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Paco2004 Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
Rather than he do it
Hello Teachers
'A Communicative Grammar of English' gives a sentence below as an example of 'a bare infinitive clause with a subject'.
Rather than Joan do it, I'd prefer to do the job myself.
This construct is new to me. Does the sentence above sound more natural to you than the sentence below?
Rather than Joan does it, I'd prefer to do the job myself.
Could you give me more information about 'a bare infinitive clause with a subject'? For example, could you give me any other types of sentences where 'a bare infinitive clause with a subject' is used?
paco
'A Communicative Grammar of English' gives a sentence below as an example of 'a bare infinitive clause with a subject'.
Rather than Joan do it, I'd prefer to do the job myself.
This construct is new to me. Does the sentence above sound more natural to you than the sentence below?
Rather than Joan does it, I'd prefer to do the job myself.
Could you give me more information about 'a bare infinitive clause with a subject'? For example, could you give me any other types of sentences where 'a bare infinitive clause with a subject' is used?
paco
Top answer
Short answer: "Rather than Joan do it" sounds much more natural than "Rather than Joan does it". In fact, I don't see myself ever using "does" there at all! I need to think for a while to give you a longer answer to the last part of your question.
- Short answer: "Rather than Joan do it" sounds much more natural than "Rather than Joan does it".
- In fact, I don't see myself ever using "does" there at all!
- I need to think for a while to give you a longer answer to the last part of your question.
- CJ
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25 Answers
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Short answer: "Rather than Joan do it" sounds much more natural than "Rather than Joan does it". In fact, I don't see myself ever using "does" there at all!
I need to think for a while to give you a longer answer to the last part of your question.
CJ
I need to think for a while to give you a longer answer to the last part of your question.
CJ
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Wow, I've learned one more thing about English. Thank you, Paco and CJ. What is missing, though, is an explanation about why the bare infinitive verb is used there. It's rather unusual, isn't it? Can anybody offer your expertise on this?
Paco, regarding your last question, let me try.
1. It is [essential/necessary/imperative/important/vital/desirable/best/...] that S V ...
Paco, regarding your last question, let me try.
1. It is [essential/necessary/imperative/important/vital/desirable/best/...] that S V ...
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I can imagine saying "rather than have Joan do it, I'd prefer to do it myself"; but the "bare infinitive" version sounds quite strange to me.
Is it AmE? How does it parse?
MrP
Is it AmE? How does it parse?
MrP
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It is a correct form but you won't find many native English speakers using it, even in writing. We'd phrase it some other way.
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Rather than Joan do it, I'd prefer to do it myselfIt sounds strange to me. For instance, what pronoun would we use instead of "Joan"?
1. ?Rather than she do it, I'd prefer to do it myself.
2. ?Rather than her do it, I'd prefer to do it myself.
How do we parse these?
MrP
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"Rather than Joan do it..." sounds very strange to me too. I wouldn't claim it as an American variation! I would say "rather than have Joan do it..." (or "rather than have her do it...").
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Instead of "Joan", use "she" (or rephrase!). Still, "her" works, too. The "rather than" construction usually doesn't have an expressed subject, though, does it? That way, 99% of the time, we are not burdened with making that choice. This seems an informal way of talking.
Rather than wait for help, I think I'll do it myself.
Rather than sit around like a useless dummy, he
Rather than wait for help, I think I'll do it myself.
Rather than sit around like a useless dummy, he
00
I can imagine saying "rather than have Joan do it, I'd prefer to do it myself"; but the "bare infinitive" version sounds quite strange to me.
And what, pray tell, is "have", but a bare infinitive?
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Hello Everyone
Thank you for the comments. The phrase <rather than someone do it> is new also to me. I found this in the grammar textbook 'A Comunicative Grammar of English' published from Longman and authored by Geoffrey Leech and Jan Svartvik. Svartvik, though he is a Swede, is one of the co-authors of Quirk's CGEL and the authors are saying that that part is a quote from the desc
Thank you for the comments. The phrase <rather than someone do it> is new also to me. I found this in the grammar textbook 'A Comunicative Grammar of English' published from Longman and authored by Geoffrey Leech and Jan Svartvik. Svartvik, though he is a Swede, is one of the co-authors of Quirk's CGEL and the authors are saying that that part is a quote from the desc
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The pseudo-cleft construction can be done with a bare (or full) infinitive, but a plausible example which has a subject for that infinitive does not easily come to mind.
What my father did that night was cook dinner. (Alternately, to cook dinner)
What we'll do is get a second opinion. (Likewise)
What the alternate plan amounted to was Joan write all the letters herself
What my father did that night was cook dinner. (Alternately, to cook dinner)
What we'll do is get a second opinion. (Likewise)
What the alternate plan amounted to was Joan write all the letters herself
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