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Taka Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
until
The nervous system of small children is not yet developed enough for them to keep still for more than a few seconds at a time unless they are asleep.
I know what the sentence above means. But let me ask a question from a grammatical point of view.
What part of the sentence in front does the 'unless...' in bold modify?
I know what the sentence above means. But let me ask a question from a grammatical point of view.
What part of the sentence in front does the 'unless...' in bold modify?
Top answer
the sentence starting with the word unless is subordinate clause. The nervous system of small children is not yet developed enough for them to keep still for more than a few seconds at a time. that sentence is in the second line is main clause.
- the sentence starting with the word unless is subordinate clause.
- The nervous system of small children is not yet developed enough for them to keep still for more than a few seconds at a time.
- that sentence is in the second line is main clause.
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12 Answers
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the sentence starting with the word unless is subordinate clause.
The nervous system of small children is not yet developed enough for them to keep still for more than a few seconds at a time.
that sentence is in the second line is main clause.
The nervous system of small children is not yet developed enough for them to keep still for more than a few seconds at a time.
that sentence is in the second line is main clause.
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CliveHi,Initially I thought so too. But does 'to keep still...unless they are asleep' really make sense? Semantically, shouldn't it be 'not to keep still...unless they are asleep'?
'Keep still'.
Clive
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Hi,
The nervous system of small children is not yet developed enough for them to keep still for more than a few seconds at a time unless they are asleep.
But does 'to keep still...unless they are asleep' really make sense? Semantically, shouldn't it be 'not to keep still...unless they are asleep'?
I'm not sure if you are recommending an additional
The nervous system of small children is not yet developed enough for them to keep still for more than a few seconds at a time unless they are asleep.
But does 'to keep still...unless they are asleep' really make sense? Semantically, shouldn't it be 'not to keep still...unless they are asleep'?
I'm not sure if you are recommending an additional
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CliveHi,
I'm not sure if you are recommending an additional 'not', or simply moving the original 'not'.
Moving the original 'not', that is. What I mean by moving is not that it has to be moved as 'yet
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Hola, Taka!0
HI,
Speaking of moving, would your example make sense if 'unless...' was moved in front of the main clause as this?
Unless he concentrates, his skill is not great enough for him to fly a planeunless he concentrates.
Yes, it's OK.
Clive
Speaking of moving, would your example make sense if 'unless...' was moved in front of the main clause as this?
Unless he concentrates, his skill is not great enough for him to fly a plane
Yes, it's OK.
Clive
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HI,
Speaking of moving, would your example make sense if 'unless...' was moved in front of the main clause as this?
Unless he concentrates, his skill is not great enough for him to fly a planeunless he concentrates.
Yes, it's OK.
Clive
Speaking of moving, would your example make sense if 'unless...' was moved in front of the main clause as this?
Unless he concentrates, his skill is not great enough for him to fly a plane
Yes, it's OK.
Clive
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OK, but going back to the sentence in question, this wouldn't make sense, or would it?
Unless they are asleep, the nervous system of small children is not yet developed enough for them to keep still for more than a few seconds at a time.
Unless they are asleep, the nervous system of small children is not yet developed enough for them to keep still for more than a few seconds at a time.
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