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Tenacious Learner Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Which is the meaning of the pronoun 'this' in the sentence?

Hi teachers,
They don’t spend much time together as a family. This can be very difficult.

Which is the meaning of the uderlined pronoun?
a) don't spend much time together
b) not spending much time together

Thanks in advance.
  

Top answer

This refers to b) not spending much time together. It's a situation that can be very difficult for someone.

— Piotrekpodgajny

  • This refers to b) not spending much time together.
  • It's a situation that can be very difficult for someone.
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13 Answers
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This refers to b) not spending much time together. It's a situation that can be very difficult for someone.
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Hi piotrekpodgajny,
Thank you for your reply.
I suspected that. But since every pronoun must have a clear antecedent. How come we don't include the auxliary 'don't in that case?

TS
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Thinking SpainHi teachers,They don’t spend much time together as a family. This can be very difficult.Which is the meaning of the uderlined pronoun?a) don't spend much time togetherb) not spending much time togetherThanks in advance.
Neither. It's the entire previous sentence.
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"Don't" typically goes with a person and a verb - I don't do something, you don't do something, we don't, they don't...

"This" refers to a situation or an object or a person or a state.

"Not spending much time" is a phrase that you can treat as a situation, or a state, whereas "don't spend" refers to an action, a verb.

This can be very difficult. What can be very difficu
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enoonThinking SpainHi teachers,They don’t spend much time together as a family. This can be very difficult.Which is the meaning of the uderlined pronoun?a) don't spend much time togetherb) not spending much time togetherThanks in advance.Neither. It's the entire previous sentence.
You're right, but "not spending much time together" (in fact, to be exact, "THEI
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piotrekpodgajny enoonThinking SpainHi teachers,They don’t spend much time together as a family. This can be very difficult.Which is the meaning of the uderlined pronoun?a) don't spend much time togetherb) not spending much time togetherThanks in advance.Neither. It's the entire previous sentence.You're right, but "not spending much time together" (in fact, to be exact, "T
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(in fact, to be exact, "THEIR not spending)

Hello,
I am sorry to barge in but I am a bit confused as to why did you use their and not they are? Are you referring to the possessive form? (as in "don't mind my asking") I have a little bit of a hard time with these and am not always sure where to use them.
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enoonNeither. It's the entire previous sentence.
Hi ennon,
Thank you for your reply.

They don’t spend much time together as a family. This can be very difficult.
I undertand that 'this' refers to the previous sentence. But then, what can be very difficult?
a) Spending much time together as a family.
b) Not spending much t
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Ok, you're right and I'm sorry - THIS refers to the entire previous sentence.
Thinking SpainBut then, what can be very difficult?
Based on the context, I assume that not spending much time together can be very difficult. For whom? For the whole family, for a particular member of the family or for some other person.
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Hi piotrekpodgajny,
Thank you for your reply once again.

TS
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