Site Search:
 
Get TEFL Certified & Start Your Adventure Today!
Teach English Abroad and Get Paid to see the World!
Job Discussion Forums Forum Index Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!"
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Infinitives and gerunds within a conjunction?
Goto page 1, 2  Next
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Japan
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Chris21



Joined: 30 Apr 2006
Posts: 366
Location: Japan
PostPosted: Tue Jun 05, 2007 10:06 am    Post subject: Infinitives and gerunds within a conjunction? Reply with quote
Does anyone out there know for certain if using an infinitive (eg. to play) and a gerund (eg. playing) within a conjunctive sentence (eg. and, or, but) is ungrammatical. Most people I've talked to about this have told me that it is in fact ungrammatical, but I can't seem to find anything about it in the grammar books that I have.

-I like to play sports and watching movies.
-I hate cleaning my room but I like to do laundry.
-The best way to contact him is either calling his mobile or to send an email.

Yea or nea?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Glenski



Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
PostPosted: Tue Jun 05, 2007 12:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Nay. It's called parallel sentence structure. Use the same ones.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
furiousmilksheikali



Joined: 31 Jul 2006
Posts: 1660
Location: In a coffee shop, splitting a 30,000 yen tab with Sekiguchi.
PostPosted: Tue Jun 05, 2007 1:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Actually, I don't think it is ungrammatical per se, it is just poor style.

But for more on what Glenski was talking about click here.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
JimDunlop2



Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Posts: 2286
Location: Japan
PostPosted: Tue Jun 05, 2007 1:40 pm    Post subject: Re: Infinitives and gerunds within a conjunction? Reply with quote
Chris21 wrote:


-I like to play sports and watching movies.
-I hate cleaning my room but I like to do laundry.
-The best way to contact him is either calling his mobile or to send an email.


What Glenski said.

It is indeed not grammatical. And the link that furious provided gives great examples.

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_parallel.html

We do not mix forms before and after the subordinate conjunction, and if we use clauses, we must retain the parallelism. Hence,

-I like to play sports and watch movies.
OR
-I like playing sports and watching movies.
-I hate cleaning my room but I like doing laundry.
OR
-I hate to clean my room but I like to do laundry.
-The best way to contact him is either calling his mobile or sending an email.
OR
-The best way to contact him is either to call his mobile or send an email.

Ockham's Razor DOES apply here: (entities should not be multiplied beyond necessity). In other words, using an infinitive followed by a continuous tense is much less parsimonious than using the same tense for both. Don't obfuscate the issue more than necessary.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
JonnyB61



Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 216
Location: Japan
PostPosted: Tue Jun 05, 2007 3:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
How about these?:

I tried standing on a chair but I still wasn't able to reach it.

I remember setting my alarm-clock but I still wasn't able to wake up on time.

I remember filling in the coupon but I must have forgotten to post it.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
furiousmilksheikali



Joined: 31 Jul 2006
Posts: 1660
Location: In a coffee shop, splitting a 30,000 yen tab with Sekiguchi.
PostPosted: Tue Jun 05, 2007 3:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I can't help wondering and to tell the truth these clauses confuse me.

Okay someone PM Henry Cowell and Stephen Jones.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
JonnyB61



Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 216
Location: Japan
PostPosted: Tue Jun 05, 2007 3:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
And here's a little corker from my Japanese wife:

Studying English is good for me but I don't do it to make you happy!

Which, incidentally is true!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
markle



Joined: 17 Jan 2003
Posts: 1316
Location: Out of Japan
PostPosted: Tue Jun 05, 2007 3:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
JonnyB61 wrote:
How about these?:

I tried standing on a chair but I still wasn't able to reach it.

I remember setting my alarm-clock but I still wasn't able to wake up on time.

I remember filling in the coupon but I must have forgotten to post it.


They're not the same kind of sentence. The examples the OP gave were dealing with choices and preferences and thus need to be parallel. Your sentences represent a causal relationship. Try this.

I tried standing on a chair to reach it but I still wasn't able to (reach it).

too much shochu again?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
JonnyB61



Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 216
Location: Japan
PostPosted: Tue Jun 05, 2007 4:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
markle wrote:
I tried standing on a chair to reach it but I still wasn't able to (reach it).

too much shochu again?


You should be shot for mangling a perfectly good English sentence in that manner. However, as that's impossible, try it again with the other examples I've given.

And by the way, I'll do the shochu gags, Lad. You think of your own. Wink
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
JaredW



Joined: 24 Aug 2005
Posts: 105
Location: teaching high school in Sacramento, CA, USA
PostPosted: Tue Jun 05, 2007 4:35 pm    Post subject: Re: Infinitives and gerunds within a conjunction?