Sentence correctness

Question

Are both of these sentences correct?Sometimes what you say to others is actually what needs to be said to you.Sometimes what you say to others is actually what you need to be said to you.Thanks in advance!

Khoff · Accepted Answer

The first is fine. The second is a bit awkward. These would be better;

Sometimes what you say to others is actually what you need someone to say to you.

Sometimes what you say to others is actually what you need to hear yourself.

Anonymous · Answer

Thanks a lot for your valuable help.

khoffThe first is fine. The second is a bit awkward. These would be better;

Although both ‘to be said’ and ‘to say’ can be used for general facts or future situations, it is better to be consistent in pater through out sentences, whenever possible, such as in your examples where you used ’say’ both times, which is a reason why your sentences are better. Do you agree?

khoffSometimes what you say to others is actually what you need someone to say to you.Sometimes what you say to others is actually what you need to hear yourself.

Would these sentences also be possible?

Sometimes what you say to others is actually what you need others to say to you.
Sometimes what you say to others is actually what someone needs to say to you.
Sometimes what you say to others is actually what you need to hear from others/someone.

I hope they are correct!!

Anonymous · Answer

khoffhese would be better;

Hi again teacher, Sorry to bother you. Would you please respond to my last post and tell me whether what I said was correct please. Thank you.

Fivejedjon · Answer

AnonymousWould you please respond to my last post and tell me whether what I said was correct please

Please be patient. khoff had probably gone to bed after their last response.

ps. Your sentences are fine.

Anonymous · Answer

fivejedjonPlease be patient. khoff had probably gone to bed after their last response.

Thank you so much for replying, teacher. Sorry for not being patient, I thought he might have forgotten about my post because he replied to others.

Since you confirmed that my sentences are fine, would you please answer my other first question regarding the reason as to why his sentences are better than the initial ones I posted. Was my explanation as to why his sentences were better correct, in which I asked “do you agree” at the end?

Thanks a lot again!

Khoff · Answer

AnonymousAlthough both ‘to be said’ and ‘to say’ can be used for general facts or future situations, it is better to be consistent in pater through out sentences, whenever possible, such as in your examples where you used ’say’ both times, which is a reason why your sentences are better. Do you agree?

Well, that may be true, but it's not what I had in mind when I said that your second sentence was awkward. What bothered me about it was this: when reading the phrase "what you need to . . . " I expected the next word to be an active verb, like "what you need to do." The actual phrase, "what you need to be said to you" confused me and I had to read it more than once to understand it.

AnonymousSometimes what you say to others is actually what you need others to say to you.Sometimes what you say to others is actually what someone needs to say to you.Sometimes what you say to others is actually what you need to hear from others/someone.

These examples are all fine.

By the way, I am a "she," not a "he." But there's no way you would have known that. Fivejedjohn probably wasn't sure either, which is why he used the gender-neutral-singular "they" in his reply:
"khoff had probably gone to bed after their last response."

Some people don't like the gender-neutral singular "they," but I happen to be a big fan of it! If people insist that "they" is plural, I like to point out the "you" used to be plural too -- that's why we say "you are" and not "you is."

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you very much for replying!

khoffWell, that may be true, but it's not what I had in mind when I said that your second sentence was awkward. What bothered me about it was this: when reading the phrase "what you need to . . . " I expected the next word to be an active verb, like "what you need to do.

I understand now. So other active verbs are ‘say’ and ‘hear’, which you used. Right?

khoff The actual phrase, "what you need to be said to you" confused me and I had to read it more than once to understand it.

I actually did not write the first sentence and edited it into the second one. That phrase actually confused me too and I read it a fews time to understand it, which was why I initially asked about the sentence. I am glad you brought it up.

khoffThese examples are all fine.

Great!

khoffBy the way, I am a "she," not a "he." But there's no way you would have known that. Fivejedjohn probably wasn't sure either, which is why he used the gender-neutral-singular "they" in his reply:"khoff had probably gone to bed after their last response."

Yes, there’s no way I would have known you were a “she”.

khoffSome people don't like the gender-neutral singular "they," but I happen to be a big fan of it! If people insist that "they" is plural, I like to point out the "you" used to be plural too -- that's why we say "you are" and not "you is."

I also like to use the gender-neutral singular “they”. I am not sure why other have to complicate things.

We still say “you are”, but is “you” not observed as plural anymore in some cases where we say “you are” instead of “they are"? I think it still is!

We also say “you people”! Don’t we.

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