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Magic79 Posted 19 years ago
Grammar
(too + adj + for sb + infinitive)
The ceiling is too high. He can't touch it.
1. The ceiling is too high for him to touch.
2. The ceiling is too high for him to touch it.
3. It's too high for him to touch the ceiling.
Number 1 is correct. Some students, however, produce 2 and 3. What do you think of them? Could they be right?
1. The ceiling is too high for him to touch.
2. The ceiling is too high for him to touch it.
3. It's too high for him to touch the ceiling.
Number 1 is correct. Some students, however, produce 2 and 3. What do you think of them? Could they be right?
Top answer
As you noted, 1 is correct. Number 2 might be used like this: He is trying to touch the lamp on the ceiling. However, the ceiling is too high for him to touch it.
- As you noted, 1 is correct.
- Number 2 might be used like this: He is trying to touch the lamp on the ceiling.
- However, the ceiling is too high for him to touch it.
- e.
- e.
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3 Answers
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As you noted, 1 is correct.
Number 2 might be used like this:
He is trying to touch the lamp on the ceiling. However, the ceiling is too high for him to touch it. (i.e. 'it' refers to the lamp.)
Number 3 would probably be understood, but this structure would normally be used in a way similar to sentence 2 (i.e. 'it' would refer to something other than the ceiling):
Number 2 might be used like this:
He is trying to touch the lamp on the ceiling. However, the ceiling is too high for him to touch it. (i.e. 'it' refers to the lamp.)
Number 3 would probably be understood, but this structure would normally be used in a way similar to sentence 2 (i.e. 'it' would refer to something other than the ceiling):
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Taking "the ceiling" as the antecedent and "it" as its anaphor:
1, Sentence 2 has exactly the same meaning as sentence 1 except with slightly more emphasis on the object being touched rather than who is doing the touching;
2, In strict grammar the antecedent should preceed the anaphor. In sentence 3 "it" comes before "the ceiling" which means the antecedent of
1, Sentence 2 has exactly the same meaning as sentence 1 except with slightly more emphasis on the object being touched rather than who is doing the touching;
2, In strict grammar the antecedent should preceed the anaphor. In sentence 3 "it" comes before "the ceiling" which means the antecedent of
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