some grammar

Question

1. For half the preceding year had included at least one personal crisis. In this sentence, do you know where to insert comma? But I think it's a sentence fragment since there is no subject.

2. If I ask a question using 'any'. Should I ask "Do we need to insert any comma?" Or 'any commaS'?

3. In the phrase, "advertising campaigns". Is advertising a modifer of 'campaigns'? Is it a adjective? But can I say 'advertised campaigns'? Another example is linked information. Why can't we say "linking information"?

4. An introductory element modifies a word or words in the main clause that follows. What does 'initroductory element' refer to?

Thanks a lot for helping.

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

1. Yes, it's not a well-formed sentence, so inserting a comma is not going to help.
2. Ask, "Do we/I need to insert any commas?"
3. advertising is an adjective in advertising campaigns, yes. linked is also an adjective in linked information. You can also say advertised campaigns and linking information, but that will change the meaning. You would need to use these in sentences for a more complete answer.
4. An introductory element is a group of words at the beginning.

CJ

MIA6 · Answer

CJ, can you give me some examples using the words 'linked' and 'linking' or 'advertised' and 'advertising' when they have different meanings in some sentences?      and usually we use count words' plural forms after 'any'?

CalifJim · Answer

The -ing and the-ed/-en forms "go in opposite directions".
The -ing describes the active doing. The -ed/-en describes the thing acted upon.

linking is that which links to something else (or two things to each other).
linked is that which is linked to something else.

advertising is that which advertises something.
advertised is that which is advertised.

A linking verb is a verb which links a subject to a subject complement. The subject is linked, and the subject complement is linked. They are linked elements in the sentence, but the verb is the linking element.
An advertising campaign is a campaign with the purpose of advertising some product -- an advertised product.

An eating utensil, such as a fork, is a utensil designed for eating. If you eat all your broccoli, the broccoli is eaten.
A watering can is a can designed for watering plants. If you water the plants, the plants are now watered plants.
A mixing bowl is a bowl used for mixing ingredients. If you mix ingredients in the bowl, you now have mixed ingredients.
A welcoming party is a party for welcoming someone new. If you are the guest, you are welcomed. You are a welcomed guest.
A tuning fork is used to help tune a piano. Once you have finished tuning the piano, the piano is tuned. You have a tuned piano.

________

The usual question pattern using any is with the plural of countables. Yes.
Do you [want / have / need] any ------s?

CJ

MIA6 · Answer

I understand most what you said. By the way, a burned building and a burning building. what's the difference? On my grammar book, for me it seems to say that they have different tense. One has burned, the other one is burning?

CalifJim · Answer

a burned building / a burning building

One has burned, the other one is burning?

Yes. That's right.

CJ

MIA6 · Answer

So in this case, 'burned' and 'burning' have nothing to do with 'mood' as you suggested before. They are different from 'linked' and 'linking'? Instead, they related to tense? So adjectives like 'verb+ed' and 'verb+ing' may either associate with mood (active, passive) or tense?

CalifJim · Answer

have nothing to do with 'mood' as you suggested before.

You are mistaken. I have read my posts in this thread very carefully, and there is no use of the word mood, nor any suggestion that forms like burned and burning have anything to do with mood. I think you are confusing mood and voice. Active and passive are voices, not moods or tenses.

-ing adjectives are called present participles -- they are basically active participles.
-ed /-en adjectives are called past participles -- they are basically passive participles.

So the -ing forms have some characteristics of present tense and some characteristics of active voice; the -ed/-en forms have some characteristics of past or perfect tenses and some characteristics of passive voice.

The problem with the verb burn is that it can be used intransitively. In that case, there is no passive voice, so considerations of present and past become more important than considerations of active and passive when it is a matter of using the participles.

CJ

MIA6 · Answer

Sorry, I should have said 'voice'. Okay, so when we see -ing,-ed forms of adjectives, we need to consider 1)tense, 2)voice? Well, in some cases, we may prefer one to the other?

CalifJim · Answer

Yes. That's right.

CJ

some grammar

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions