in -ing

Question

My word to all men is that you have got to overcome the fear of being seen as weak; you must reach out for help. Because men are paralyzed by their need to be “masculine,” they are now at greatest risk for many health problems. Their life expectancy is seven years shorter than that of women, and studies show that this is not due to differences in biology, but to “gender conditioning.” In striving to be “real men,” they live higher-risk lives than women.

Q) I was wondering how else the "In striving to be 'real man" in the last part is rephrased. As or while sounds okay like below?

1. As/While they strive to be....

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

moon7296In striving to be “real men,”

similar to

because they strive to be "real men,"

CJ

Moon7296 · Answer

CalifJimmoon7296In striving to be “real men,”similar to

You mean it "Similar to be 'real men' ...." sounds ok for "In straving to be 'real men' ....?"

Park sang joon · Answer

Mr.Jim meant the phrase "In striving to be real men" is simliat to the clause "because they strive to be real men."

I'd like to ask Mr.Jim two.
1) Does the structure "in + O + -ing" normally mean "When S+V"?

Their life expectancy is seven years shorter than that of women.

I have known the structure of words after 'than' is the same as the structure of the former clause.
Should the above sentence have been written like the followings?
: Their life expectancy is seven years shorter than women's that.
Or
The life expectancy of them is seven years shorter than that of women.

CalifJim · Answer

park sang joonMr.Jim meant the phrase "In striving to be real men" is simliat to the clause "because they strive to be real men."

Correct. That's what I meant.

CJ

CalifJim · Answer

park sang joonDoes the structure "in + O + -ing" normally mean "When S+V"?

Not necessarily, but often that, or something similar (when, while, as, by, because).
_____________

Their life expectancy is seven years shorter than that of women. Correct.

park sang joonthe structure of words after 'than' is the same as the structure of the former clause.

Yes, but it doesn't have to have exactly the same structure. A possessive with a noun (my car, their house) and a 'that of' construction are considered to have the same structure for purposes of comparison. The 'that of' construction is more formal than the use of another possessive after 'than', and it can only be used in the singular.

park sang joonShould the above sentence have been written like the followings? : Their life expectancy is seven years shorter than women's. ~~that~~. Or The life expectancy of ~~them~~ men is seven years shorter than that of women.

There is no need to be so exactly the same. Also note that it's always 'that of', never a possessive with 'that'. (women's that is wrong.) And note that 'of them' can't substitute for 'their', 'of me' can't substitute for 'my', and so on. (my book, not book of me.)

CJ

Park sang joon · Answer

Thank you, Mr.Jim, for your reply and concrete accounts.

Also note that it's always 'that of', never a possessive with 'that'. (women's that is wrong.)

Even though I know 'that' can has only a post-modifier, I have made another mistake.

And note that 'of them' can't substitute for 'their', 'of me' can't substitute for 'my', and so on. (my book, not book of me.)

Does it have to do with personal pronouns not having modifiers?

CalifJim · Answer

park sang joonI know 'that' can ~~has~~ have only a post-modifier

Modals (e.g., 'can') are followed only by the plain dictionary form of the verb.
_________

And note that 'of them' can't substitute for 'their', 'of me' can't substitute for 'my', and so on. (my book, not book of me.)

park sang joonDoes it have to do with personal pronouns not having modifiers?

To be honest, I don't know what it has to do with exactly. It could be something like that. It's just the way we do it in English.

CJ

Park sang joon · Answer

Thank you, Mr.Jim, for your proofreading of my question and concrete answer.

Modals (e.g., 'can') are followed only by the plain dictionary form of the verb.

I'm such a fool; I continuously repeat the same mistakes.

Once more, thank you, Mr.Jim, for your sincere concern

in -ing

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