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Tenacious Learner Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Is it the subject, isn't it?

Hi teachers,
In the following sentence the subject is 'the first step', isn't it?
Is the first step to feel positive about learning English?
'About learning English' is the prepositional phrase. Right?
Prepositional phrases can't be included in the subject of the sentence unless they are at the beginning of the sentence, can they?
Eg. In the morning is when I work faster.

Thanks in advance.
  

Top answer

-- It is. Is the first step to feel positive about learning English? 'About learning English' is the prepositional phrase.

  • -- It is.
  • Is the first step to feel positive about learning English?
  • 'About learning English' is the prepositional phrase.
  • -- Right.
  • Prepositional phrases can't be included in the subject of the sentence unless they are at the beginning of the sentence, can they?
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11 Answers
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In the following sentence the subject is 'the first step', isn't it?-- It is.
Is the first step to feel positive about learning English?
'About learning English' is the prepositional phrase. Right?-- Right.
Prepositional phrases can't be included in the subject of the sentence unless they are at the beginning of the sentence, can they? Eg. In the morning is when I
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Hi Mister Micawber,
Thank you for your help and example.

TS
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Hi Mister Micawber,
According to this sentence, 'The first step is to feel positive about learning English'.
Could this be an appropriate question, 'Which is the first step about learning English?'

Thanks in advance.
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Nope.

What's the first step in learning / to learn English?
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Hi Mister Micawber,
Thank you very much for your correction.
What's the first step in learning / to learn English?
Though it sounds very natural what you wrote, could you tell me why it can't be with the preposition 'about' like in, 'What's the first step about learning English?'

TS
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We don't take steps about, that is all. We take steps to do, steps in doing. We take measures for doing, we take lessons in doing, we take time to do, we take exception to doing, we take notes about doing, we take pleasure in doing, etc, etc.
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Mister MicawberWe don't take steps about, that is all. We take steps to do, steps in doing.
Hi Mister Micawber,
Thank you so much for your reply.
Knowing that you have an excellent grasp in the English language, I should tell my students that that sentence, which has been taken from a book, is wrong. The sentence is, 'The first step is to feel positiv
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No, it is not wrong; it is just your question that was wrong. The original statement is 'step to feel...'
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Mister MicawberNo, it is not wrong; it is just your question that was wrong. The original statement is 'step to feel...'
Hi Mister Micaber,
Ophs! What was wrong was my question, 'Which is the first step about learning English?' It should be 'What's the first step in learning / to learn English?', even though the question is taken from this sentence, ''The f
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Not silly, but I don't think you're paying close attention to the structures:

Q: What's the first step in learning / to learn English?
A: The first step is to feel positive about learning English.

'About' has nothing to do with the question. Other answers could be:

A2: The first step is to feel positive when learning English.
A

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