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Discussion Groups / ESL Teaching / January 2005Which sentence is correct?
Which of these two sentences is correct? I have friends that are divided over this. If it matters, the sentence starts a paragraph. Version #1: The reason I am writing to you today is to ask if your company would be willing to be the fund’s patron? Version #2: The reason I am writing to you today is to ask if your company would be willing to be the fund’s patron. Some of my friends and I believe v.2 is the correct one because it is an unspoken question and not a direct question. My other friends say v.1 is correct as it is a question ... unspoken or not ... and thus needing a question mark to end it. Scott Jensen  SignatureLike a cure for A.I.D.S., Alzheimer, Parkinson, & Mad Cow Disease? Volunteer your computer for folding-protein research for when it's idle. Go to http://tinyurl.com/6fsdg to sign up your computer. Or is both acceptable and thus it is merely personal perference on which you use? Scott Jensen > Or is both acceptable... That should have been "Or are both acceptable..." Normally I'd let this sort of thing slide but since this is an English language newsgroup... Scott Jensen > Or is both acceptable and thus it is merely personal perference on which you > use? > > Scott Jensen That should be "are both". Regards, Einde O'Callaghan bell peppers garlic salt, pepper, etc. 3 cups chicken stock 2 sticks butter 3 tablespoons oil First stuff the heads, or make the patties (see index) then fry or bake. Set aside to drain on paper towels. Make a roux with butter, oil and flour, brown vegetables in the roux, then add chicken stock and allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Add the patties or stuffed heads, and some loose crawfish, lobster, long piglet, or what have you. Cook on low for 15 minutes, then allow it to set for at least 15 minutes more. Serve over steamed rice; this dish is very impressive! Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Babies really can be found under a cabbage leaf - or one can arrange for ground beef to be found there instead. 8 large cabbage leaves 1 lb. lean ground newborn human filets, or ground chuck Onions peppers celery garlic soy sauce salt pepper, etc Olive oil breadcrumbs Tomato Gravy (see index) Boil the cabbage leaves for 2 minutes to soften. In skillet, brown the meat in > Which of these two sentences is correct? I have friends that are divided > over this. If it matters, the sentence starts a paragraph. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > correct as it is a question ... unspoken or not ... and thus needing a > question mark to end it. The second is the correct version since it's an indirect question. Regards, Einde O'Callaghan einde. ocallaghan wrote on 15 Dec 2004: >> Which of these two sentences is correct? I have friends that are >> divided over this. If it matters, the sentence starts a [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] >> > The second is the correct version since it's an indirect question. Yes, but it's a bit verbose ("The reason I am writing to you today is") and might be better if it were simply "I wonder whether your company would be willing to be the fund's patron" (might be better as "sponsor" or else "one of the fund's patrons") and "if" might better be rendered as "whether". SignatureFranke: EFL teacher & medical editor For email, replace numbers with English alphabet. > einde. ocallaghan wrote on 15 Dec 2004: > [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > "sponsor" or else "one of the fund's patrons") and "if" might better > be rendered as "whether". Agreed. I was replying in a hurry bewfore rushing off to work and stuck to the immediat question. Regards, Einde O'Callaghan I'd vote for the second sentence. Indirects don't require a question mark (according to many style manuals). Also, I test by saying the sentences out loud. Questions typically end with a rising intonation, whereas statements tend to end with a falling inclination (politeness aside). Then again, English is not a regulated language so correct Englis is only an illusion. > I'd vote for the second sentence. Indirects don't require a question > mark (according to many style manuals). Also, I test by saying the [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Then again, English is not a regulated language so correct Englis is > only an illusion. Well, yes and no. There is no regulatory authority, but on the other hand there are widely accepted standards of correctness, although some of these controversial, and appropriateness for certain circumstances. People come to misc.education.language.english for guidance on these issues and telling people there are absolutely no rules because there is no regulatory authority is simply bullshit and a disservice to the people asking for guidance. Einde O'Callaghan The second sentence is correct because it is a statement: you are stating the reason you're writing. Hi! I'm Stephanie and new to the group, by the way. :-) > The second sentence is correct because it is a statement: you are > stating the reason you're writing. > Hi! I'm Stephanie and new to the group, by the way. :-) Welcome, Stephanie. By the way, it is usual to quote the part of the post that you are replying to. SignatureRay Don't forget that I first offered my opinion on the matter. I then offered a fact. I'm sorry that you thinks facts are "simply bullshit." Quite sorry. afowles wrote on 10 Jan 2005: > Don't forget that I first offered my opinion on the matter. I > then offered a fact. I'm sorry that you thinks facts are "simply > bullshit." Quite sorry. You should be sorry for failing to understand that correct English is not an illusion. It is, however, an illusion to imagine that there is only one correct answer for every question about grammar, usage, punctuation, structure, etc. Your valuation of irrelevant "facts" in response to a question asking for guidance is an indication of your inability to understand how to helpfully answer a genuine question about idiomatic English. It also demonstrates your ignorance of what constitutes authority on the language in a particular context. The bullshit you offered was your obvious feeling that saying simply "Indirects don't require a question mark" wasn't enough. You had to add nonsensical bullshit that had no bearing on the question and constituted not a part of a reasonable answer but an expression of your need to sound as if you know more about English than you actually do. SignatureFranke: EFL teacher & medical editor For email, replace numbers with English alphabet. |
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