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Grammar and Linguistics > This is Tom and that is Mark
This is Tom and that is Mark
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angela#anaconda
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This is Tom and that is Mark
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Hi guys!
Once again, English grammar finds me puzzled...
In one of my textbooks, its is clearly said that when you have to introduce two people, you must say:
This is Tom, and that is Mark ( or That �s Mark of course!)
It seems to me that the most natural way to introduce two people is to say: This is Tom and this is Mark, considering that the two people are side by side. Of course if Tom is next to me and Mark is over there I would say "This is Tom and that �s Mark".
But what if Tom and Mark are side by side?
Thanks for your answer and to all the people who have answered my questions before!
Anne |
14 Nov 2009
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eng789
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I think they are both okay, but I agree with you that using this for both sounds better when they are side by side. |
14 Nov 2009
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alien boy
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you could always say �This is Tom and Mark �, using appropriate gestures, of course!
Also, always remember textbooks cannot provide perfect, everyday, typical English. the examples they provide are often contrived in order to illustrate a specific grammar point that is the focus of that section. Native, natural language is often vastly different to formal language & �grammatically incorrect � if you believe in prescriptive grammar as being �the only right way to use English �!
Cheers,
AB
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14 Nov 2009
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natalli
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In my opinion, in such a case the word "that" doesn �t mean that the second person is farther than the first one. You just differentiate them by order (the 1st one is Tom and the second one is Mark) and that makes you use two different pronouns. But nevertheless it �s not a point of principle. It �s a language in all its diversity! ) |
14 Nov 2009
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