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HSS Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
Unless + Subjunctive Present
The gold used in jewelry is not strong enough unless it be alloyed.
Hi.
1) Could you drop 'the' here to still mean the same?
2) 'unless it be alloyed' --- Should this be 'unless it is alloyed'? It is highly unlikely that you see 'unless ... be' unless the paper you're looking at is a very formal one that is issued by, say, a government, or, perhaps, unless the main verb is with 'not' like the sentence below, isn't it?
You are not allowed to enter the restricted area unless you be accompanied by an authorized employee.
Hi.
1) Could you drop 'the' here to still mean the same?
2) 'unless it be alloyed' --- Should this be 'unless it is alloyed'? It is highly unlikely that you see 'unless ... be' unless the paper you're looking at is a very formal one that is issued by, say, a government, or, perhaps, unless the main verb is with 'not' like the sentence below, isn't it?
You are not allowed to enter the restricted area unless you be accompanied by an authorized employee.
Top answer
HSS 1) Could you drop 'the' here to still mean the same? ". " makes more sense -- at least to me.
- HSS 1) Could you drop 'the' here to still mean the same?
- ".
- " makes more sense -- at least to me.
- HSS 2) 'unless it be alloyed' --- Should this be 'unless it is alloyed'?
- Yes.
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1 Answers
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HSS1) Could you drop 'the' here to still mean the same?You would be understood whether you said "The gold ..." or "Gold ...". Nevertheless, you are talking about a specific subset of all gold, so "The gold used in jewelry..." makes more sense -- at least to me.
HSS2) 'unless it be alloyed' --- Should this be 'unless it is alloy
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