Anonymous  +  804179 Fri, 03 Jul 09 09:15 AM I saw this sentence today: [STRIKE]Odd sense of fairness, these kids![/STRIKE] That is obviously a part of the whole "these kids have got a stupid sense fairness". I was just wondering if there are any restrictions upon transformations of the "these + noun + have a" type. For example, how do these sound? 1. these patients have a normal menstrual history and are of proved fertility >>> normal menstrual history and (are) of proved fertility, these patients 2. these guys have a shot in being the BEST dancers of all time >>> have a shot in being the BEST dancers of all time, these guys 3. most of these patients have a coarctation >>> have a coarctation, most of these patients 4. These discus have a distinctive pattern of fine lines and dots on their gill plates >>> have a distinctive pattern of fine lines and dots on their gill plates, these discus 5. the new model has a global positioning system >>> a global positioning system, the new model has Anonymous Nouns, Sentences

	MrPedantic  +  805073 Fri, 03 Jul 09 11:36 PM Your examples do not follow the structure of the original, M.   Also, you should distinguish between different kinds of "having", and whether that "having" reflects a temporary or longer-term state.   MrP   MrPedantic Joined on Tue, Oct 12 2004 Veteran Member 13,616 ...opella forensis / adducit febris... Nouns

	MrPedantic  +  805113 Sat, 04 Jul 09 12:02 AM The original example does not contain a verb; your examples 1 to 5 do contain a verb.   Thus you have not replicated the original structure.   MrP MrPedantic Nouns

	Yankee  +  806157 Sat, 04 Jul 09 05:45 PM How about this: Pass the test, Mary will -- doesn't study, unless. Yankee Joined on Sat, Apr 15 2006 Connecticut, USA Veteran Member 6,406 Amy "You can't depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus." - Mark Twain Nouns

	MrPedantic  +  806435 Sat, 04 Jul 09 10:31 PM Anonymous “ How does that relate to transformations of "these + noun + have a"? ”     Metathreadistically.   MrP MrPedantic Nouns