Let me know the difference between some english sentences for foreign students.

I'm an English as a Foreign Language student.
Please, let me know the difference between following sentences:
1. Each one of you will observe something appear suddenly in the screen.
2. Each one of you will observe something appears suddenly in the screen.
3. Each one of you will observe something that will appear suddenly in the screen.
Thank you.

[matilda]

2 and 3 must be correct, in my oppinion.

[Saxonlight]

1 and 3.

3 is more concise.

2 is not correct because of "appears" (plural) used with "observe something" (singular).

"in the screen" in all three sounds odd. "on the screen" would be better.

Chris
http://www.hearseesay.com

[Jay G.]

Originally Posted by Saxonlight

2 is not correct because of "appears" (plural) used with "observe something" (singular).

Why is "appears" plural?
I think it is a 3rd person singular verb, isn't it?

I think that "appear" in the 1st sentence is a bare-infinitive and the 2nd sentence equals to "Each one of you will observe something that(or which) appears suddenly on the screen.".
If I'm right, the problem is maybe tense or usage of "appear(s)" and "will observe".

Please explain the meaning and usage in common context.
Of cource you can point out some grammar problems.

Sorry for my ugly English. :)
Thank you.

[mykwyner]

The word something is always used as a singular when it is an indefinite pronoun.

Something in his closet stinks.

In your sentences 1 & 2 something is the subject (third person singular) of the clause "something appears suddenly..." and appears is the verb that must agree with that subject.

If you use something as a plural it must be two words and it is no longer an indefinite pronoun.

Some things were stolen from the display case.

[Jay G.]

Thank you everybody.

So..
All of them are grammatically right?
And all of meanings are same?

In the first sentence, I think "something" is an object of "will observe", "appear" is a bare infinitive and "appear suddenly..." is an object complement. Because we have to take "observe" with a bare infinitive rather than a to-infinitive, I cannot say "Each one of you will observe something to appear suddenly on the screen."

I don't know which one is right or wrong and which means what.
Please tell me your opinion as a native speaker.

[mykwyner]

Sentence 1 is incorrect because appear is (in this case) a third-person plural verb and does not agree with its subject: something which is third-person singular.

Sentence 2 is correct standard English.

Sentence 3 is correct because will appear is one way that we express the future tense, and it does not change for person.

I will appear.
You will appear.
He, she or it will appear.
We will appear.
They will appear.

In the present tense it is I, you, we or they appear
He, she or it appears

[Jay G.]

Thank you so much, mykwyner
But..

Originally Posted by Jay G.

In the first sentence, I think "something" is an object of "will observe", "appear" is a bare infinitive and "appear suddenly..." is an object complement. Because we have to take "observe" with a bare infinitive rather than a to-infinitive, I cannot say "Each one of you will observe something to appear suddenly on the screen."

And what is the difference of meaning?

[mykwyner]

Wait a minute...I've given you some bad advice here. Let me re-think this.

You will observe something appear...

is the correct form. I'll get back to you later and explain why

[Jay G.]

Thank you, mykwyner.
I'll wait for your advice.

And please tell me the meaning of each sentence.