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Tuanpa Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
the structure of sentence
I read a sentence in a book: "Fire is a divine gift randomly delivered in the form of lightning."
Is is sentence the same to "Fire is a divine gift that was randomly delivered in the form of lightning." If true, why the "that was" is removed. To apply the structure of this sentence, can I make a sentence such as: "This is a book made in England." ?
Could someone please analyse this sentence and explain it to me?
Thanks
Tuan
Is is sentence the same to "Fire is a divine gift that was randomly delivered in the form of lightning." If true, why the "that was" is removed. To apply the structure of this sentence, can I make a sentence such as: "This is a book made in England." ?
Could someone please analyse this sentence and explain it to me?
Thanks
Tuan
Top answer
Hi Tuan, A grammarian can give you the technical explanation. As a native speaker, I can respond to part of your post. The sentence, as it stands, is grammatically correct.
- Hi Tuan, A grammarian can give you the technical explanation.
- As a native speaker, I can respond to part of your post.
- The sentence, as it stands, is grammatically correct.
- " The writer might have written 'that was ' to suggests that the divine gift was randomly delivered in the past , but that's not the idea, since lightning continues throughout time, and will always be what it is--now, in the past, and forevermore.
- You application, 'This is a book made in England', is correct.
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4 Answers
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Hi Tuan,
A grammarian can give you the technical explanation.
As a native speaker, I can respond to part of your post. The sentence, as it stands, is grammatically correct. It would also be acceptable to write, "Fire is a divine gift that is randomly delivered in the form of lightning." The writer might have written 'that was' to suggests that the divine gift
A grammarian can give you the technical explanation.
As a native speaker, I can respond to part of your post. The sentence, as it stands, is grammatically correct. It would also be acceptable to write, "Fire is a divine gift that is randomly delivered in the form of lightning." The writer might have written 'that was' to suggests that the divine gift
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Relative pronouns 'that/which' and 'who/whom' together with the 'be' verbs of a modifying clause are commonly elided:
The man [who is] sitting on the floor is drunk.
The man [who was] dead on the slab suddenly sat up.
It was a marriage [that was] made in heaven.
[Being] intent on the match point, I didn't notice the blonde in the front row.
The man [whom] I kic
The man [who is] sitting on the floor is drunk.
The man [who was] dead on the slab suddenly sat up.
It was a marriage [that was] made in heaven.
[Being] intent on the match point, I didn't notice the blonde in the front row.
The man [whom] I kic
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Thanks davkett for the explanation, So, It should be 'that is' insteaf of 'that was'
And thanks Mister Micawber for the clear examples. (I like the last sentence "The man [whom] I kicked kicked back")
Which book that has number of sentence structure and examples do you recommend me to read?
Tuan,
And thanks Mister Micawber for the clear examples. (I like the last sentence "The man [whom] I kicked kicked back")
Which book that has number of sentence structure and examples do you recommend me to read?
Tuan,
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I find that I first grab Leech & Svartvik's A Communicative Grammar of English (ISBN 058208573X), but there are a number of good grammar books, Tuanpa.
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