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Hello,
Please show all the components by name in connection with sentence structure.
1) At least for the time being, I prefer to stay silent on this issue.
2) I would love to go with you, but I don't think it's going to be possible.
3) He goes to school everyday.
Many thanks---Plin
Hello,
Please show all the components by name in connection with sentence structure.
1) At least for the time being, I prefer to stay silent on this issue.
2) I would love to go with you, but I don't think it's going to be possible.
3) He goes to school everyday.
Many thanks---Plin
-- Is something like the following what you had in mind?
1-
At least (adverb modifying the next phrase)
for the time being (prepositional phrase used as adverb modifying the whole sentence)
I (pronoun, subject)
prefer (verb, simple predicate)
to stay (infinitive complement)
silent (predicate adjective, modifies "I")
on this issue. (prepositional phrase used as an adverb modifying "silent)
2-
I (pronoun, subject)
would love (verb, simple predicate)
to go (infinitive complement)
with you, (prepositional phrase used as adverb modifying "to go")
but (coordinating conjunction separating 2 independent clauses of a compound sentence)
I (pronoun, subject)
do think (verb, predicate)
n't (adverb modifying "do think")
it (subject of a clausal complement)
's going to be (verb of clause, modal-like construction)
possible (complement, predicate adjective)
3-
He (pronoun, subject)
goes (verb, simple predicate)
to school (complement, prepositional phrase, used as adverb modifying "goes")
everyday. (adverb, modifying goes)
<-- Is something like the following what you had in mind?>
You hit the nail on the head but I must admit, things are more complicated than what I thought. If I were the best English teacher in town I would probably come close to your answer, but not being one, I'd miss the target for at least a few light-years. I definitely need some time to better digest your posting. Thanks so much, Pete, for all your help and of course, Rusty's. Enjoy the weekend.
Plin.
Revision
"You hit the nail on the head but I must admit, things are more complicated than what I thought. If I were the best English teacher in town I would probably come close to your answer, but not being one, I'd miss the target for at least a few light-years. I definitely need some time to better digest your posting. Thanks so much, Pete, for all your help and of course, Rusty's. Enjoy the weekend."
Please correct my other choices.
...than what I thought....
...than I thought....
...than thought....
...than I thought it would be....
...for at least...
...by at least...
...Rusty's....
...that of Rusty....
...that of Rusty's....
Also, is the use of ellipsis correct? On the right side of the writing, for example, four dots imply that there is a period after "Rusty's"---My doubt here is if there should always be words on the right side of the ellipsis: ...they would have preferred for the child to stay behind.... In the end, they took him with them.
Can I just leave it at, "...they would have preferred for the child to stay behind...."?
Thanks---Plin.
Revision
"You hit the nail on the head but I must admit, things are more complicated than what I thought. If I were the best English teacher in town I would probably come close to your answer, but not being one, I'd miss the target for at least a few light-years. I definitely need some time to better digest your posting. Thanks so much, Pete, for all your help and of course, Rusty's. Enjoy the weekend."
Please correct my other choices.
...than what I thought....
...than I thought....
...than thought....
...than I thought it would be....
...for at least...
...by at least...
...Rusty's....
...that of Rusty....
...that of Rusty's....
Also, is the use of ellipsis correct? On the right side of the writing, for example, four dots imply that there is a period after "Rusty's"---My doubt here is if there should always be words on the right side of the ellipsis: ...they would have preferred for the child to stay behind.... In the end, they took him with them.
Can I just leave it at, "...they would have preferred for the child to stay behind...."?
Thanks---Plin.
>Please correct my other choices.
...than what I thought.... [OK.]
...than I thought.... [OK.]
...than thought.... [OK.]
...than I thought <strike>it</strike> they would be.... [OK with change. I think this is the most natural.]
...for at least... [No.]
...by at least... [This is correct.]
...Rusty's.... [OK. I think this would be the most common.]
...that of Rusty.... [Also OK.]
...that of Rusty's.... [Not wrong, but I don't think you would hear this form very often.]
Also, is the use of ellipsis correct? On the right side of the writing, for example, four dots imply that there is a period after "Rusty's"---My doubt here is if there should always be words on the right side of the ellipsis: ...they would have preferred for the child to stay behind.... In the end, they took him with them.
Can I just leave it at, "...they would have preferred for the child to stay behind...."?
There are problems with your use of ellipses. See the following reference for a more complete discussion.
>http://www.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/marks/ellipsis.htm
An ellipsis (3 dots, standing in the place of material omitted from a quote) should be separated from text that precedes and follows it by a space. If the omitted text is at the end of a sentence and you need to show the following period, you put the ellipsis, leave a space, and then put the period. You don't put an ellipsis at the end of a sentence unless text has been omitted at that location. (I had not looked up these rules for years; I am going to be more careful with my use of ellipses in the future.)
When you can, instead of using 3 periods (...), it is better to use the special ellipsis character (…). On PCs using Windows, you get this character by holding down the Alt key, pressing 0133 on the numeric keypad, and then releasing the Alt. One advantage of this is that then the ellipsis cannot be split over 2 lines; another is that it better shows the spacing, especially when it is followed by a space and a period.
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