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raewon
Joined: 16 Jun 2009
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 Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 8:37 pm Post subject: Can the preposition be dropped? |
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I have a question regarding an answer that I found!
From Michael Swan's Practical English Usage:
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In structure B (direct object becomes subject of passive verb), prepositions are sometimes dropped before indirect object pronouns.
This watch was given (to) me by my father. |
To me, that sentence sounds off if "to" is dropped. But according to him, it's grammatically correct without it. Is there a sentence with that structure
that sounds natural without the preposition?
Thanks for any comments on his comments. |
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son of coco
Joined: 14 Mar 2008
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| Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 9:23 pm Post subject: |
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| It sounds weird to me too. I've never heard that said before without the preposition. |
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edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 9:49 pm Post subject: |
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| Sounds fine to me. Maybe it's a US/UK thing |
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YTMND
Joined: 16 Jan 2012
Location: You're the man now dog!!
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| Posted: Mon Feb 24, 2014 1:22 am Post subject: |
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| "2 And to keep me from being puffed up and too much elated by the exceeding greatness (preeminence) of these revelations, there was given me a thorn (a splinter) in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to rack and buffet and harass me, to keep me from being excessively exalted." - Corinthians 12:7 |
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young_clinton
Joined: 09 Sep 2009
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| Posted: Mon Feb 24, 2014 6:15 am Post subject: |
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| YTMND wrote: |
| "2 And to keep me from being puffed up and too much elated by the exceeding greatness (preeminence) of these revelations, there was given me a thorn (a splinter) in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to rack and buffet and harass me, to keep me from being excessively exalted." - Corinthians 12:7 |
In this case it's used is with the unliteral thorn. It is somewhat poetic and grandiose. A person could use this kind of a joining when reminiscing about something given, perhaps a watch and trying to amplify the action and render it a less than common action. This is the way I have heard it used before. These of course are things you would want to consider in your writing. For instance what are you trying to convey to reader or listener? |
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Stain
Joined: 08 Jan 2014
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| Posted: Mon Feb 24, 2014 6:54 am Post subject: |
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| young_clinton wrote: |
| YTMND wrote: |
| "2 And to keep me from being puffed up and too much elated by the exceeding greatness (preeminence) of these revelations, there was given me a thorn (a splinter) in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to rack and buffet and harass me, to keep me from being excessively exalted." - Corinthians 12:7 |
In this case it's used is with the unliteral thorn. It is somewhat poetic and grandiose. A person could use this kind of a joining when reminiscing about something given, perhaps a watch and trying to amplify the action and render it a less than common action. This is the way I have heard it used before. These of course are things you would want to consider in your writing. For instance what are you trying to convey to reader or listener? |
Good point. This is regarding usage, not really grammar. I'm not sure but I think it was Hemingway who said that a writer's style is all about diverting from grammatical rules. |
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