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Navitasan Posted 13 years ago
Grammar

Reluctantly

1-The child was reluctantly sent to Spain.
2-The child was sent to Spain reluctantly .
3-Reluctantly, the child was sent to Spain.

Can we tell whether the child was reluctant or those who sent him to Spain?

Gratefully.
Navi.
  

Top answer

Hello. I say in all three sentences it was they being reluctant, not the child.

— Surfer

  • Hello.
  • I say in all three sentences it was they being reluctant, not the child.
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19 Answers
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Hello. I say in all three sentences it was they being reluctant, not the child.
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It is not possible to be certain in any of them. The third seems to me to suggest that those who sent him were relectant, but the first two could mean either.
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fivejedjonIt is not possible to be certain in any of them. The third seems to me to suggest that those who sent him were relectant, but the first two could mean either.
Hello.

All three sentences are constructed in the passive, with the child being the recipient of the action: the child did nothing.
If I wanted to address the child, I'd say: Th
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SurferThe child was reluctant being sent to Spain.
That is not grammatically correct. You need something like, "The child was reluctant to be sent to Spain".
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fivejedjonThat is not grammaticaly correct. You need something like, "The child was reluctant to be sent to Spain".
So the following statements are incorrect?
He was very proud being designated as Knight.
Adam was vey emotional saying good bye and leaving his family.
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SurferHe was very proud being designated as Knight.
Adam was vey emotional saying good bye and leaving his family...you
Hello. Can anyone please check the above two sentences for me? Thank you.
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And this one please:

..John was very embarrassed being asked in front of all the other invitees to leave.
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SurferHe was very proud being designated as Knight. Adam was very emotional saying good bye and leaving his family.
The first is not natural. We need 'of' after 'proud'
The second is possible.
SurferJohn was very embarrassed being asked in front of all the other invitees to leave.
John was very embarrassed at/about b
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fivejedjonThe first is not natural. We need 'of' after 'proud'
But that would change the meaning, wouldn't it?

The way I wrote it, it means that he felt proud as he was being designated as Knight; being is a present participle there. Your version of the statement changes the meaning so that being becomes a gerund serving as the obje
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The duration of the being designated Knight and being asked to leave are extremely brief. I imagine that his embarrassment lasted a little longer than that.
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