Click here to play

hope it

   Share on Facebook  
paco2004  #143097  Thu, 29 Sep 05 11:03 PM

Hello Teachers

I have found a sentence below in an article of the Japan Times.

"Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said Thursday he could not 'predict' how much oil or gas would turn up, but added that China hopes it and Japan could explore together."

What bugs me here is the phrase 'China hopes it'. I would take the pronoun 'it' as the substitute for 'Japan could explore together'. But as far as I have learned, the verb 'hope' is commonly used as an intransitive verb (except in the case of <hope + that clause> and so we should say 'hope so' rather than 'hope it'.

Do you think the 'China hopes it' in the sentence above is natural ?

paco

  
Top 25 Contributor
Joined on Wed, Nov 17 2004
Senior Member (4,095)
In Japan today even dogs are learning how to bow-wow in English.
Clive  #143101  Thu, 29 Sep 05 11:14 PM

Hi Paco,

"Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said Thursday he could not 'predict' how much oil or gas would turn up, but added that China hopes it and Japan could explore together."

'It' here refers to 'China'. An expanded version of this sentence would be '...... but added that China hopes that it and Japan can explore this question together."

Best wishes, Clive

  
Top 10 Contributor
Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004
Canada
Veteran Member (21,095)
ModeratorTeachers
El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo
davkett  #143102  Thu, 29 Sep 05 11:18 PM
 Paco2004 wrote:

"Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said Thursday he could not 'predict' how much oil or gas would turn up, but added that China hopes it and Japan could explore together."

Hi Paco,

Let's see if I've correctly caught your concern.  'China hopes it and Japan' means China hopes China and Japan could be partners in the exploration of oil and gas [resources?].

 

(Oops, writing at the same time, Clive.)

  
Top 50 Contributor
Joined on Tue, Jun 7 2005
Pennsylvania, USA
Senior Member (2,788)
Proficient Speaker
"The rose stays fresh in its name..." -Bernard of Morlay
paco2004  #143110  Thu, 29 Sep 05 11:52 PM

Hello Clive and Dave

Thank you for the quick replies. I see! It is "China hopes China and Japan could explplore together". I completely mistook the meaning.  I should learn more. Anyway thank you so much.

paco

 

  
AddThis Feed Button RSS Feed: ESL General English Grammar Questions
© 2008 MediaCET Ltd.
Terms and Conditions & Terms of Service