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Help! A choice.

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chenyj  #103827  Sun, 29 May 05 03:36 PM
---what do you think _ he _ the computer?
---Sorry, I have no idea.
a. /, bought b. has; bought c. did; buy d. had; bought


Which one to choose?
  
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Amandine  #103837  Sun, 29 May 05 06:03 PM
I would say choice a
What do you think he bought the computer?
if you use the other choices, you will have 2 structures of interrogation in the same question
the first one, what do you think
the second one, "has he bought", or "did he buy", or "had he bought"
and you can't have 2 forms of interrogations in the same question
  
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temico  #103863  Sun, 29 May 05 11:09 PM
To Amandine,

Are you certain that "What do you think he bought the computer?" is correct? Shouldn't it be, "WHY do you think he bought the computer FOR?"??
  
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MrPedantic  #103871  Sun, 29 May 05 11:34 PM
1. What do you think he bought the computer? ] This suggests he bought something to give to the computer, as a present. Not possible! Though you could say:

1a. What do you think – he bought the computer!

However, this doesn't fit the context.

2. What do you think has he bought the computer? ] This would only be possible if repunctuated: What do you think – has he bought the computer?

3. What do you think did he buy the computer? ] Ditto: 'What do you think – did he buy the computer?'

4. What do you think had he bought the computer? ] Not possible, even if repunctuated.

5. Why do you think he bought the computer for? ] Not possible; change to 'What do you think he bought the computer for?' or 'Why do you think he bought the computer?'

So as the question stands, 2 and 3 are both possible, if the sentence is repunctuated.

MrP
  
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temico  #104135  Mon, 30 May 05 10:14 PM
To MrP,

How about these two sentences,

i) "Why do you think his mother came to the school for?"
ii) "Why do you think his mother came to the school for, if not to complain to the headmaster?"

Are they incorrect sentences?
  
MrPedantic  #104142  Mon, 30 May 05 11:12 PM
Hello Temico

Yes; in standard English, you would have to say either 'why do you think she came to the school', or 'what do you think she came to the school for'.

(Though no doubt there are dialects where 'why...for?' is permissible!)

MrP
  
temico  #104159  Tue, 31 May 05 12:27 AM
Thanks again MrP. I have heard native English speakers(workers) say it countless times, "Why do you think they are going to Bangkok for, if not for the girlies!"
  
rwiles  #104250  Tue, 31 May 05 10:09 AM
"Why do you think they are going to Bangkok, if not for the girlies?"

or

"What do you think they are going to Bangkok for, if not for the girlies?"

would seem more likely.

(Obviously you've heard your colleagues so I'm not doubting what they've said, but the above two variations are the way a native BrE speaker would phrase the sentence).

  
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chenyj  #104879  Thu, 02 Jun 05 08:07 AM
How about
who do you think is the best student in our school?
Can't we consider "do you think" as insert?
  
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