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Usenet Posted 23 years ago
Usage
Two Flags - as described by my EFL students
POSTED FRIDAY - REPOSTING AS IT WAS NOT PROPAGATED - APPEARS TO HAVE GOT LOST
Calling all sympathetic fellow-educators:
God is punishing for some sin that I am unaware that I committed ;-)
For my sins I had to teach adjectives to some EFL students today - including the order of adjectives.
While doing their self-study assigments a group of students came up with the following which they came trundling along to ask me about :-(
Although entirely hypothetical - and way beyond what they need to know - I have to come up with an answer.
They presented four phrases and asked me which one was correct:
(flag#1 = red/white/blue; flag#2 = green/yellow)
1. The two flags were red, white and blue and green and yellow.
2. The two flags were red, white and blue, and green and yellow.
3. The two flags were red, white, and blue and green and yellow.
4. The two flags were red, white, and blue, and green and yellow.
I opted for number 2, but said that number 4 was acceptable.
They then asked "Why?". I replied that I would prefer to explain this in the next class so that all the other students would have the chance to benefit from the discussion. :-P
Help! Was I right? Why?
Paulo the Sinner
with so many options in life why did I decide to become an EFL teacher?
a refuse management operator just don't 'av this 'assle. neiver duz a restroom manager.
Calling all sympathetic fellow-educators:
God is punishing for some sin that I am unaware that I committed ;-)
For my sins I had to teach adjectives to some EFL students today - including the order of adjectives.
While doing their self-study assigments a group of students came up with the following which they came trundling along to ask me about :-(
Although entirely hypothetical - and way beyond what they need to know - I have to come up with an answer.
They presented four phrases and asked me which one was correct:
(flag#1 = red/white/blue; flag#2 = green/yellow)
1. The two flags were red, white and blue and green and yellow.
2. The two flags were red, white and blue, and green and yellow.
3. The two flags were red, white, and blue and green and yellow.
4. The two flags were red, white, and blue, and green and yellow.
I opted for number 2, but said that number 4 was acceptable.
They then asked "Why?". I replied that I would prefer to explain this in the next class so that all the other students would have the chance to benefit from the discussion. :-P
Help! Was I right? Why?
Paulo the Sinner
with so many options in life why did I decide to become an EFL teacher?
a refuse management operator just don't 'av this 'assle. neiver duz a restroom manager.
Top answer
[nq:1]1. The two flags were red, white and blue and green and yellow. 2.
- [nq:1]1.
- The two flags were red, white and blue and green and yellow.
- 2.
- The two flags were red, white ...
- green and yellow.
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81 Answers
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[nq:1]1. The two flags were red, white and blue and green and yellow. 2. The two flags were red, white ... green and yellow. I opted for number 2, but said that number 4 was acceptable. Help! Was I right? Why?[/nq]
4 is unacceptable, I'd say.
Paul
My Lake District walking site (updated 29th September 2003):
4 is unacceptable, I'd say.
Paul
My Lake District walking site (updated 29th September 2003):
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[nq:2]1. The two flags were red, white and blue and ... that number 4 was acceptable. Help! Was I right? Why?[/nq]
[nq:1]4 is unacceptable, I'd say.[/nq]
So just 2 would be acceptable?
Thank you.
Paulo
[nq:1]4 is unacceptable, I'd say.[/nq]
So just 2 would be acceptable?
Thank you.
Paulo
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[nq:1]They presented four phrases and asked me which one was correct: (flag#1 = red/white/blue; flag#2 = green/yellow) 1. The two ... that all the other students would have the chance to benefit from the discussion. :-P Help! Was I right? Why?[/nq]
I'd say that the first flag was "red, white, and blue" and the second was "green and yellow", and as you don't put a comma between two things separ
I'd say that the first flag was "red, white, and blue" and the second was "green and yellow", and as you don't put a comma between two things separ
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} POSTED FRIDAY - REPOSTING AS IT WAS NOT PROPAGATED - APPEARS TO HAVE } GOT LOST
}
} Calling all sympathetic fellow-educators:
}
} *** is punishing for some sin that I am unaware that I committed ;-) }
} For my sins I had to teach adjectives to some EFL students today - } including the order of adjectives.
}
} While doing their self-study assigments a group of students
}
} Calling all sympathetic fellow-educators:
}
} *** is punishing for some sin that I am unaware that I committed ;-) }
} For my sins I had to teach adjectives to some EFL students today - } including the order of adjectives.
}
} While doing their self-study assigments a group of students
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[nq:2]They presented four phrases and asked me which one was ... benefit from the discussion. :-P Help! Was I right? Why?[/nq]
[nq:1]I'd say that the first flag was "red, white, and blue" and the second was "green and yellow", and as ... by an "and" the combination should be 3. However, that's just my opinion and I am far from an expert.[/nq]
I agree with your opinion, but none of the four
[nq:1]I'd say that the first flag was "red, white, and blue" and the second was "green and yellow", and as ... by an "and" the combination should be 3. However, that's just my opinion and I am far from an expert.[/nq]
I agree with your opinion, but none of the four
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Paulo V.:
[nq:1]They presented four phrases[/nq]
Sentences.
[nq:1]and asked me which one was correct: (flag#1 = red/white/blue; flag#2 = green/yellow) 1. The two flags were red, white ... white, and blue and green and yellow. 4. The two flags were red, white, and blue, and green and yellow.[/nq]
This is, I would say, entirely a question of style.
Commas in written English
[nq:1]They presented four phrases[/nq]
Sentences.
[nq:1]and asked me which one was correct: (flag#1 = red/white/blue; flag#2 = green/yellow) 1. The two flags were red, white ... white, and blue and green and yellow. 4. The two flags were red, white, and blue, and green and yellow.[/nq]
This is, I would say, entirely a question of style.
Commas in written English
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[nq:1]Plus, the people who are absent should suffer the consequences. As it is now, they'll be rewarded for being absent.[/nq]
My apologies. Obviously I did not express myself clearly.
A group of students, who were doing their assignments together, came looking for me out of class.
Sorry if I didn't make that clear.
Also, I told them to wait for the next class so that I could
My apologies. Obviously I did not express myself clearly.
A group of students, who were doing their assignments together, came looking for me out of class.
Sorry if I didn't make that clear.
Also, I told them to wait for the next class so that I could
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Paul Rooney (Email Removed) wrote on 08 Nov 2003:
[nq:2]1. The two flags were red, white and blue and ... that number 4 was acceptable. Help! Was I right? Why?[/nq]
[nq:1]4 is unacceptable, I'd say.[/nq]
Why would you say that? Your opinion is useless without a reason.
[nq:2]1. The two flags were red, white and blue and ... that number 4 was acceptable. Help! Was I right? Why?[/nq]
[nq:1]4 is unacceptable, I'd say.[/nq]
Why would you say that? Your opinion is useless without a reason.
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(Email Removed) (Mark Brader) wrote on 08 Nov 2003:
[nq:1]Paulo V.:[/nq]
Agreed, and a style manual should be consulted if one of these four structures must be used. They are all bad style becaue they promote unnecessary and unwanted ambiguity, so the solution is to recast the sentence.
[nq:1]When you have a nested structure of lists, the commas in the outer level of listing get
[nq:1]Paulo V.:[/nq]
Agreed, and a style manual should be consulted if one of these four structures must be used. They are all bad style becaue they promote unnecessary and unwanted ambiguity, so the solution is to recast the sentence.
[nq:1]When you have a nested structure of lists, the commas in the outer level of listing get
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[nq:1]I'd say that the first flag was "red, white, and blue" and the second was "green and yellow", and as you don't put a comma between two things separated by an "and" the combination should be 3.[/nq]
... which has a comma between two things separated by an 'and'.
Paul
My Lake District walking site (updated 29th September 2003):
... which has a comma between two things separated by an 'and'.
Paul
My Lake District walking site (updated 29th September 2003):
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