Tricky Questions for Non-English Speakers

Question

Hi, all~ I’d like to share with you some tricky questions that trouble non-English speakers. Looking forward to your participation. Thanks in advance~
6. Birds’ singing is sometimes a warning to other birds ______ away.
A. to stay B.staying C.stayed D.stay
The correct answer is A. Why not B?

7. The missing boys were last seen _______ near the river.
A. playing B. to be playing C. play D. to play
The correct answer is A. Why not B?

8. _________ to give up smoking, he threw away his ________ cigarettes.
A. Determined, remained B. Determined, remaining C. Determining, remained D. Determining, remaining
The correct answer is B. Why not D?

RandomGuy · Accepted Answer

William Pei6. Birds’ singing is sometimes a warning to other birds ____ away.
A. to stay B.staying C.stayed D.stay
The correct answer is A. Why not B?

The verb warn takes a full infinitive complement.

William Pei7. The missing boys were last seen _____ near the river.
A. playing B. to be playing C. play D. to play
The correct answer is A. Why not B?

Saw never takes a full infinitive complement.

William Pei8. ________ to give up smoking, he threw away his _______ cigarettes.
A. Determined, remained B. Determined, remaining C. Determining, remained D. Determining, remaining
The correct answer is B. Why not D?

Because he is determined to give up smoking, not determining (coming to the decision) to do so.

William Pei · Answer

Thank you for your reply, Aspara Gus. But, honestly, I still have some doubts. In "a warning to other birds" in Question No.6, apparently, "to" is a preposition. The same is true in the following sentence: We look forward to Jim’s/Jim coming back home. In this sentence, the preposition “to” is followed by the gerund “coming back home”. By the same token, why can’t “to” in Question No.6 be followed by the gerund “staying away”?

Question No.7 is quite confusing, because we were told in class that “see sb do” and “see sb doing” are both right. But, when used in a passive voice, “see sb do” should be changed to “see sb TO do”. For example, We saw Jim cross the street, or, Jim was seen TO cross the street.

As for Question No.8, should “determine” always be used as a passive form instead of “determining”? I found this sentence in a dictionary: They determined to start early. Here, “determine” is an active form, not a passive form. On the contrary, “determined to give up smoking” in Question No.8 sounds passive to me. Why does it have to be passive here?

Aspara Gus, my doubts may sound silly and ridiculous, but this is how non-English speakers actually think when handling this kind of questions. I look forward to your elaboration. Thank you in advance!

RandomGuy · Answer

William Peiwhy can’t “to” in Question No.6 be followed by the gerund “staying away”?

Its object is other birds.

I skimmed warning as a verb earlier, but it’s actually a noun. It doesn’t matter, though, since both are followed by an infinitive:

to warn other birds to stay away (not *staying)
a warning to other birds to stay away (not *staying)

William Peiwhen used in the passive voice, “see someone do” should be changed to “see someone TO do”.

Let me dispel that right now. Where did you get that idea?

William Pei“determined to give up smoking” in Question No.8 sounds passive to me.

It isn’t; it’s an adjective. Please click the link in my last reply.

William PeiAspara Gus, my doubts may sound silly and ridiculous

Not to me they don’t!

CalifJim · Answer

William Peitricky questions

Here are a few more examples.

[warn / a warning] (not) to ---

Larry [warned / gave us a warning] to stay away from the burning car.
Brian has repeatedly warned them not to answer the door to strangers.
Didn't they warn you to sign only in front of witnesses?

to be [seen / heard / found] + ing

Pete was seen taking the money.
The children were heard playing in the courtyard.
The victims were found wandering in a field just south of town.

determined, adjective (+ to)

Paul was determined to win the championship.
Determined to excel, Paul practiced daily.

The last is similar to these:

Eager to excel, Paul practiced daily.
Interested in chemistry, Mark bought several books on the subject.

(The verb pattern to determine to do something is very much less used. We would usually use the verb resolve for that meaning: Resolving to give up smoking, ... )

CJ

William Pei · Answer

Thank you for your elaboration, Aspara Gus~

William Pei · Answer

Thank you for your further explanation, CJ!

Tricky Questions for Non-English Speakers

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