Who is vs. being vs. as

Question

Hi,I was wondering if you could please help me with my questions below.  Thank you.A.  I, who is a non-native speaker, want to learn English.B.  I, being a non-native speaker, want to learn English.C.  I, as a non-native speaker, wnat to learn English.1.  Which sentences above are grammatically correct?2.  Is there any difference among them?3.  Is the comma (,) after 'I' necessary in each sentence above?D.  It was I, who hid your ID card.E.  It was me, who hid your ID card.4.  Which of the above is correct?5.  Is the comma (,) necessary after 'I' and 'me'?

Cool Breeze · Accepted Answer

What is your opinion?

CB

Anonymous · Answer

Hi CB,

To me, I think all sentences are grammatically correct, and the comma (,) is necessary in each sentence. I'm not sure about this, though, especially with the difference in meaning.

Also, between D and E, D is more acceptable in formal writing, but E is common in informal speech.

Please advise on each of my questions. I really need guidance. Thank you.

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousA. I, who is am a non-native speaker, want to learn English.
B. I, being a non-native speaker, want to learn English.
C. I, as a non-native speaker, ~~wnat~~ want to learn English.

None of these are idiomatic English, though all are grammatically correct as modified. The commas are necessary. This is better:

I am a non-native speaker, and I want to learn English.

AnonymousD. It was I, who hid your ID card.
E. It was me, who hid your ID card.

You should remove the commas. Neither of these is idiomatic English. Say:

I am the one who hid your ID card.

For further details on cleft sentence structure, see .

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

Thanks so much, CJ, for your explanations and for the link as well. Your suggested sentences are much better.

Just a question: even though my versions are not idiomatic, what is the difference in meaning among my first 3 sentences?

CalifJim · Answer

Anonymouseven though my versions are not idiomatic, what is the difference in meaning among my first 3 sentences?

There is no point in discussing the meaning of unidiomatic sentences. Why would you want to know the meanings of sentences that no one uses?

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

CalifJimThere is no point in discussing the meaning of unidiomatic sentences. Why would you want to know the meanings of sentences that no one uses?

You're absolutely correct. Sorry about that. I've come up with similar sentences below instead so I can ask about their difference. If you could please advise. Thanks.

A. I didn't realize I was playing the game with myself, who is an avid Wii gamer.

B. I didn't realize I was playing the game with myself, being an avid Wii gamer.
C. I didn't realize I was playing the game with myself, as an avid Wii gamer.

1. What is the difference in meaning among the sentences above?
2. Again, is the comma (,) necessary in each sentence?

3. If the sentences above are still unidiomatic, could you please give idiomatic examples of 'who is', 'being', and 'as' with a similar usage as above? I'm really interested in how they are different in meaning.

Thanks so much in advance for your assistance.

Anonymous · Answer

AnonymousA. I didn't realize I was playing the game with myself, who is an avid Wii gamer.
B. I didn't realize I was playing the game with myself, being an avid Wii gamer.
C. I didn't realize I was playing the game with myself, as an avid Wii gamer.

Your first problem is that you've got the modifier way too far away from the word it modifies. Should be:

I, who am an avid Wii gamer,....
I, being an avid Wii gamer,....
I, as an avid Wii gamer,....

Your second problem is that you are trying to squeeze too many ideas into your main clause.

I didn't realize I was playing the game with myself, and I/even though I am an avid gamer.

Your third problem is that you sentences don't make sense. Okay, I admit it, I've never used a Wii. Can you really be playing a game with yourself and not realize it?

Now, to answer your question....

Who am an avid Wii gamer is a non-restrictive adverb clause. We use non-restrictive clauses to add interesting but non- essential information about something, in this case about "I." You can remove a non-restrictive clause from a sentence without changing the basic meaning of the sentence.

Being an avid... is a participial phrase. As an avid... is a prepositional phrase. Both phrases tell us that you are speaking in the capacity of an avid Wii gamer and that it is important to your meaning that you are an avid Wii gamer, but you seem to have it backwards.

I would expect either:

Being a/ as an avid gamer, I soon realized that I was playing the game with myself.
or
In spite of being an avid gamer, I didn't realize that I was playing the game with myself.

Let me try some:

My mother, who was a stickler for cleanliness, always insisted that the maid clean the floors on her hands and knees.

My mother, being a stickler for cleanliness, always insisted that the maid clean the floors on her hands and knees.

My mother, as a stickler for cleanliness, always insisted that the maid clean the floors on her hands and knees.

I don't see a big difference between the three.

Who was seems like something I could leave out of the sentence without changing it too much. It seems more like comment on my mother than a comment on the whole sentence.

Being a suggests more of a cause and effect relationship between the two ideas. In other words, my mother insisted... because she was a stickler....

As a also suggests cause and effect, but there is a subtle difference between the two. When you say being you are talking about someone's essential character, what they are.
When you say as, you are talking about a role someone in playing.

Being a mother, I worry about my children all the time.

(I'm a mother. I can't help but worry about my children. That's what mothers do.)

As a mother, I feel that I need to set a good example for my children.

(I'm a mother. I have decided that I want to set the best example for my children that I can so that they will grow up to be good,happy, successful adults.)

The Linguist

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you so much, the Linguist. I have learned so much from your examples and detailed explanations. They were really helpful. I couldn't think of any more questions because you've already adressed everything I needed to know.

AnonymousOkay, I admit it, I've never used a Wii. Can you really be playing a game with yourself and not realize it?

I just thought up the sentences, and as a matter of fact, I only used Wii once.

Again, thank you for your assistance. I really appreciate it.

Who is vs. being vs. as

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