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Anonymous Posted 13 years ago
Vocabulary
Needed
Hi.
"They called for a "national conversation" about how to reform the NHS and called for politicians to be honest with the public about what needed to be done." [From The i.]
Is "needed" a back-shift from "what needs to be done" or is it a past participle used adjectivally in the sentence?
Thank you.
"They called for a "national conversation" about how to reform the NHS and called for politicians to be honest with the public about what needed to be done." [From The i.]
Is "needed" a back-shift from "what needs to be done" or is it a past participle used adjectivally in the sentence?
Thank you.
Top answer
" what needs to be done " This is a noun clause, the object of the preposition "about". The entire sentence is set in the past, (they called ) so the past tense is natural in the dependent noun clause.
- " what needs to be done " This is a noun clause, the object of the preposition "about".
- The entire sentence is set in the past, (they called ) so the past tense is natural in the dependent noun clause.
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2 Answers
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"what needs to be done" This is a noun clause, the object of the preposition "about".
The entire sentence is set in the past, (they called) so the past tense is natural in the dependent noun clause.
The entire sentence is set in the past, (they called) so the past tense is natural in the dependent noun clause.
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