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Anonymous Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
Sentence question
I am teaching ESL English and my student gave me this sentence:
“I want to be a person teaching English.”
The sentence feels wrong. I am just not sure what is wrong with it. Maybe it does not have a complete thought.
I think the sentence might have two parts to it.
“want to be” and “~ing” and that the “~ing” part of the sentence is not addressed. You want to be a person doing something. But where are you doing that something.
I think this might be better
“I want to be a person teaching English in high school.”
“I want to be a person teaching English in the future.”
I told her I don’t like the sentence and that she should change it to use “who”.
“I want to be a person who teachers English for a living.”
But she wants to use “to be” + “ing”.
Is “I want to be a person teaching English.” a correct sentence?
“I want to be a person teaching English.”
The sentence feels wrong. I am just not sure what is wrong with it. Maybe it does not have a complete thought.
I think the sentence might have two parts to it.
“want to be” and “~ing” and that the “~ing” part of the sentence is not addressed. You want to be a person doing something. But where are you doing that something.
I think this might be better
“I want to be a person teaching English in high school.”
“I want to be a person teaching English in the future.”
I told her I don’t like the sentence and that she should change it to use “who”.
“I want to be a person who teachers English for a living.”
But she wants to use “to be” + “ing”.
Is “I want to be a person teaching English.” a correct sentence?
Top answer
” I'd tell your student that it is correct grammar but that native speakers just don't have the habit of saying things in that way. The result is that it sounds odd, and will make the speaker sound unnatural. The sentence feels wrong.
- ” I'd tell your student that it is correct grammar but that native speakers just don't have the habit of saying things in that way.
- The result is that it sounds odd, and will make the speaker sound unnatural.
- The sentence feels wrong.
- I am just not sure what is wrong with it.
- Maybe it does not have a complete thought.
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2 Answers
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Hi,
I am teaching ESL English and my student gave me this sentence:
“I want to be a person teaching English.”
I'd tell your student that it is correct grammar but that native speakers just don't have the habit of saying things in that way. The result is that it sounds odd, and will make the speaker sound unnatural.
The sentence feels wrong
I am teaching ESL English and my student gave me this sentence:
“I want to be a person teaching English.”
I'd tell your student that it is correct grammar but that native speakers just don't have the habit of saying things in that way. The result is that it sounds odd, and will make the speaker sound unnatural.
The sentence feels wrong
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Hi,
Clive already covered everything about that sentence. I just have this penny for thought...
I believe what your student tied to convey in essence was, "I want to be able to teach English someday", meaning that her ambition was to learn English as well as she can so that someday she can become an English teacher; if my guess is correct.
Clive already covered everything about that sentence. I just have this penny for thought...
I believe what your student tied to convey in essence was, "I want to be able to teach English someday", meaning that her ambition was to learn English as well as she can so that someday she can become an English teacher; if my guess is correct.
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