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Englishuser Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
Which sentence?
Please take a look at the sentences below:
1. But even they seem to have noticed that, unless careful plans are made well in advance, what seemed a natural choice, soon will be a dream.
2. But even they seem to have noticed that, unless careful plans are made well in advance, what seemed a natural choice, soon becomes a dream.
Which sentence do you prefer and why?
1. But even they seem to have noticed that, unless careful plans are made well in advance, what seemed a natural choice, soon will be a dream.
2. But even they seem to have noticed that, unless careful plans are made well in advance, what seemed a natural choice, soon becomes a dream.
Which sentence do you prefer and why?
Top answer
b. 'Soon will be a' is not as close to the intended meaning as 'soon becomes a'. Becomes means a change from one state to another.
- b.
- 'Soon will be a' is not as close to the intended meaning as 'soon becomes a'.
- Becomes means a change from one state to another.
- 'be a' doesn't have that meaning.
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4 Answers
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b.
'Soon will be a' is not as close to the intended meaning as 'soon becomes a'. Becomes means a change from one state to another. 'be a' doesn't have that meaning.
'Soon will be a' is not as close to the intended meaning as 'soon becomes a'. Becomes means a change from one state to another. 'be a' doesn't have that meaning.
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I would drop the comma before 'soon'.
I like 'will be' more here. What seemed a natural choice will be a dream some time later in future.
I would have used SP (becomes) here if I had spoken in general.
I like 'will be' more here. What seemed a natural choice will be a dream some time later in future.
I would have used SP (becomes) here if I had spoken in general.
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Hi Nona the Brit and Inchoateknowledge,
And thank you for replying me. Sentence 2 is ungrammatical. Why?
And thank you for replying me. Sentence 2 is ungrammatical. Why?
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what seemed a natural choice is the subject.
It is incorrect to separate the subject from the predicate with a comma.
Secondly, seemed is past tense, and becomes is present. This is jarring to some, but not incorrect.
With no implication that these are the only correct phrasings, I would use these versions:
... what seemed a natural choice
It is incorrect to separate the subject from the predicate with a comma.
Secondly, seemed is past tense, and becomes is present. This is jarring to some, but not incorrect.
With no implication that these are the only correct phrasings, I would use these versions:
... what seemed a natural choice
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