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Old Man Gordon Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
What does this sentence mean?
When you read the following, please tell me your initial thoughts before deeply analyzing it.
"As I approached the building I heard a sound like the wheels of a car turning very fast."
What was turning, the wheels or the car?
"As I approached the building I heard a sound like the wheels of a car turning very fast."
What was turning, the wheels or the car?
Top answer
Without too much thinking.. the car
- Without too much thinking..
- the car
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13 Answers
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The wheels. I associate turning more with wheels than with car, even though both can turn.
To force the other meaning upon me, the writer would need something like:
... a sound like the wheels of a car [screeching / skidding] around a corner.
CJ
To force the other meaning upon me, the writer would need something like:
... a sound like the wheels of a car [screeching / skidding] around a corner.
CJ
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Thanks for all the responses.
Technically, now, should the participle 'turning' modify car since it is the first preceding noun? I know this is not a hard and fast rule, but a general principle. Also, does the fact that 'of a car' is a prepositional phrase modifying 'wheels' affect that principle?
I have read this story many times with my students, It is a getaway scene, an
Technically, now, should the participle 'turning' modify car since it is the first preceding noun? I know this is not a hard and fast rule, but a general principle. Also, does the fact that 'of a car' is a prepositional phrase modifying 'wheels' affect that principle?
I have read this story many times with my students, It is a getaway scene, an
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