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Kooyeen Posted 19 years ago
Grammar
Those are Mr. Ben and Mr. Bun
Hi,
I'm confused. Could you think of an example where "Those/They are Mr. Ben and Mr. Bun" is ok?
It shouldn't be ok as an answer to "Who are those (men)?" or "Who are they?"...
...but what about:
Some people here are trying to harm our company. Those people are stealing important papers from the director's offices. But you know what? I know who those criminals are. Those/They are Mr. Ben and Mr. Bun...
Confuuuuused... Thanks
I'm confused. Could you think of an example where "Those/They are Mr. Ben and Mr. Bun" is ok?
It shouldn't be ok as an answer to "Who are those (men)?" or "Who are they?"...
...but what about:
Some people here are trying to harm our company. Those people are stealing important papers from the director's offices. But you know what? I know who those criminals are. Those/They are Mr. Ben and Mr. Bun...
Confuuuuused... Thanks
Top answer
" and "(They are) Mr. Ben and Mr. Bun" and "Those men are Mr.
- " and "(They are) Mr.
- Ben and Mr.
- Bun" and "Those men are Mr.
- Ben and Mr.
- Bun" sound just fine.
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7 Answers
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Hi Kooyeen
"Who are those men?" and "(They are) Mr. Ben and Mr. Bun" and "Those men are Mr. Ben and Mr. Bun" sound just fine.
But saying "Who are those?" and "Those are Mr. Ben and Mr. Bun" when asking for the names / identity of two particular men or when referring to two men by name would generally cause a huge amount of discomfort to my English-sp
"Who are those men?" and "(They are) Mr. Ben and Mr. Bun" and "Those men are Mr. Ben and Mr. Bun" sound just fine.
But saying "Who are those?" and "Those are Mr. Ben and Mr. Bun" when asking for the names / identity of two particular men or when referring to two men by name would generally cause a huge amount of discomfort to my English-sp
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In my version of English , it's:
-- Who are [they / those men / *those]?
-- [They / Those men / *Those] are Mr.
, it's:-- Who are [they / those men / *those]?
-- [They / Those men / *Those] are Mr.
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Hi Jim
Somehow it seems less egregious to refer to animals simply as "those".
Somehow it seems less egregious to refer to animals simply as "those".
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Thank you so much.
So it seems it's ok to say:
Who are they? They are my sister and my mother.
...but not ok to say:
Those are my sister and my mother. --- which should be ---> That's my sister and my mother.
Did I get it right? Thanks
So it seems it's ok to say:
Who are they? They are my sister and my mother.
...but not ok to say:
Those are my sister and my mother. --- which should be ---> That's my sister and my mother.
Did I get it right? Thanks
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Not quite.
Who are those people over there?
Those are my mother and my sister.
It is quite acceptable.
Who are those people over there?
Those are my mother and my sister.
It is quite acceptable.
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I see, thank you all.
I once posted about "those", and I remember that "those are my sister and my mother" should turn into "that's my sister and my mother". Feebs just said it's ok, maybe it's a British thing... go figure. But I forgot to ask about "they", and now I've found out that it is ok, unlike "those"...
I once posted about "those", and I remember that "those are my sister and my mother" should turn into "that's my sister and my mother". Feebs just said it's ok, maybe it's a British thing... go figure. But I forgot to ask about "they", and now I've found out that it is ok, unlike "those"...
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