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Avangi Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

This sentence feels right, but,

Hi,
It continues to hurt, when exploring the old haunts, to think of what might have been.

I know it's a bad sentence, and I would have no trouble fixing it; but is it ungrammatical to fail to mention the "true" subject of these actions? The person?

Thanks, - A.
  

Top answer

Avangi the "true" subject Ah! The old philosophical question. What is the truth?

— CalifJim

  • Avangi the "true" subject Ah!
  • The old philosophical question.
  • What is the truth?
  • It is certainly not ungrammatical not to mention the person hurt, if that's what you mean.
  • If you insist on such a mention, add the person's name after hurt .
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4 Answers
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Avangithe "true" subject
Ah! The old philosophical question. What is the truth?

It is certainly not ungrammatical not to mention the person hurt, if that's what you mean.

If you insist on such a mention, add the person's name after hurt.
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Thanks, Jim. That's what I meant.

I recall a thread in which I was surprised by Clive's mention of something like "the true subject," as though the concept were common. I wish I could bring the details to mind.

I now realize that of course, "It hurts" is a grammatically correct sentence.

There was something about going through three separate actions, using only verbal
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Well, as you probably already know, it is the dummy subject created by moving the "true subject" (Here we go again!) to think of what might have been to the end of the sentence.

Base sentence before the move:

To think of what might have been hurts (the unmentioned recipient of the hurt - the speaker is implied).

CJ
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