The following example fails the he/him test for whoever/whomever: Please give the key to whoever needs to open that cabinet. Give the key to him or he? Give the key to him. However, when asking who opened that cabinet, he works instead. So the question, then, is which part of the sentence do we perform … Read more
Many part of speech can be a subject in my native language (Russian) For example – a noun, a adverb, a pronoun, verb etc. But I think in English it isn’t the same. So what can be a subject in English? I know it can be a noun (A dog is barking) A pronoun (I’m … Read more
I don’t understand what is subject in sentences like these “What colour is your car”, subject is “What colour” or “your car” “What size is this shirt” “What time is it” etc. A little similar “Who phoned you”, Who is subject Who did you phone? You is subject. In these sentences finding subject is easy, … Read more
I’d like to know when it is required to repeat the pronoun after a clause or an interjection within the same phrase. For example, which of these two phrases would be considered correct: I’ve recently sold my first book, a period drama which I’ve written years ago, and I have another book optioned. I’ve recently … Read more
Could anyone please tell me what would be the subject in the following sentence which I have taken from the National Geographic website: Providing pools of water for frogs when other water is scarce is just one of the ways elephants engineer ecosystems. Also, I am confused about what would be the direct object as … Read more
Examples: Are you planning a trip with your friends? Or collaborating on a project with your peers? Have you discovered a new movie you’d love to watch? Or found an original recipe you’d like to try out? Answer ‘Or’ is commonly used in this way. As long as the first alternative is present before the … Read more
Today we came across a sentence that goes like this: Many physical objects constitute the IoT. These send data, share information and/or remotely control and manage a device or process. My question here is is it correct to say ‘these send’? Can you put a verb directly after ‘these’? The sentence seems a little bit … Read more
It’s not easy to do the right thing. What is the subject in the given sentence? I don’t think it’s obvious in this sentence. I was taught that subject is something, that performs the verb. But I don’t anything in this sentence that performs the verb. Any help would be appreciated. Answer It is the … Read more
Here’s a conversation between a receptionist of a hotel and a man wanting to meet a girl living in the hotel: Man: Is she in? Receptionist: Just missed her, actually, but you’re welcome to wait. Man: Okay. Maybe I will. She probably won’t be that long, right? Receptionist: Once she went out and didn’t come … Read more
Where is the subject in a sentence that starts with a prepositional phrase. For example the preposition phrase beginning with after below: After breakfast the boys wandered out to the garden. Is the subject the boys only or After breakfast the boys, and why? It would be helpful if someone did a tree diagram and … Read more
