Optional part

Question

Are "the arrival of" and "wining/receiving" optional is the below sentences, as I have seen them without them?

Congratulations on (the arrival of) your new baby!
Congratulations on (winning/receiving) your pro card!

I think that they are optional and what is implied is known/understood. Am I right, do you agree?

Thanks.

Clive · Accepted Answer

They are quite often omitted, but it seems to me to be better English if you include them.

Anonymous · Answer

CliveThey are quite often omitted, but it seems to me to be better English if you include them.

I see. Thanks a lot teacher.

But there are certain sentences where no further words are needed. Do you think the below need further words, and are there those words that are omitted such as the above examples?

Congratulations on your new born baby.
Congratulations on your graduation.

Is there any words omitted in these such as the previous ones? It seems like they are different than the previous ones and there is no word omission. Am I right?

Clive · Answer

Maybe one simply has to go by how each individual example sounds.

Congratulations on your new born baby. I hesitate about this one. I'd be happier if itt mentioned the word 'birth'.
Congratulations on your graduation. Sounds fine to me.

It seems better if you specify an event, an action

eg Congratulations on [ winning ] the Nobel Prize.

Clive

Anonymous · Answer

CliveMaybe one simply has to go by how each individual example sounds.

Yes, I guess so.

CliveCongratulations on your new born baby. I hesitate about this one. I'd be happier if itt mentioned the word 'birth'.

Do you mean “Congratulations on the birth of your new baby” by mentioning ‘birth’ maybe?

CliveIt seems better if you specify an event, an actioneg Congratulations on [ winning ] the Nobel Prize.

What seems better exactly, and compared to what?

[winning] in this examples seems to the the action, right? I can see here it is better to mention winning because it states its relevancy to the ‘Nobel Prize. But, in the “graduation” example there is no need to mention any word prior to clarify its relevancy to “graduation” as it is clear that the action was that that person graduated. Do you see what I mean and do you agree (of course it ultimately depends on the every example as you said)?

Clive · Answer

Congratulations on your new born baby. I hesitate about this one. I'd be happier if itt mentioned the word 'birth'.
Do you mean “Congratulations on the birth of your new baby”by mentioning ‘birth’ maybe? Yes

CliveIt seems better if you specify an event, an actioneg Congratulations on [ winning ] the Nobel Prize.

What seems better exactly, and compared to what? Specifying an action or event seems better than not specifying one.

[winning] in this examples seems to the the action, right? Yes I can see here it is better to mention winning because it states its relevancy to the ‘Nobel Prize. But, in the “graduation” example there is no need to mention any word prior to clarify its relevancy to “graduation” as it is clear that the action was that that person graduated. Do you see what I mean and do you agree Yes
(of course it ultimately depends on the every example as you said)?

Anonymous · Answer

Cliveg ‘birth’ maybe? YesCliveIt seems better if you specify an event, an actioneg Congratulations on [ winning ] the Nobel Prize.What seems better exactly, and compared to what? Specifying an action or event seems better than not specifying one.[winning] in this examples seems to the the action, right? Yes I can see here it is better to mention winning because it states its relevancy to the ‘Nobel Prize. But, in the “graduation” example there is no need to mention any word prior to clarify its relevancy to “graduation” as it is clear that the action was that that person graduated. Do you see what I mean and do you agree Yes(of course it ultimately depends on the every example as you said)?

Great. I am glad you agreed with what I said and that I understand now. Thanks for all of your help and for telling me that it depends on the example itself and showing me which examples require further expansion/context and which are fine as they are. Thanks a lot again teacher!

Optional part

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions