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This question is Not Answered
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Roro
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98050
Tue, 10 May 05 02:52 PM
Hello, everyone !
Having read through several articles about the word in my dictionaries, I composed following sentences:
X prefers to sleep.
X prefers to be sleeping.
X prefers Y to sleep. (or... "X prefers for Y to sleep" is more common ?)
X prefers Y to be sleeping.
X prefers that Y sleeps.
X prefers that Y is sleeping.
Then I tried to find real, un-artificial examples online, but it was not so easy. So... would you please tell me whether they all are grammatically correct ? According to my dictionaries, they should be.... but I'm not sure, because they are merely my aritificial constructions.
please help me?
Joined on
Mon, Apr 11 2005
Regular Member
581
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MrPedantic
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98151
Wed, 11 May 05 12:16 AM
Hello Roro
X prefers to sleep.
X prefers to be sleeping.*
— These are fine.
X prefers Y to sleep.
X prefers Y to be sleeping.*
— These are fine, if unusual.
X prefers that Y sleeps.
X prefers that Y is sleeping.*
— These too are fine; though you might also hear or read:
X prefers that Y sleep.
X prefers that Y be sleeping.*
(These are subjunctive forms.)
In those I've marked *, 'to be asleep' would probably be more usual than 'to be sleeping'.
MrP
Joined on
Tue, Oct 12 2004
Veteran Member
12,592
...opella forensis / adducit febris...
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Roro
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98176
Wed, 11 May 05 03:12 AM
Hello, MrPedantic ! I needed such a confirmation as your's. You've given me exactly what I needed.
A million thanks for your help. I send you my best wishes! Roro
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