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English 1b3 Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

Sentence Grammar

The man gave my neck a pleasant massage, the same action as if he were moulding clay.

Are the italicised words OK here? I think it needs 'using' before it, for example...

Is 'if' best here? I don't think it words because I want to say it is the same action as something else. Should I re-phrase it thus?

"..the same action as when one/you mould clay."

Thanks
  

Top answer

To me, your sentence is okay. The appositive seems to represent the whole predicate. gave my neck a pleasant massage = the same action etc.

— Avangi

  • To me, your sentence is okay.
  • The appositive seems to represent the whole predicate.
  • gave my neck a pleasant massage = the same action etc.
  • I know it's argumentative to say that a noun is appositive to a verb, but in my mind I transform the verb to a gerund: giving my neck etc.
  • = the same action etc.
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20 Answers
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To me, your sentence is okay. The appositive seems to represent the whole predicate.

gave my neck a pleasant massage = the same action etc.

I know it's argumentative to say that a noun is appositive to a verb, but in my mind I transform the verb to a gerund: giving my neck etc. = the same action etc.

"as if" is perfect here.

You
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Well, the problem for me is that either solution seems stilted. I suggest:

The man gave my neck a pleasant massage, as if he were moulding (not 'kneading'?) clay.
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Avangi"as if" is perfect here.

Sorry, but I'm not convinced. Emotion: smile If it is the same action, h
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Mister MicawberThe man gave my neck a pleasant massage, as if he were moulding (not 'kneading'?) clay.

I'm not needing the sentence for any purpose. I just made it up for the sake of analysis. But thanks for your re-write nonetheless.
Mister Micawbernot 'kneading'?)
You mould clay, but knead flour and water. Kneading c
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knead /nid/
-verb (used with object)
1. to work (dough, clay, etc.) into a uniform mixture by pressing, folding, and stretching.
2. to manipulate by similar movements, as the body in a massage.
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English 1b3 You mould clay, but knead flour and water. Kneading can also be used to describe massaging, but I'm not describing, but rather comparing. I could of course be wrong. But that was my understanding when writing the sentence.
As I recall from my kindergarten days, one must often knead the clay when it's first out of the can, in order to get it into t
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English 1b3Sorry, but I'm not convinced. Emotion: smile If it is the same action, how can we use 'as if'. We need only
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AvangiWould you accept: Row that boat as if your life depended on it! ??

Yes, because 'as' here works as an adverb, modifying 'row.'

But 'the same action' is a noun, and can't be modified by an adverb like 'as.' We aren't comparing an action to moulding. We are saying it is the same action as moulding. What do you think?
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I agree.

BTW, I've recently been reminded that adverbs don't need to modify verbs. Emotion: talkative
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The problem I have with "the same as when you X" is that the structure is inimical to your purpose of making the action his.

Throwing a tennis ball is the same action as serving in tennis.

The man gave my neck a pleasant massage, the same action as if he were mouldin
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