0
Hans51 Posted 10 years ago
Grammar

', with participle constructions'

This summer's heatwave doesn't want to quit. Korea has to endure another scorching day today, with the entire nation under special advisories for the second straight day.

I have learned that when there is a comma in front of 'with', the meaning of 'with participle constructions' is the same as ', and clauses' like

The young couple already have a child, with another on its way.
=The young couple already have a child, and another child is on its way.

However, I can see many sentence with ', with participle constructions' meaning others like the example above.

I think that the meaning of ', with the entire nation under special advisories for the second straight day' is the same as 'as he entire nation is under special advisories for the second straight day' meaning a reason, not the meaning of 'and'.

So I have a question.

Do you think that a comma in front of 'with participle constructions' is always interpreted as a meaning of the conjunction and?

Or the comma is optional and there can be another interpretation in ', with participle constructions'?

What do you native English speakers think?

Thank you so much as usual in advance.
  

Top answer

The comma normally does not make an important difference to the meaning. It can be included or omitted for readability or style reasons, or personal preference. This kind of "with" is used to show connection or association between two things.

— GPY

  • The comma normally does not make an important difference to the meaning.
  • It can be included or omitted for readability or style reasons, or personal preference.
  • This kind of "with" is used to show connection or association between two things.
  • Typically the association can be a bit closer or more specific than "and" would imply.
  • The type of association and the extent to which cause and effect is suggested is context-dependent.
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

7 Answers
0
The comma normally does not make an important difference to the meaning. It can be included or omitted for readability or style reasons, or personal preference. This kind of "with" is used to show connection or association between two things. Typically the association can be a bit closer or more specific than "and" would imply. The type of association and the extent to which cause and effect is su
0
0
Thank you so much as usual and you have solved my long-time trouble! And if you do not mind, I would like you to let me know what the 'with' in the sentence means because in my language, it is interpreted closely as 'cause and effect'. So can I just say that 'with' here implies (is this word correct here?) and shows connection? What do you think?

Thank you so much as usual!
0
0
If I rewrite the with participle construction, which conjunction is natural to use, while, when, and, etc?

, with the entire nation under special advisories for the second straight day.

And / while / when he entire nation is under special advisories for the second straight day.

I am really sorry about dragging this question out.
0
0
Hans51So can I just say that 'with' here implies (is this word correct here?) and shows connection? What do you think?
Connection or association, often implying that two things happen at the same time and are connected in some way.
Hans51If I rewrite the with participle construction, which conjunction is natural to use, while, wh
0
0
GPYI would say that none of those alternatives exactly captures the meaning of the original.
Great! Thank you so much!

And then, do they not exactly capture the same meaning, either?

Do not talk with your mouth full.
-> Do not talk while your mouth is full. (with -> while)
0
0
Hans51Do not talk with your mouth full.-> Do not talk while your mouth is full. (with -> while)
These are pretty similar.

If we look at your first example:

This summer's heatwave doesn't want to quit. Korea has to endure another scorching day today, while the entire nation is under special advisories for the seco
0
0
Hans51Do not talk with your mouth full.-> Do not talk while your mouth is full. (with -> while)
I forgot to say also that this use of "with" is not exactly comparable with the first example. "with your mouth full" is really adverbial modifying "talk". A comma is not possible here (you can't write "Do not talk, with your mouth full").
0

Related Questions