0

I'm reading news on the web and having couple of questions on these two sentences:

  1. All this despite being a vocal critic of sitting presidents taking vacations.
  2. Working in Bedminster, N.J., as long planned construction is being done at the White House. This is not a vacation – meetings and calls!

Q1: I can not parse the sentence 1, because I can't identify the verb there.

Q2: Is "as long" a set phrase or it's short for "as long as"? I just can't find this usage from any web search.

For detail context, refer to here:https://www.yahoo.com/style/donald-trump-takes-break-crash-wedding-17-day-working-vacation-170040014.html

1
  • Note that we do not speak of a news. News, uncountable, is the content of what you are reading, which is an article or story. Aug 7, 2017 at 3:12

1 Answer 1

1

Q1:

This is an ellipsis. It only makes sense when combined with he previous text so that we know what was done and who was the vocal critic. It can be read to mean "[He did] all this despite being ... "

Q2:

It should have read " ... as long-planned construction...". The construction has been planned for a long time.

The "as" in sentence 2 can be understood to mean "because". "Working in Bedminster, N.J., because long-planned construction is being done at the White House."

2
  • what about "as long" in "The debate will surely continue as long he is in office."?
    – dan
    Aug 7, 2017 at 3:35
  • He could have written "as long as planned construction is being done ..." but this would mean that he was going to stay in Bedminster until the construction was finished.
    – smatterer
    Aug 7, 2017 at 3:47

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .