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Abil Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

Making and breaking promises

1. The one thing the government is good at is making and breaking promises.

2. The one thing the government is good at is to make and break promises.

Are both sentences correct?
  

Top answer

Abil Are both sentences correct? Yes. I prefer the first.

— AlpheccaStars

  • Abil Are both sentences correct?
  • Yes.
  • I prefer the first.
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15 Answers
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AbilAre both sentences correct?
Yes. I prefer the first.
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AbilAre both sentences correct?
Yes, but the second one is so unidiomatic that it almost seems incorrect.

CJ
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CalifJimthe second one is so unidiomatic that it almost seems incorrect.
I'd drop the 'almost'. Compare the originals with the sentences below, in which I've dropped 'The one thing ... is'.

1. The government is good at making and breaking promises.

2. The government is good at to make and break promises.

#2 is incorre
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fivejedjonI'd drop the 'almost'.
Yikes! I'm going to drop the "seems" as well.

Good demonstration of the point. I am persuaded.

CJ
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Would you say this is incorrect also?

To make and break promises is the one thing the government is good at.
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Can Brits plead the fifth amendment?
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fivejedjonCan Brits plead the fifth amendment?
For the sin of omission?
I didn't know it was in your constitution!
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AlpheccaStarsI didn't know it was in your constitution!
I plead ignorance. I didn't know they had a constitution.
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You try saying "British Constitution" after a few pints. Emotion: smile
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AlpheccaStarsWould you say this is incorrect also? To make and break promises is the one thing the government is good at.
Or, analogously, anything with that pattern that ends in a preposition:

To talk in class is the one thing the teacher [objects to / won't put up with].
To find the replacement part in time is the one thing you can't [
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