Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Ut videam]

Today I was teaching my upper level conversation students the use of noun clauses: "One of the advantages of having an older brother is (that) I have someone to help me with my homework," etc.

One of the exercises in the workbook was to combine three sentences into one using a gerund and a noun clause. The three sentences were:

• I'm always late.
• It's a problem.
• My family gets angry at me.

The student answers, "The problem with being always late is that my family gets angry with me."

The correct placement of "always" in that sentence, however, is before "being": "The problem with always being late is that my family gets angry with me."

But why? I know it sounds wrong the first way and right the second, and the answer key gave the second one as the correct answer. But can anyone point me to the rule(s) that governs the placement of the adverb in these cases?

[Pyongshin Sangja]

Always goes between the subject and the main or auxiliary verb unless the verb is "to be." In the sentence provided "being" is not a verb, rather, it is a noun/gerund. Therefore, splitting up the noun "being" and the adjective that modifies it (late) with an adverb (always) just doesn't work. Adverbs can modify adjectives but not nouns.

Sheesh, that's not a great answer but what do you want for free?

[mountainous]