What is wrong with the following sentence (other than the obvious heartbreak): “The thing is, is John just doesn’t love me anymore” ? It’s the fake relative pronoun. A relative pronoun, obviously, is a word that begins a relative clause. In the sentence just previous to this one, the word is “that;” essentially, this pronounContinue reading “Relativism”
Tag Archives: grammar
Affirmative responses: not always so clear cut
English, though not exactly on the same context level as Chinese, can still present problematic nuances to second-language learners, even advanced ones. Consider the following possible affirmative responses (said in a fairly neutral voice) to the rather nerve-wracking request “Would you like to go out with me on Friday? To see that show? I hearContinue reading “Affirmative responses: not always so clear cut”
Done done
The meaning of this contrastive reduplication (a term I learned in Grammar 518) is that I have just submitted the final grades for my sections of English 102, at four minutes to five the Monday after final’s week. I am now finished with Grad school. This is, of course, barring complications. I don’t have myContinue reading “Done done”
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