Really Gramatically Logical?
Dear folks,
The following expression (bold, italic) seems to be
a bit above me because of what I would see as an
unnatural subject-predicate agreement. Could anybody
analyze it technically? Thank you very much.
"The last place my increasingly forgetful 85-year-old father wanted to be was sitting beside me in the office of a geriatric specialist. The doctor leaned forward at her desk and locked eyes with my father. "Has it been difficult for you to remember things recently, Mr. Cooper?""
By BERNARD COOPERJAN. 8, 2006 [New York Times]
Top answer
Ray Virgin The last place where my increasingly forgetful 85-year-old father wanted to be was sitting beside me in the office of a geriatric specialist. Where is missing, and that may have complicated things for you. The subject of the main clause is the last place.
- Ray Virgin The last place where my increasingly forgetful 85-year-old father wanted to be was sitting beside me in the office of a geriatric specialist.
- Where is missing, and that may have complicated things for you.
- The subject of the main clause is the last place.
- The main verb of the main clause is was .
- Sitting beside me indicates the last place where the person wanted to be.
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Ray VirginThe last place where my increasingly forgetful 85-year-old father wanted to be was sitting beside me in the office of a geriatric specialist.
Where is missing, and that may have complicated t
0"The last place - subject
(that) my increasingly forgetful 85-year-old father wanted to be - relative clause, modifying "place"
was - verb
sitting beside me in the office of a geriatric specialist. - complement
0
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