ESL General English Grammar Questions

Re: Sentence dilemma

Philip — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 23:28:45 GMT

The conference had been involved in controversy for over a year before the first president arrived. [Past perfect action started before simple past action occured.]

"The number one way" should be followed by only one "way": spend time and work = two "ways".

Re: Sentence dilemma

yizhivika — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 23:21:47 GMT

Hi,

To be honest, I think both of the sentences are sloppily written, particularly the first of them.

The conference has been involved in controversy for over a year before the first president arrived.

As a native English-speaker, I have to search around for a meaning for it. Perhaps it means this:

The conference has been involved in controversy for over a year, ever since ~~before~~ the ~~first~~ president first arrived.

Then again, perhaps it means something else. Who knows?

The number one way I like to spend my time is with my family and work.

You could say "My favourite ways of spending my time are with my family and at work [or 'working' instead of 'at work']."

..then you wouldn't have to agonise over whether 'way' should be singular or plural!

If you do want to use 'number one way(s)', then I guess you could make it plural, if the two activities are in joint first place...

Sentence dilemma

Anonymous — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 22:09:38 GMT

1. Why does it have to be a past tense? Which event occurred first?

The conference has been involved in controversy for over a year before the first president arrived.

2. Can the underlined part (looks to me like a prepositional phrase) act as a noun or a complement (I don't which it is). Should it be 'ways' and not 'way' in the phrase 'The number one way'?

The number one way I like to spend my time is with my family and work.