ESL General English Grammar Questions

Re: Sentence structures: How flexible?

CalifJim — Thu, 29 May 2008 01:30:39 GMT

Which one is the recommended way to form sentences? Or all of them?

a) I was at the movies yesterday watching the newest Indiana Jones. Yes.

b) I was at the movies yesterday and watching the newest Indiana Jones. No. You can't connect two different usages of was with and. (was where and was doing.) You have to repeat the auxiliary was. b) is like saying "She went away in a Cadillac and a bad mood."

c) I was watching the newest Indiana Jones at the movies yesterday. Yes.

_______

But note that a) does not have the verb phrase was watching. It's two separate clauses, the second a participial construction. The verb phrase of a clause cannot be separated by phrases like at the movies yesterday.

-- Where were you yesterday?

-- I was at the movies yesterday.

-- What were you doing there?

-- Watching the newest Indiana Jones.

Thus: I was at the movies yesterday. || (I was) watching the newest Indiana Jones (there).

In c) the emphasis is different:

What were you doing yesterday?

I was watching the newest Indiana Jones at the movies (yesterday).

a) is essentially about where you were. What you were doing is incidental added information. c) is essentially about what you were doing. Where you were is incidental added information.

Re: Sentence structures: How flexible?

EagerSeeker — Wed, 28 May 2008 21:18:26 GMT

Goodman

a) I was (at) the movies yesterday for the newest Indiana Jones. (sequel).
It'd be more natural to word it this way for the intended meaning: I went to the theater to see the newest Indiana Jones sequel.
Or
b) I was (at the theater) ~~in the movies~~ yesterday ~~and~~ ~~watching~~ to see the newest Indiana Jones sequel.

c) I was watching the newest Indiana Jones in the ~~movies~~ (theater) yesterday. -#3 is a combination of A and B; it's not very fluent in my opinion

Hey, nice to see other alternatives. But are you suggesting that I should avoid using the "watching" and rather use the "for" and "to see"?

In my country (Finland) I would like to think a little bit differently and use the following sentences (though I understand your suggestions very well):

a) I was at the movies yesterday watching the newest Indiana Jones.

b) I was watching the newest Indiana Jones at the movies yesterday.

But are we now talking about idiomatic English?, In other words, the a and b are not idiomatic English but it is not a big deal?

Re: Sentence structures: How flexible?

Clive — Wed, 28 May 2008 04:30:59 GMT

Hi guys,

In casual, everyday speech, you don't need to add the word 'sequel'.

Best wishes, Clive

Re: Sentence structures: How flexible?

Goodman — Tue, 27 May 2008 21:07:21 GMT

EagerSeeker

Hi everybody!

I have been wondering lately how flexibly I can speak English.

Can I separate "was" and "..ing" like I have done in the option a and b and still mean the same thing like in the option c (was watching)?

Which one is the recommended way to form sentences? Or all of them?

Thanks

EagerSeeker

a) I was (at) the movies yesterday for the newest Indiana Jones. (sequel).
It'd be more natural to word it this way for the intended meaning: I went to the theater to see the newest Indiana Jones sequel.
Or
b) I was (at the theater) ~~in the movies~~ yesterday ~~and~~ ~~watching~~ to see the newest Indiana Jones sequel.

c) I was watching the newest Indiana Jones in the ~~movies~~ (theater) yesterday. -#3 is a combination of A and B; it's not very fluent in my opinion

Re: Sentence structures: How flexible?

EagerSeeker — Tue, 27 May 2008 21:03:48 GMT

Thanks for advice!

I forgot the difference between at and in when the context is different (I guess you can use in when saying "I've always wanted to work in the movies").

But I didn't understand the difference between the newest and the latest. Don't they mean the same thing? Can you explain, please?

Re: Sentence structures: How flexible?

optilang — Tue, 27 May 2008 20:12:11 GMT

a) I was in the movies yesterday watching the newest Indiana Jones.

c) I was watching the newest Indiana Jones in the movies yesterday.

These two seem ok to me, but I would say I was at the movies/ at the cinema ........... watching the latest Indiana Jones film

Sentence structures: How flexible?

EagerSeeker — Tue, 27 May 2008 20:05:55 GMT

Hi everybody!

I have been wondering lately how flexibly I can speak English.

Can I separate "was" and "..ing" like I have done in the option a and b and still mean the same thing like in the option c (was watching)?

Which one is the recommended way to form sentences? Or all of them?

a) I was in the movies yesterday watching the newest Indiana Jones.

b) I was in the movies yesterday and watching the newest Indiana Jones.

c) I was watching the newest Indiana Jones in the movies yesterday.

Thanks