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Teo Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
participle clause
The person writing reports is my colleague.
The above sentence may be interpreted, according to the context, as equivalent to one of the more explicit versions in the following.
1. The person who will write reports is my colleague.
2. The person who will be writing reports is my colleague.
3. The person who writes reports is my colleague.
4. The person who is writing reports is my colleague.
5. The person who wrote reports is my colleague.
6. The person who was writing reports is my colleague.
A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language, Quirk, et al.
However, according to Michael Swan, we should use a relative clause to expressive a non-progressive meaning.
7. The man who threw the bomb was arrested.
NOT 8. *The man throwing the bomb was arrested.
If Quirk is right, sentence #8 should be acceptable, shouldn't it?
If Swan is right, the blue sentence cannot normally be interpreted as 1, 3, or 5.
Who do you think is right, Quirk or Swan?
The above sentence may be interpreted, according to the context, as equivalent to one of the more explicit versions in the following.
1. The person who will write reports is my colleague.
2. The person who will be writing reports is my colleague.
3. The person who writes reports is my colleague.
4. The person who is writing reports is my colleague.
5. The person who wrote reports is my colleague.
6. The person who was writing reports is my colleague.
A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language, Quirk, et al.
However, according to Michael Swan, we should use a relative clause to expressive a non-progressive meaning.
7. The man who threw the bomb was arrested.
NOT 8. *The man throwing the bomb was arrested.
If Quirk is right, sentence #8 should be acceptable, shouldn't it?
If Swan is right, the blue sentence cannot normally be interpreted as 1, 3, or 5.
Who do you think is right, Quirk or Swan?
Top answer
The person writing reports is my colleague. The above sentence may be interpreted, according to the context, as equivalent to one of the more explicit versions in the following. 1.
- The person writing reports is my colleague.
- The above sentence may be interpreted, according to the context, as equivalent to one of the more explicit versions in the following.
- 1.
- The person who will write [ the ] reports [ will be] is my colleague.
- 2.
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7 Answers
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The person writing reports is my colleague.
The above sentence may be interpreted, according to the context, as equivalent to one of the more explicit versions in the following.
1. The person who will write [the] reports [will be] is
The above sentence may be interpreted, according to the context, as equivalent to one of the more explicit versions in the following.
1. The person who will write [the] reports [will be] is
00
7. The man who threw the bomb was arrested.
8. The man throwing the bomb was arrested.
7=8 is possible,
but then
8 does not express progressive meaning, only the form is progressive.
7=8 does not contradict what Quirk says.
However, we should use a relative clause to express(ive) a non-progressive meaning is not true, IMO.
The man (who is) go
8. The man throwing the bomb was arrested.
7=8 is possible,
but then
8 does not express progressive meaning, only the form is progressive.
7=8 does not contradict what Quirk says.
However, we should use a relative clause to express(ive) a non-progressive meaning is not true, IMO.
The man (who is) go
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The present continuous refers to what is happening now or around now.
The person writing reports is my colleague.
The person that is writing reports is my colleague.
The person who is writing reports is my colleague.
The past coninuous refers to what was happening at some point in the past.
The man who was throwing the bomb was arrested.
The man t
The person writing reports is my colleague.
The person that is writing reports is my colleague.
The person who is writing reports is my colleague.
The past coninuous refers to what was happening at some point in the past.
The man who was throwing the bomb was arrested.
The man t
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1. The person who writes reports is my colleague.
2. The person writing reports is my colleague.
3. The man who threw the bomb was arrested.
4. The man throwing the bomb was arrested.
Can we reduce sentences #1 and #3 to #2 and #4?
2. The person writing reports is my colleague.
3. The man who threw the bomb was arrested.
4. The man throwing the bomb was arrested.
Can we reduce sentences #1 and #3 to #2 and #4?
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Teo1. The person who writes reports is my colleague.Yes as Quirk says.
2. The person writing reports is my colleague.
3. The man who threw the bomb was arrested.
4. The man throwing the bomb was arrested.
Can we reduce sentences #1 and #3 to #2 and #4?
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TeoHowever, according to Michael Swan, we should use a relative clause to expressive a non-progressive meaning.express
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