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jizza
Joined: 24 Aug 2009
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 Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 8:58 am Post subject: |
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| koreatimes wrote: |
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| This isn't one book, it's the test itself. |
You've taken the test?  |
Not sure if you're joking but yep I took it last year in June, and I have taught SAT for several years.
It's important to note that while "being <adjective>" may not be grammatically incorrect, it is discouraged from a style standpoint.
What's the point of adding the "being" to a sentence? You can remove it and preserve the existing meaning. Therefore it is discouraged but not technically incorrect. |
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koreatimes
Joined: 07 Jun 2011
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| Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 12:12 pm Post subject: |
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| jizza wrote: |
| koreatimes wrote: |
| Quote: |
| This isn't one book, it's the test itself. |
You've taken the test? |
Not sure if you're joking but yep I took it last year in June, and I have taught SAT for several years.
It's important to note that while "being <adjective>" may not be grammatically incorrect, it is discouraged from a style standpoint.
What's the point of adding the "being" to a sentence? You can remove it and preserve the existing meaning. Therefore it is discouraged but not technically incorrect. |
Ok, so you have taken the test but you don't know any books which talk about it. You had the SAT answer key? You know for certain? How exactly from the test are you able to help us understand this?
The best I can figure is you saw a question with "Being ____", and both options had to have been listed separately as possible answers. However, how do you know one is right and one is wrong? I only got my score, I don't remember being able to take the test home to analyze. |
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some waygug-in
Joined: 25 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 1:40 pm Post subject: |
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Try Swan's
Practical English Usage,
I believe it has a good explanation.
Although he was being an arse, William was a gifted student. |
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koreatimes
Joined: 07 Jun 2011
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| Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 2:02 pm Post subject: |
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| some waygug-in wrote: |
Try Swan's
Practical English Usage,
I believe it has a good explanation.
Although he was being an arse, William was a gifted student. |
But the original poster was asking about "Although___" and "Though___" without "he" or "is/was".
Any other examples? |
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jizza
Joined: 24 Aug 2009
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| Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 2:18 pm Post subject: |
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| koreatimes wrote: |
| jizza wrote: |
| koreatimes wrote: |
| Quote: |
| This isn't one book, it's the test itself. |
You've taken the test? |
Not sure if you're joking but yep I took it last year in June, and I have taught SAT for several years.
It's important to note that while "being <adjective>" may not be grammatically incorrect, it is discouraged from a style standpoint.
What's the point of adding the "being" to a sentence? You can remove it and preserve the existing meaning. Therefore it is discouraged but not technically incorrect. |
Ok, so you have taken the test but you don't know any books which talk about it. You had the SAT answer key? You know for certain? How exactly from the test are you able to help us understand this?
The best I can figure is you saw a question with "Being ____", and both options had to have been listed separately as possible answers. However, how do you know one is right and one is wrong? I only got my score, I don't remember being able to take the test home to analyze. |
It's not contained in any one book. It's an actual style standard on the SAT writing section. Here, I'm gonna copy and paste from some of my SAT lectures:
Sentence Improvements:
-parallel structure
-ambiguous modifiers
-dangling modifiers
-misplaced modifier (relative clause should normally follow the word that it modifies)
-coordination +subordination
-awkward construction (not grammar, but rather style/expression/logic)
-simple word over long
-precise and concise word
-replace jargon or slang
-choose action verbs
-choose logical words over illogical, excessive ones
-needless words
-redundancy
-avoid awkward expression
-use natural order of English idiom
Again, the use of "being <adjective>" isn't written in holy canon anywhere but it just so happens that it's usually one of the incorrect multiple choice selections due to criteria such as "awkward" and "redundancy". Most SAT companies worth their tuition have all the SAT Writing grammar rules that you must know written down and categorized, etc.
Btw if anyone's SAT company is hiring I'm currently looking for a job. I know the tests inside and out. |
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koreatimes
Joined: 07 Jun 2011
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| Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 2:26 pm Post subject: |
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| Again, the use of "being <adjective>" isn't written in holy canon anywhere but it just so happens that it's usually one of the incorrect multiple choice selections due to criteria such as "awkward" and "redundancy". |
An "incorrect" answer does not always mean it is unacceptable in the English language. What it means is it is incorrect in relationship to what the question was asking.
So far, you are claiming yourself the expert and know this stuff inside and out. So, it would seem like an easy request to get just 1 example of "Being ___" being avoided as a "style standard".
To the contrary, wouldn't this be an example of a "style standard"? Unless the standard specifically states "Do not use", then how are you ruling it out if not arbitrarily? |
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jizza
Joined: 24 Aug 2009
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| Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 2:43 pm Post subject: |
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An "incorrect" answer does not always mean it is unacceptable in the English language. What it means is it is incorrect in relationship to what the question was asking.
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That is correct. I never stated that it was unacceptable in the English language, merely that some, like ETS, consider it stylistically incorrect on the SAT Writing. I don't agree with all their choices; style and usage, unlike grammar, have no clear right and wrong answers.
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| To the contrary, wouldn't this be an example of a "style standard"? |
It is a style standard. I repeated a few times before that it was discouraged by some due to issues of style/usage and not grammar.
| Quote: |
So far, you are claiming yourself the expert and know this stuff inside and out. So, it would seem like an easy request to get just 1 example of "Being ___" being avoided as a "style standard". |
Sorry I don't want to come off as a know-it-all. And I don't agree with all the SAT Writing conventions; the rules they prescribe are just what they have decided to be "right". Much like some disagree with Strunk's Elements of Style, I'm sure many people disagree with the style conventions that the ETS comes up with.
As for a providing an example, I'd have to get out of my SAT book and type out several questions and that just isn't worth it. Sorry. |
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koreatimes
Joined: 07 Jun 2011
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jizza
Joined: 24 Aug 2009
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| Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 2:54 pm Post subject: |
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Sorry I think we are talking past each other here which has been the source of confusion.
I was overly simplistic when I said that "being <adj>" is considered wrong. Obviously it's not and is OK even from a style viewpoint.
The misunderstanding lies in the OPoster's question which was, frankly, confusing.
In his example, "Although being busy, she helped me anyways"
the "being" would be considered 'wrong' from a style standpoint because it's unnecessary. If you can take away a word and keep the same meaning in a sentence then you are generally required to do so on the SAT Writing.
The revision "Although busy, she helped me anyways"
would be an example of a 'correct' answer choice. |
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koreatimes
Joined: 07 Jun 2011
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| Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 2:54 pm Post subject: |
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| I repeated a few times before that it was discouraged by some due to issues of style/usage and not grammar. |
I have seen these books and even used them in class. So, I relate to what you are saying. However, these comments "awkward" or "redundant" don't directly refer to one part of a sentence. Instead, those descriptions are in relationship to a passage or enough of it to make the conclusion.
How are you, not the books, coming to the conclusion that those descriptions refer exactly to "Being___" and not something else in the reading passage or sentence? |
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koreatimes
Joined: 07 Jun 2011
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| Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 2:57 pm Post subject: |
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| It's important to note that while "being <adjective>" may not be grammatically incorrect, it is discouraged from a style standpoint. |
| Quote: |
In his example, "Although being busy, she helped me anyways"
the "being" would be considered 'wrong' from a style standpoint because it's unnecessary. |
Thank you for clarifying.
Last edited by koreatimes on Thu Jul 28, 2011 2:58 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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jizza
Joined: 24 Aug 2009
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| Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 2:58 pm Post subject: |
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Sorry I have lost track of what we are discussing here.
I'm honored that you're continuing this conversation at such an early time in Korea. But without further context let's just end this lol
edit:: OK it looks like we understand each other. Sorry I haven't taught in a while the words get in my mouth they don't come up no good :O |
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koreatimes
Joined: 07 Jun 2011
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| Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 2:59 pm Post subject: |
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| jizza wrote: |
Sorry I have lost track of what we are discussing here.
I'm honored that you're continuing this conversation at such an early time in Korea. But without further context let's just end this lol |
You cleared up the confusion with your previous post. Before you said "being___" was wrong, but now you are referring to "although being___".
I see them as two different things. |
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jizza
Joined: 24 Aug 2009
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| Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 3:06 pm Post subject: |
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Yea I should have been more clear. Sorry about that.
What are you doing discussing grammar at 8am though? haha. Are you in Korea? |
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some waygug-in
Joined: 25 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 3:36 pm Post subject: |
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Just re-read the OP and I think I finally understand what is being asked.
Being busy, she is able to help me.
Being written by Paulo Coelho, the book is not popular.
Seeing the accident, I didn't help anyone.
Finishing his report, she wasn't allowed to play.
A worksheet claims that those are equal to the structure
"Though/Although" (Although busy, she is able to help me., etc.) The sentences sound incorrect to me.
Being busy, she is able to help me.
does not =
Although busy, she is able to help me. It actually seems to have the opposite connotation.
Being written by Paulo Coelho, the book is not popular.
does not =
Although written by Paulo Coelho, the book is not popular.
Again the meaning seems unclear with just "being".
The third example is somewhat different, you can't replace "seeing" with although. You have to use "although seeing".
Seeing the accident, I didn't help anyone.
Although seeing the accident, I didn't help anyone.
The meaning is not clear in the first sentence, it needs although to make
the context more clear.
The last one is just dumb.
Again why "his" report and "she"? |
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