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Teo Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
should and ought
[Should and ought] are both used to talk about obligation and duty, to give advice, and to say what we think it is right for people to do or have done. (Practical English Usage, 2005, Page 511)
I feel that it is grammatically incorrect to use it in the above passage. Is my judgment correct?
I feel that it is grammatically incorrect to use it in the above passage. Is my judgment correct?
Top answer
Either way is fine. The derivations are slightly different. ) it is right for people to do "x" ("x" pronomializes to "what") what it is right for people to do what (we think) it is right for people to do CJ
- Either way is fine.
- The derivations are slightly different.
- ) it is right for people to do "x" ("x" pronomializes to "what") what it is right for people to do what (we think) it is right for people to do CJ
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8 Answers
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Either way is fine. The derivations are slightly different.
for people to do what is right
what is right for people to do
what (we think) is right for people to do
for people to do "x" is right (Prepose dummy "it" to obtain the next line.)
it is right for people to do "x" ("x" pronomializes to "what")
for people to do what is right
what is right for people to do
what (we think) is right for people to do
for people to do "x" is right (Prepose dummy "it" to obtain the next line.)
it is right for people to do "x" ("x" pronomializes to "what")
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Hello Teo
The sentence in PEU is correct. A simplified version of the sentence would be "[Should] is used to say what we think (that) it is right for people to do". Here the relative pronoun "what", in the subordinate clause, plays the role of the object of "do". The pronoun "it" is an anticipatory subject to stand for "for people to do <what>". In other words, we can parse the sen
The sentence in PEU is correct. A simplified version of the sentence would be "[Should] is used to say what we think (that) it is right for people to do". Here the relative pronoun "what", in the subordinate clause, plays the role of the object of "do". The pronoun "it" is an anticipatory subject to stand for "for people to do <what>". In other words, we can parse the sen
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then is it correct to say?
- which do you think it is the correct answer?
- which do you think it is the correct answer?
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DiamondrgNo. It's not correct.
then is it correct to say?
- which do you think it is the correct answer?
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Diamondrgthen is it correct to say?"Which is the correct answer?" ---> * "Which is the correct answer, do you think?" ---> * "Do you think + which is the correct answer?" ---> Raise "which", then "Which do you think is the correct answer?"
- which do you think it is the correct answer?
paco
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[Should and ought] are both used to talk about obligation and duty, to give advice, and to say what we think it is right for people to do or have done. (Practical English Usage, 2005, Page 511)
I feel that it is grammatically incorrect to use it i
I feel that it is grammatically incorrect to use it i
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"What" is the pronoun and functions as the subject of is.
Ikia,
No. This was already discussed above. "What" is the object of "do".
It's the same as in "What should we do now?" or "What is it right to do now?"
CJ
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<and to say what we think it is right for people to do or have done>
It may become clearer if we replace "what" with "that which":
1. ...and to say that which (we think) it is right for people to do or have done...
If we omit "we think" and "it", "what" has to act both as subject of "is" and object of "do":
2. ...and to say what is right for people to do o
It may become clearer if we replace "what" with "that which":
1. ...and to say that which (we think) it is right for people to do or have done...
If we omit "we think" and "it", "what" has to act both as subject of "is" and object of "do":
2. ...and to say what is right for people to do o
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