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Jasnkid Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
It is ~ that
Hi teachers,
It was Tom that broke the window yesterday.
It was in the zoo that Tom saw a lion yesterday.
Referring to cleft sentence, I would like to know if that is a conjunction or a relative pronoun.
Many thanks in advance.
It was Tom that broke the window yesterday.
It was in the zoo that Tom saw a lion yesterday.
Referring to cleft sentence, I would like to know if that is a conjunction or a relative pronoun.
Many thanks in advance.
Top answer
In #1 it is a relative pronoun. In #2 it is a conjunction.
- In #1 it is a relative pronoun.
- In #2 it is a conjunction.
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5 Answers
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Dear Mister Micawber,
Which one is correct? In my opinion, all of them are possible but I’m not sure.
1. It was Tom that Jane told the rumor yesterday.
2. It was Tom to whom Jane told the rumor yesterday.
3. It was Tome (whom) Jane told the rumor yesterday to.
Many thanks in advance.
Which one is correct? In my opinion, all of them are possible but I’m not sure.
1. It was Tom that Jane told the rumor yesterday.
2. It was Tom to whom Jane told the rumor yesterday.
3. It was Tome (whom) Jane told the rumor yesterday to.
Many thanks in advance.
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These are OK:
1. It was to Tom that Jane told the rumor yesterday.
2. It was Tom to whom Jane told the rumor yesterday.
3. It was Tom who Jane told the rumor yesterday to.-- '...told the rumor to yesterday' is more accepted word order.
'...whom...to' (as you had in #3) is considered mixed register and poor style.
1. It was to Tom that Jane told the rumor yesterday.
2. It was Tom to whom Jane told the rumor yesterday.
3. It was Tom who Jane told the rumor yesterday to.-- '...told the rumor to yesterday' is more accepted word order.
'...whom...to' (as you had in #3) is considered mixed register and poor style.
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A little bit confusing. The original "It was Tom that Jane told the rumor yesterday." sentence is wrong?
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jasnkid. The original "It was Tom that Jane told the rumor yesterday." sentence is wrong?Yes. You need the preposition when the verb and object are so far separated. Compare:
Jane told Tom the rumour.
Jane told the rumour to Tom.
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