Is this an English, American difference?

Question

Is this an English, American difference? Would you say
a) follow on from the previous
b) follow on the previous
c) following the previous
d) following from the previous

The show has developed a continuous storyline with the episodes following [on] [from] the previous.

Thank you!!!

GPY · Accepted Answer

(a) and (b) are ungrammatical in that sentence without other changes. I don't find any of the suggestions very appealing though. The sentence seems to trail off in an anticlimactic way. I would suggest "The show has developed a continuous storyline, with each episode following on from the previous one".

By the way, your "English" vs. "American" distinction is a bit confusing since the language, wherever it is spoken, is called "English". You may be referring to a "British English" vs. "American English" distinction. I am not aware of any such distinctions relevant to your question.

Anonymous · Answer

Hi,

So your choice is
A) following on from

The show has developed a continuous storyline, with each episode following on from the previous one".

not
b) follow on the previous
c) following the previous
d) following from the previous

Would B,C,D be British or they don't work at all?

The only change you made was 'the' to 'each' above right?

Is this correct would you say?

The show didn't have an overall storyline until the third season. During the first two seasons, each episode was complete in itself/its own entity. As of season three, the show developed a continuous storyline with each episode following on from the previous.

I would like to write this for a review of a tv show, I've written 2 slightly different sentences. Could you tell me what you would change and how you would say it so I know it is correct English?

I don't like tv shows that have no continuity, where each episode is its own entity, at the end of the episode the storyline ends and it doesn't carry on to the next episode.

I don't like tv shows that have no continuity, where each episode doesn't follow on from the last, at the end of the episode the storyline ends and it doesn't carry on to the next episode.

Here are my concerns about the sentences above:

Is continuity correct?
Can an episode have its own entity?
Can a storyline end at the end of an episode and not carry own to the next?

Thanks

GPY · Answer

AnonymousSo your choice isA) following on from

Yes, but with the other changes too.

Anonymousnot b) follow on the previousc) following the previousd) following from the previous Would B,C,D be British or they don't work at all?

"... with each episode follow on the previous one" is ungrammatical
"... with each episode following the previous one" doesn't have such a good sense of the storyline following on
"... with each episode following from the previous one" is acceptable but I prefer to insert "on"

AnonymousThe show didn't have an overall storyline until the third season. During the first two seasons, each episode was complete in itself/its own entity. As of season three, the show developed a continuous storyline with each episode following on from the previous.

"The show didn't have an overall storyline until the third season. During the first two seasons, each episode was complete in itself. As of season three, the show developed a continuous storyline, with each episode following on from the previous one."

"one" is not essential, but I prefer to add it.

AnonymousIs continuity correct?

Yes.

AnonymousCan an episode have its own entity?

No, nothing can "have its own entity". It isn't a correct expression.

AnonymousCan a storyline end at the end of an episode and not carry own to the next?

Yes (you meant "carry on").

The sentence as a whole doesn't quite flow properly, being a comma splice or run-on sentence, and it also seems a bit long-winded and repetitive. Perhaps you can say:

"I don't like TV shows that have no overall continuity, where the storyline ends at the end of the episode rather than carrying on to the next episode."

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you that was great help.

Can I ask you what you think of the verb 'reconcile' because I'm not sure if it britain they use 'be reconciled' or 'reconcile'

Because of him, my daughter and I have reconciled.
Because of him I reconciled with my daughter.
Because of him I was reconciled with my daughter.
Because of him I became reconciled with my daughter.

Some dictionaries say that it is 'be reconciled' and some say it is 'reconcile'. Can you tell me what you think sir?

Thank you

GPY · Answer

All those sentences are possible and mean about the same (other than the tense differences).

Is this an English, American difference?

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