Questions tagged [subjects]
For questions about determining the subject of a sentence or clause
22
questions
17
votes
3answers
5k views
What exactly is the word “there” in an existential construction? And related questions
Consider the example below:
"There was a cat under the table."
There have been numerous questions asked that have involved the topic of existential constructions and the word "there" that is used ...
3
votes
3answers
2k views
“None is” or “none are”
I was asked if the following sentences will create problems and what are the assumptions I have to make:
(d) There are grammarians in the room but none of them is an American.
(e) There are ...
5
votes
3answers
2k views
Tom is taller than I?
In this question, in one of the comment threads the following was stated
Tom is taller than me" or "Tom is taller than I am" — both are correct. "Tom is taller than I" is WRONG` (link)
Which I'...
2
votes
3answers
384 views
Object/subject question
Given the sentence:
I gave Tom a cup.
I can say, that
I is the subject.
But what is object here:
"Tom" or "a cup"
?
7
votes
1answer
2k views
How do I use the auxiliary “do” in questions?
Consider these two sentences:
Who left the door open?
and
Who do you want to speak to?
In the first question auxiliary do cannot normally be used, but in the latter question it can. Why is ...
6
votes
5answers
3k views
Omitting 'that' in this sentence
There is so much (that) is at stake for many.
Can we omit 'that' in this sentence?
2
votes
1answer
189 views
Is there subject missing in as-clause?
Perhaps my favourite thought in the book - certainly the one that resonates with me most - is the passage where Anne talks of longing to have a dress with puffed sleeves, a desire which, of course, ...
3
votes
1answer
511 views
Why no subject after “as”?
Please correct me, but does as function as a conjunction here? I already tried i, ii, and iii.
Page 3: In any event it might be said that Hart ‘won’ the debate in the sense that it was his
infl ...
2
votes
1answer
7k views
Missed who vs. Missed whom?
I play online multiplayer game clash of clan. Two native English speakers were talking with each other. The first one showed(appeared?) after some days, and then the other person said:
Missed who ...
2
votes
2answers
338 views
subject-verb agreement problem
Example with a context (How Putin could lose power):
However, the very fact that the West and those Russians in the know were alarmed, and that even the Kremlin apparatus seemed clumsy and unsure ...
1
vote
2answers
69 views
Can you explain which word is connected to the word 'left'? What is the grammatical construct of the bold?
I am trying to understand the bold part of this quote from "Sky-high house prices in the most desirable cities are holding back growth and jobs":
As transport costs started to fall at the beginning ...
1
vote
4answers
389 views
Are these Dummy subjects?
Are these Dummy subjects?
It was nice to see him
It's obvious that in this sentence "It" is a dummy subject and the sentence can be reconstructed as "To see him was nice".
But what about this:
It ...
0
votes
2answers
52 views
What is the subject of “helping” in this sentence?
Researchers suspect that early exposure to pets carrying bacteria on their fur may encourage the proper functioning of the immune system, helping it to attack only harmful things.
I'm really confused ...
7
votes
4answers
1k views
Can anyone explain to me the subject and object in this sentence?
I was reading about pronouns and found this rule which I don't get at all.
The pronouns who, that, and which become singular or plural depending on the subject. If the subject is singular, use a ...
3
votes
3answers
1k views
Why place “both” and “all” after an auxiliary verb such as “have”?
(1) We both/all have seen the movie.
(2) Both/All of us have seen the movie.
(3) We have both/all seen the movie.
It seems that "both" and "all" are part of the subject in (1) and (2), but ...
3
votes
1answer
400 views
“Number” or “numbers”?
Is there a difference between using "number" and "numbers" when referring to multiple numbers?
For example, when calling a merchant to inquire about multiple orders, should I say:
I need RMAs for ...
5
votes
3answers
30k views
'Yours and mine' or 'Your and my'?
I'm pretty clear about using subject or object version of pronouns.
While writing a line, I naturally wrote it in this way -
Your and my grandparents had grown listening to this piece of music.
But ...
3
votes
1answer
65 views
What's the grammar of “Me, Benjamin Clawhauser, … stereotyping you”?
"Zootopia" around 00:14:04/01:48:32
Benjamin Clawhauser: O.M. Goodness... They really did hire a bunny. [Laughs] What!? I gotta tell you, you are even cuter than I thought you'd be!
Judy Hopps:...
4
votes
1answer
389 views
Is it OK to have a participle clause with a different subject, like “While chatting, my phone rang suddenly”?
While chatting, my phone rang suddenly.
In the sentence, the subject of the participle clause is different from that of the main clause. I'd like to know whether it is grammatical.
3
votes
1answer
461 views
“Comparing these stories is/are lazy”: “is lazy” or “are lazy”?
Am I talking about the gerund or the stories? Should I use is or are after the word lazy?
2
votes
2answers
119 views
When to use I vs me
For a while, I had thought that if you are including yourself in a sentence with another subject, you always use I.
John and I are going to the movies tonight.
However, I heard today that you need ...
0
votes
1answer
638 views
correct usage of clauses referring to subject and object
I have a doubt on my construction. Here is my original idea. i have written it in 2 sentences.
Outer bounds are fixed using method A. Method A leads to a closed
polygon having preserved their ...
