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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2010come to taking part in
Hello: Any reasons for "taking" instead of "take" in the following? --- This is probably the closest anyone has come to taking part in someone else's dream while it occurs. But even in this case, the dreamer spoke about his ... The dream frontier - Page 32 Mark J. Blechner - Psychology - 2001 - 324 pages http://tinyurl.com/y8hc4pr --- The stats at Google Books are very much in favor (719-5) of "come to take part in," vs. "come to taking part in" thus I think that the author's plainly wrong, but I'd appreciate a confirmation. -- Thanks. Marius Hancu > Hello: > [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > take part in," vs. "come to taking part in" thus I think that the > author's plainly wrong, but I'd appreciate a confirmation. These are two different constructions. One has "come" followed by the infinitive with the infinitive marker "to" and the meaning "in order to": "I came here to see you." The other has "close" with the preposition "to" followed a noun: "This is the closest we can get to perfection." "This is the closest we have come to defeat." When you want to use a verb in this construction, it has to be in its noun-like form, i.e., the gerund, hence: "This is the closest we have come to winning the league."  SignatureJames > > Any reasons for "taking" instead of "take" in the following? > [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > noun-like form, i.e., the gerund, hence: > "This is the closest we have come to winning the league." I think you're right. Thanks. Marius Hancu > Hello: > [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > Thanks. > Marius Hancu The author is right. I'm sure of it. I'll be interested to read other people's views on why, because I don't know. I suspect it has something to do with the fact that the 'taking part' is at the same time as something else is going on (the other person's dream). SignatureCheryl >> Hello: >> [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > something to do with the fact that the 'taking part' is at the same > time as something else is going on (the other person's dream). Just leave out the confusing "come" and concentrate on the "close to" construction and it will all become clear: "This is very close to taking part in someone else's dream while it occurs." SignatureJames >Hello: > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >dream while it occurs. But even in this case, the dreamer spoke about >his ... Try it in other contexts: This is the closest anyone has come to riding a horse wearing ice skates... "ride" would sound wrong. SignatureSteve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk > >Hello: > > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > "ride" would sound wrong. You can also make some very simple sentences: We have come close to winning. He has come close to failing. "To come close to" takes the -ing form. So does "to be close to": We are close to winning. He is close to failing. SignatureBest -- Donna Richoux >his ... > > Try it in other contexts: > > This is the closest anyone has come to riding a horse wearing ice skates... The heck with the grammar, I'm totally bemused picturing the horse wearing ice skates. He will feature in my dreams, I'm sure. If not now, then after a cheese sandwich. thanks for the amusement, Stephanie >>his ... >> [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > >thanks for the amusement, Well I thought it also illustrated the meaning of come close to as something that one would be unlikely ever to reach. But yes, it is rather an interesting image, isn't it. SignatureSteve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk > Any reasons for "taking" instead of "take" in the following? > > This is probably the closest anyone has come to taking part in someone > else's dream while it occurs. . . . Compare: "He has come close to the target with his last several shots." Clearly "target" is a noun. When we refer to something being close, it is a _thing_ that is close, as with "target"; and a "thing" is a noun. In the original sentence, "taking" is a gerund, a verbal form that is a noun. No other part of speech works there. SignatureCordially, Eric Walker, Owlcroft House http://owlcroft.com/english/ |
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