0
Asmethur Posted 22 years ago
Grammar
Q: Who helped the old people last year? A:It was Mike
On a recent test that I was correcting I came across this answer, and for some reason it seemed wrong. Am I stupid? Or can someone explain why this seems strange to me?
---------------------------
Instructions: Read the paragraph above (not included) and answer using a full sentence.
Q: Who helped the old people last year?
A: It was Mike.
---------------------------
The correct answer given by the answer sheet was, "Mike did" or "Mike helped them."
Is this a subordinate clause? Shouldn't it read, "It was Mike who helped them." to be complete?
I tried reversing the answer to see if it made sense the other way, but it doesn't. i.e.
Q: Who was Mike?
A: It helped the old people last year.
When I originally read the answer I felt it was incorrect, but I had a hard time explaining why I thought so.
Can anyone help?
---------------------------
Instructions: Read the paragraph above (not included) and answer using a full sentence.
Q: Who helped the old people last year?
A: It was Mike.
---------------------------
The correct answer given by the answer sheet was, "Mike did" or "Mike helped them."
Is this a subordinate clause? Shouldn't it read, "It was Mike who helped them." to be complete?
I tried reversing the answer to see if it made sense the other way, but it doesn't. i.e.
Q: Who was Mike?
A: It helped the old people last year.
When I originally read the answer I felt it was incorrect, but I had a hard time explaining why I thought so.
Can anyone help?
Top answer
Hi asmethur, Your answer is not entirely wrong, but the structure you made use of is for the purpose of emphasis in general. ", and it applies to a specific situation where you want to emphasize the one who specifically did it. If the question had been, "I hear John helped the old people.
- Hi asmethur, Your answer is not entirely wrong, but the structure you made use of is for the purpose of emphasis in general.
- ", and it applies to a specific situation where you want to emphasize the one who specifically did it.
- If the question had been, "I hear John helped the old people.
- " would have perfectly satisfied the question.
- " would suffice.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
2 Answers
0
Hi asmethur,
Your answer is not entirely wrong, but the structure you made use of is for the purpose of emphasis in general. As you correctly indicated, the full sentence comes "it was Mike who helped them.", and it applies to a specific situation where you want to emphasize the one who specifically did it.
If the question had been, "I hear John helped the old people. Who real
Your answer is not entirely wrong, but the structure you made use of is for the purpose of emphasis in general. As you correctly indicated, the full sentence comes "it was Mike who helped them.", and it applies to a specific situation where you want to emphasize the one who specifically did it.
If the question had been, "I hear John helped the old people. Who real
00
This is called "ellipsis" where a speaker does not repeat information that is clearly already covered by an utterance which is in close proximity - in this case, the question! Your confusion might also stem from the way we can use "it" to mean a range of things.
Such matters as ellipsis and pronoun use are part of "cohesion" - the way stretches of speech/text stick together. The answe
Such matters as ellipsis and pronoun use are part of "cohesion" - the way stretches of speech/text stick together. The answe
0
Related Questions