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Anonymous Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

Pseudo-cleft sentence with "try"

Is the sentence grammatically correct?

What he tried was to keep in silence.

It looks correct to me, but I'm not 100% sure...
  

Top answer

It is correct but I doubt it natural. Could you give us more?

— Dave Phillips

  • It is correct but I doubt it natural.
  • Could you give us more?
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4 Answers
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It is correct but I doubt it natural. Could you give us more?
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Thank you, Dave. If you're asking for the context, sorry, there is none. It was a test sentence at a syntax class. Some students are saying it is not grammatical because 'try' can not be used in a pseudo-cleft sentence. I couldn't prove them wrong and at the same time can't prove I'm right. And about its naturalness, i think 'what he tried to do was remain silent.' would sound better.
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I think what he tried to do was kept in silence, still a strange sentence but at least it makes sense.
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What he tried was to keep silent.

or

What he tried to do was to keep silent.

Both of them are used, but whether the prescriptive grammarians advise against the first I don't know.

CJ
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