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missdaredevil
Joined: 08 Dec 2004
Posts: 1670
Location: Ask me
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 Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2005 5:51 am Post subject: Case of Pronounces |
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Anything wrong with sentences below? I'm reading a grammar book on "Case of Pronouns".
It was "they".
The persons mentioned were "she" and Rob.
He answered, "It could not have been 'I'."
The dean spoke candidly to "them" boys
tHANKS AGAIN |
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missdaredevil
Joined: 08 Dec 2004
Posts: 1670
Location: Ask me
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| Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2005 8:18 pm Post subject: a reply |
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Does anyone know the answers?
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asterix
Joined: 26 Jan 2003
Posts: 1654
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| Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2005 7:08 am Post subject: |
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It was they - is correct.
It could not have been I - is correct.
The Dean spoke candidly to those boys is correct.
The Dean spoke candidly to them is correct.
BUT The Dean spoke candidly to them boys. is incorrect. |
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LucentShade
Joined: 30 Dec 2003
Posts: 542
Location: Nebraska, USA
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| Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2005 3:24 pm Post subject: |
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| "The persons mentioned were she and Rob."--also correct. If you reversed this sentence, you would write "She and Rob were the persons mentioned." "She" is the subject of the verb "be," so it requires the subject case. Keep up the good work--even a basic understanding of this matter will put you ahead of many English native speakers. |
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missdaredevil
Joined: 08 Dec 2004
Posts: 1670
Location: Ask me
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| Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2005 7:08 am Post subject: Re: Case of Pronounces |
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| missdaredevil wrote: |
Anything wrong with sentences below? I'm reading a grammar book on "Case of Pronouns".
It was "they".
The persons mentioned were "she" and Rob.
He answered, "It could not have been 'I'."
The dean spoke candidly to "them" boys
tHANKS AGAIN |
I was wondering if they all sound *common* to you???
Thanks |
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Bob S.
Joined: 29 Apr 2004
Posts: 1767
Location: So. Cal
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| Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2005 10:14 am Post subject: Re: Case of Pronounces |
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| missdaredevil wrote: |
He answered, "It could not have been 'I'."
The dean spoke candidly to "them" boys
I was wondering if they all sound *common* to you???
Thanks |
"It could not have been I." is grammatically correct but sounds strange as most people speaking quickly would commonly say "been me." In this case, the use of the correct grammar gives the statement an emphasis to the listener.
"...them boys" is a reverse case for the same effect. It is grammatically incorrect ("the boys" or "those boys" would be correct) but you will find it is a common regional colloquialism used in lieu of "those" to give emphasis. So it would sound overly familiar and common depending on where you are from. |
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