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19-Nov-2002, 12:42
| | |  negative + non-restrictive clause
Are these sentences correct:
1-"He was not a journalist, working for the NY Times."
2-"He was not a journalist, who worked for the NY Times."
Could they be followed by:
A-"He was a photographer for the NY Times."
Or do they necessarily mean that he was neither a journalist, nor an employee of the NY Times. |
19-Nov-2002, 14:21
| | | Re: negative + non-restrictive clause
Quote: |
Originally Posted by ntasan Are these sentences correct:
1-"He was not a journalist, working for the NY Times."
2-"He was not a journalist, who worked for the NY Times."
Could they be followed by:
A-"He was a photographer for the NY Times."
Or do they necessarily mean that he was neither a journalist, nor an employee of the NY Times. | I would change the sentences. They sound a little rough to me.
1. He was not working for the NY times as a journalist.
2. He did not work for the NY times as a journalist.
Sentence number two can be followed by: (2) He was a photographer for the NY times.
Sentence number 1 can be followed by: (1) He was working as a photographer for the NY times.
Keep the 2 simple past sentences together and keep the 2 past progressive sentences together. I would use the sentences in the simple past. They sound better. |
19-Nov-2002, 17:53
| | Editor, UsingEnglish.com | | Join Date: Nov 2002 Country: UK
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Take the commas out and they will start making sense.  | | The Following User Says Thank You to Tdol For This Useful Post: | |
19-Nov-2002, 19:57
|  | VIP Member | | Join Date: Nov 2002 Country: USA
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I agree with TDOL. The sentences are fine without the commas. Either of them could be followed by your third sentence. | | The Following User Says Thank You to MikeNewYork For This Useful Post: | |
20-Nov-2002, 16:02
| | Senior Member | | Join Date: Nov 2002 Country: armenia
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Current Location: france First Language: armenian Member Type: Academic | |
Thanks. I'm beginning to get the picture, I think, but I'd like to try another one if you don't mind. What about this one:
1-He wasn't a journalist, working for the NY Times, but a photographer, working for the LA Times. |
20-Nov-2002, 17:37
| | Editor, UsingEnglish.com | | Join Date: Nov 2002 Country: UK
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Current Location: Phnom Penh First Language: English Member Type: English Teacher | |
1-He wasn't a journalist, working for the NY Times, but a photographer, working for the LA Times.
I'd say that here the commas are optional, depending on important you see the newspapers as.  | | The Following User Says Thank You to Tdol For This Useful Post: | |
20-Nov-2002, 19:22
| | VIP Member | | Join Date: Nov 2002 Country: USA
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Current Location: New York First Language: American English Member Type: Academic | | commas
Quote: |
Originally Posted by navi tasan Thanks. I'm beginning to get the picture, I think, but I'd like to try another one if you don't mind. What about this one:
1-He wasn't a journalist, working for the NY Times, but a photographer, working for the LA Times. | In many cases, commas are needed between a noun and a referent participial phrase. In this case, however, I'd prefer no commas because:
1. The sentences are short.
2. The particpial phrases are an integral part of the sentences meaning. | | The Following User Says Thank You to MikeNewYork For This Useful Post: | |
08-May-2009, 15:37
|  | Senior Member | | Join Date: May 2008 Country: Japan
Posts: 1,160
Current Location: Japan First Language: Japanese Member Type: Student or Learner | | Re: negative + non-restrictive clause
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tdol  1-He wasn't a journalist, working for the NY Times, but a photographer, working for the LA Times.
I'd say that here the commas are optional, depending on important you see the newspapers as. |
Aren't the first and third commas unnecessary? I agree with MikeNewYork. |
08-May-2009, 15:51
| | Banned | | Join Date: Jul 2006 Country: Pecs, Baranya, Hungary
Posts: 2,893
Current Location: Hungary First Language: Hungarian Member Type: Student or Learner | | Re: negative + non-restrictive clause
Quote:
Originally Posted by Daruma Aren't the first and third commas unnecessary? I agree with MikeNewYork. | IMO, they are. The -ing clauses are participles that describe, complement the predicate nominatives. | |
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