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Pastsimple Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
"be" in questions in the future or present perfect simple / conditional
Hi,
I've heard people say:
"What would/will be the result if.... ?" and "What would/will the result be if...?"
Which sentence do you think is the more natural one? I like the former better.
Other examples:
What will be the next holiday in the US? / What will the next holiday in the US be?
What have been the effects of September 11? / What have the effects of September 11 been?
I do use the former sentences from each pair, however, aren't they - strictly speaking - grammaticaly incorrect?
E.g. you can't say "Where will be you?".
Also, I guess the reason why I find the first sentences much "better" is that will (or have) and be (or been) are too far apart in the second sentences.
Thank you in advance.
I've heard people say:
"What would/will be the result if.... ?" and "What would/will the result be if...?"
Which sentence do you think is the more natural one? I like the former better.
Other examples:
What will be the next holiday in the US? / What will the next holiday in the US be?
What have been the effects of September 11? / What have the effects of September 11 been?
I do use the former sentences from each pair, however, aren't they - strictly speaking - grammaticaly incorrect?
E.g. you can't say "Where will be you?".Also, I guess the reason why I find the first sentences much "better" is that will (or have) and be (or been) are too far apart in the second sentences.
Thank you in advance.
Top answer
Both are correct and used. Try some searches at the New York Times with: "what would be the result if" (use quotation marks) whenever you have such questions. They have good editors.
- Both are correct and used.
- Try some searches at the New York Times with: "what would be the result if" (use quotation marks) whenever you have such questions.
- They have good editors.
- query=%22what+would+be+the+result+if%22+&srchst=nyt
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4 Answers
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Both are correct and used.
Try some searches at the New York Times with:
"what would be the result if"
(use quotation marks)
whenever you have such questions.
They have good editors.
See:
3 Results:
Try some searches at the New York Times with:
"what would be the result if"
(use quotation marks)
whenever you have such questions.
They have good editors.
See:
3 Results:
00
Equative sentences have the term to be identified first, a form of BE, and then the term which identifies the first term.
The result is XYZ identifies the result in terms of XYZ; it specifies the result as XYZ.
XYZ is the result identifies XYZ as the result (as opposed to a cause, for example).
Compare:
The president of the club is Mrs. Smith
The result is XYZ identifies the result in terms of XYZ; it specifies the result as XYZ.
XYZ is the result identifies XYZ as the result (as opposed to a cause, for example).
Compare:
The president of the club is Mrs. Smith
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CJ, thanks for the informative answer!
Who will the president of the club be? (Ans: The president of the club will be ...)
Who will be the president of the club? (Ans: ... will be the president of the club.)
In short, it somewhat depends on what order of terms you imagine in the expected ans
Who will the president of the club be? (Ans: The president of the club will be ...)
Who will be the president of the club? (Ans: ... will be the president of the club.)
In short, it somewhat depends on what order of terms you imagine in the expected ans
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Can I answer either of those two with just "Mrs. Smith?"Of course! But then no one will ever know whether you meant "Mrs. Smith will be ..." or "... will be Mrs. Smith"!
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