.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

Hi there,

No, we have not yet been taught to teach these sentence structures and therefore I don't want to give innacurate information to any students. I am a mother tongue English speaker however my entire education was in French. Though I speak the English language fluently, I was never taught proper English grammar or rules, I simply speak it without thinking or analysing it. Ask me what you will in French and I could answer you, however I can't do that in English, not yet, though it will come. Until then however a response such as: "Because it's just like that in English" isn't an option for me nor for my students.

As our teachers are tutors themselves, we have very little access to them, and not knowing what to look up in a 600 page book is rather daunting. I figured I'd try my luck here and had lovely responses.

I thank you all for your input.
Diana

AlpheccaStars · Answer

Here is a very nice explanation of simple, compound and complex sentences.

http://www.eslbee.com/sentences.htm

A sentence can be further divided into 2 parts, subject and predicate.
Each of these parts can be simple or compound.

Simple subject:

Mary ( had a little lamb.)

Compound subject:

Jack and Jill (went up the hill.)

Anonymous · Answer

Alphecca, you have been very helpfull, do you think you could help me on another subject (namely analysing PP simple and PP continuous)? This one is part of my own studies.

I am an auditory learner (tell me once and it's registered) (or learn through reading if I know where to go and research it), and I know it! We are given very little instruction in class and am having trouble focusing as I seem to be bouncing back and forth from topic to topic and confusing myself even further!

Diana

AlpheccaStars · Answer

Hi Diana;

Why don't you register on the Forums? It will be easier for you to keep track of questions and answers.

It is all free, no gimmicks, no pop-ups, no ads. We are volunteers...

HELP, I'm at a loss!!!!

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions