Welcome to
ESL Printables, the website where English Language teachers exchange resources: worksheets, lesson plans,  activities, etc.
Our collection is growing every day with the help of many teachers. If you want to download you have to send your own contributions.

 


 

 

 

ESL Forum:

Techniques and methods in Language Teaching

Games, activities and teaching ideas

Grammar and Linguistics

Teaching material

Concerning worksheets

Concerning powerpoints

Concerning online exercises

Make suggestions, report errors

Ask for help

Message board

 

ESL forum > Ask for help > Is it correct?    

Is it correct?



t.javanshir
Australia

Is it correct?
 
Can "when encountered" be correct in this sentence?

Members of the public are therefore advised to exercise extreme caution when encountered these individuals. 

I was making a test and was wondering if I could include when encountered as an incorrect alternative. The original sentence was this:

Members of the public are therefore advised to exercise extreme caution if encountering these individuals. 

what about "as encounter"?

13 Jul 2011      





jasmine khan
Pakistan


Hi!

I don �t think it �s correct because in this sentence �encounter � refers to something/ an action that may happen more than once, generally, often or repeatedly n we use use present form of the verb in such a case while past form of the verb  is used to refer to an action  completed in the past n is often done once not  repeatedly or more than once. So to me "when encountered" in this context seems incorrect ,the correct version would be when encounter.

 Regards
 Jasmine

13 Jul 2011     



lshorton99
China

Hi!

I �m sorry to tell you that �when encountered � �as encounter � and �when encounter � would not be correct in this case.

Jasmine makes some good points in that it is an action that may happen more than once but we can �t use a simple present tense here because the original sentence �if encountering � is a particple clause. We cannot use a past participle because this is something which is true in the present.

Another note is that, in this case, �if � and �when � change the meaning slightly. �If � suggests nothing more than a possibility whereas �when � implies that these people are likely to be encountered at some point. �As encounter � - I can �t see any way in which this makes sense - sorry!

The sentence can be rewritten in one of the following ways:

�Members of the public are therefore advised to exercise extreme caution upon encountering these individuals. � ( �upon � would also change the meaning slightly)

�Members of the public are therefore advised to exercise extreme caution should they encounter these individuals. � (using �should � and an inversion allows a verb form to follow)

�Members of the public are therefore advised to exercise extreme caution if they encounter these individuals. � (the participle clause is replaced by the less complex subject verb form)

�Memebers of the public are therefore advised to exercise extreme caution should/if these individuals be encountered. � (the only way a past participle can be used is as part of a passive verb form).

I hope that helps!

Lindsey


13 Jul 2011     



douglas
United States

Yes, "When encountered" can be used as an INCORRECT answer in this sentence.

13 Jul 2011