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ESL forum >
Grammar and Linguistics > verb followed by subordiante
verb followed by subordiante
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Aldegunde
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verb followed by subordiante
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Hi everybody!
I need your help to clarify a doubt. Is it right to say "children love that old people pay attention to them" or should it be "children love old people to pay attention to them"?
Thanks in advance. |
3 Jun 2010
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banska bystrica
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Hello,
I think the first sentence is ok "children love that old people pay attention to them" ... But I would also say " children love (it) when old people pay attention to them" or "children love old people paying attention to them"
But maybe somebody has better ideas, we will see :)
zuzana
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3 Jun 2010
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magneto
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Your sentence sounds ok... But I think Zuzana �s suggestions were even better, especially this one: " children love (it) when old people pay attention to them"
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3 Jun 2010
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Jayho
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All three are fine - there are many acceptable ways of saying the same thing |
3 Jun 2010
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alien boy
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They are all ways of saying almost identical things.
The only real differences are
(1) "children love that old people pay attention to them" - the old people don �t have to be actually paying attention at that time for the children to be enjoying it... it can be in anticipation or as a feeling of satisfaction/pleasure in the knowledge that old people will & do pay attention to them.
whereas (2）"children love (it) when old people pay attention to them" & (3) "children love old people paying attention to them" have the enjoyment firmly attached to the attention as it is happening (semantically, at least).
Sorry to split hairs!
Cheers, AB |
3 Jun 2010
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Pearler
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Hi Aldegunde,
in fact what you �re doing is directly translating from the Spanish subjunctive:
"a los ni�os les encanta que los mayores les presten atenci�n" - something that Spanish people do very often. Although the first sentence is not gramatically incorrect, the second option is more natural in everyday English.
In fact, the best option would be to use the -ing form:
Children love old people paying attention to them,
or to change the form a little:
Children love it when old people pay attention to them.
Think about the phrases: "I love it when you do that" or "I love it when that happens"
Or George Peppard �s catchphrase from the "A Team" :
"I love it when a plan comes together." All children of the �80s should remmeber that!
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3 Jun 2010
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for me and
for you, AB