Grammar question - Page 3

Shawnee123 · 06-17-2010, 12:50 PM

Or even subjunctive mood.

Cloud · 06-17-2010, 12:54 PM

"subjunctive" yep. a bit subjective if you ask me . . .

Shawnee123 · 06-17-2010, 12:56 PM

It made me tense.

squirell nutkin · 06-17-2010, 01:35 PM

Them there afferdavids was the only evidense

squirell nutkin · 06-17-2010, 01:40 PM

And now a joke:
A businessman from Boston had been away from his hometown for nearly 20 years and dearly missed the local seafood. On a trip back east he landed at Logan and was no sooner in a cab when he urgently told the driver "I MUST get Scrod!"
The cabbie turned to look at the man and said, "I've heard it said a lot of ways but never in the Past Pluperfect Subjunctive."

Cloud · 06-17-2010, 01:48 PM

(lafs). and THAT is why we all love the English language so much!

squirell nutkin · 06-17-2010, 02:18 PM

But seriously, you can change the order of the words to make it sound better:
The affidavits were the only evidence

glatt · 06-17-2010, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by squirell nutkin

But seriously, you can change the order of the words to make it sound better:
The affidavits were the only evidence

That's true when you take the sentence out of context. Having not read the document I don't know if the context is important here, but perhaps the writer wants to emphasize the word "evidence" and not "affidavits."

Cloud · 06-17-2010, 02:19 PM

Yeah, I think so. when in doubt, re-word!

Cloud · 06-17-2010, 02:42 PM

that's also a valid point

Nirvana · 06-17-2010, 03:28 PM

"The only evidence were the affidavits."

"The only thing in evidence were the affidavits."

squirell nutkin · 06-18-2010, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nirvana

"The only evidence were the affidavits."

"The only thing in evidence were the affidavits."

"The only things in evidence were the affidavits." Don't plurals have to agree?

And in other news...
Pico just got 900 hotness points for being a parsing ninja

Nirvana · 06-18-2010, 02:29 PM

I changed it once and changed it back. I was going for a modifier using evidence as an adjective

>pitches college English course grades. . .

jinx · 06-17-2010, 03:38 PM

Ooh, good point Vana.

Cloud · 06-17-2010, 03:40 PM

hmm; don't see any difference, or clarification in that. It won't work in context anyway, for our purposes.

06-17-2010, 12:50 PM	#1
Shawnee123 Why, you're a regular Alfred E Einstein, ain't ya? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 21,206	Or even subjunctive mood. __________________ A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones who need the advice. --Bill Cosby

06-17-2010, 12:54 PM	#2
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	"subjunctive" yep. a bit subjective if you ask me . . . __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

06-17-2010, 12:56 PM	#3
Shawnee123 Why, you're a regular Alfred E Einstein, ain't ya? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 21,206	It made me tense. __________________ A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones who need the advice. --Bill Cosby

06-17-2010, 01:35 PM	#4
squirell nutkin has a second hand user title Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: in a Nut House Posts: 2,017	Them there afferdavids was the only evidense __________________ And now I'm finished posting.

06-17-2010, 01:40 PM	#5
squirell nutkin has a second hand user title Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: in a Nut House Posts: 2,017	And now a joke: A businessman from Boston had been away from his hometown for nearly 20 years and dearly missed the local seafood. On a trip back east he landed at Logan and was no sooner in a cab when he urgently told the driver "I MUST get Scrod!" The cabbie turned to look at the man and said, "I've heard it said a lot of ways but never in the Past Pluperfect Subjunctive." __________________ And now I'm finished posting.

06-17-2010, 01:48 PM	#6
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	(lafs). and THAT is why we all love the English language so much! __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

06-17-2010, 02:18 PM	#7
squirell nutkin has a second hand user title Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: in a Nut House Posts: 2,017	But seriously, you can change the order of the words to make it sound better: The affidavits were the only evidence __________________ And now I'm finished posting.

06-17-2010, 02:19 PM	#9
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	Yeah, I think so. when in doubt, re-word! __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

06-17-2010, 02:42 PM	#10
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	that's also a valid point __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

06-17-2010, 03:28 PM	#11
Nirvana Back in 10 Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 3,684	"The only evidence were the affidavits." "The only thing in evidence were the affidavits." __________________ Speaking simply... do not confuse this with having a simple mind.

06-18-2010, 02:29 PM	#13
Nirvana Back in 10 Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 3,684	I changed it once and changed it back. I was going for a modifier using evidence as an adjective >pitches college English course grades. . . __________________ Speaking simply... do not confuse this with having a simple mind.

06-17-2010, 03:38 PM	#14
jinx Come on, cat. Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: general vicinity of Philadelphia area Posts: 7,013	Ooh, good point Vana. __________________ Crying won't help you, praying won't do you no good.

06-17-2010, 03:40 PM	#15
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	hmm; don't see any difference, or clarification in that. It won't work in context anyway, for our purposes. __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)