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sleeper
Joined: 07 Nov 2005
Posts: 67
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 Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 8:32 am Post subject: What is a car but ...? |
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Hi, there.
Today I'd like to ask you about 'but.'
Look at the following sentence.
What is a car but a modern version of a magic carpet, ready to take its passengers wherever they command at the turn of a key?
What is this 'but'?
Is it a conjunction, a prepostion, or an adverb?
Moreover, which word does this 'ready' modify, 'carpet' or 'car'?
I'm waiting for your answers.
Thanks.  |
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Mary W. Ng
Joined: 26 Jun 2006
Posts: 261
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| Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 12:37 pm Post subject: Re: What is a car but ...? |
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| What is a car but a modern version of a magic carpet, ready to take its passengers wherever they command at the turn of a key? |
"But" is an adverb. "Ready" modifies "carpet". 
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Mary W. Ng
Helping students learn grammar
http:www.aimpublishing.com |
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2006
Joined: 27 Nov 2006
Posts: 610
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| Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 5:49 pm Post subject: my opinion |
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Hi Mary:
What is the meaning of "but" in that sentence?
I think that "ready" modifies "car". The subject of that sentence is "car", although it is described as being a modern version of a magic carpet. Also, it is a car, not a magic carpet, that responds to the turn of a key. |
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Mary W. Ng
Joined: 26 Jun 2006
Posts: 261
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| Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 12:10 pm Post subject: Re: What is a car but ...? |
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Hi 2006:
Oops! I missed it. You're right. "Ready" does modify "car".
Hi sleeper:
I'm sorry I gave you the wrong answer.
_________________
Mary W. Ng
Helping students learn grammar
http:www.aimpublishing.com |
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Mary W. Ng
Joined: 26 Jun 2006
Posts: 261
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| Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 2:51 pm Post subject: Re: What is a car but ...? |
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| Quote: |
| What is a car but a modern version of a magic carpet, ready to take its passengers wherever they command at the turn of a key? |
Hi sleeper,
Sorry to have confused you. Please ignore my previous post. "Ready ..." modifies the noun phrase "a modern version of a magic carpet".
Here is a sentence of similar structure, taken from Birds and Poets by John Burroughs: "What is a man but a miniature earth, with many disguises in the way of manners, possessions, dissemblances?" (The prepositional phrase "with ... dissemblances" modifies the noun phrase "a miniature earth".)
Here's another from A Meditation upon a Broomstick by Jonathan Swift: "... and pray what is a man but a topsy-turvy creature, his animal faculties perpetually mounted on his rational, his head where his heels should be, grovelling on the earth?" (The absolute construction "his animal ... earth" adds descriptive details to the noun phrase "a topsy-turvy creature".)
_________________
Mary W. Ng
Helping students learn grammar
http:www.aimpublishing.com |
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