on account of etc.

[jiang]

Dear teachers,

I have five questions to ask:

No.1
The referee gave Smith a yellow card _____ arguing.
a. on account of b. because of c. for
The key is 'b' but why aren't the others correct? The only guess I can make of 'b' is because of can only be followed by a noun instead of v+ing. Is that right? And Could you explain the differences between them?

No.2
My dreams have come true not ________ my hadicaps but, perhaps, because of them.
a. in spite of b. regardless of
c. in connection with
The key is 'a'. I have never seen 'in spite of ' used this way. If it is correct is it a double negative? To me it doesn't make sense at. I think 'c' is the correct answer. Is that so?

No.3
I have learned that dreams are never destroyed by circumstances; dreams are born in the heart and mind, and only there _______.
a. can they never die b. can they ever die

No.4
Mark has made it clear that he wants his organs donated_______ anything ever happen to him.
a. if d. should
The key is 'd'. No problem. But I think 'a' is also correct. The only difference is 'a' suggests condition while 'd' suggests possibility. Is that right?

No.5
I heard my mother whispering to me " while the difficult takes time the impossible just takes a little longer".
My question is why 'takes'. I have learned when we add a definite article to an adjective it indicates noun. For example, 'the poor' means 'the poor people'. So here 'the impossible' should mean 'the impossible things' and the verb should be 'take'. Is that right?
Could you please explain which is the correct choice and why?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance.

Jiang


Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thank you in advance.
Jiang

[Tdol]

1- I'd use 'for'. A & B would need his/him for me.
2 No; it's correct- the handicap has not been an impediment to the dreams coming true but has, in fact, been the force that made them come true.
3 For me it's b), meaning that they can't be killed by circumstance, but they can die inside.
4 if...happens/should ... happen- a nice sneaky piece of testing there
5 It is a noun, but it doesn't have to be plural- it an uncountable use, like all impossible things, but roled into a single package.

[jiang]

&
Dear Tdol,
Thank you very much for your explanation. I understand No.4 and No.5 but failed to completely understand the others. Could you please further explain them to me?
No.1
Did you mean I have to say 'on account of his arguing'? Could you please explain why if I use 'for' I don't need 'his'. That is, 'his arguing'?
No.2
The sentence can be written' In spite of my handicaps, my dreams have come true. And my handicaps made it possible for my dream to come true'. Is that right?
I think I have problem in understanding 'not in spite of'. Could you please further explain it?
No.3
I think I have problem with 'ever'. It can mean 'at any time', always or continuously. Could you please explain which meaning it is here and does 'Can they ever die' means 'they die' or 'they don't die'?

Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thank you in advance.

Jiang

Originally Posted by Tdol

1- I'd use 'for'. A & B would need his/him for me.
2 No; it's correct- the handicap has not been an impediment to the dreams coming true but has, in fact, been the force that made them come true.
3 For me it's b), meaning that they can't be killed by circumstance, but they can die inside.
4 if...happens/should ... happen- a nice sneaky piece of testing there
5 It is a noun, but it doesn't have to be plural- it an uncountable use, like all impossible things, but roled into a single package.

[Tdol]

1 You could say 'for his arguing', but it is the only one that works without the preposition.
2 My handicaps have made my dreams come true, despite the fact that people might think they would be an impediment.
3 those are the only places where it is possible for them to die at any time.

[jiang]

Dear Tdol,
Thank you very much for your explanation. Now I see.

Jiang

Originally Posted by Tdol

1 You could say 'for his arguing', but it is the only one that works without the preposition.
2 My handicaps have made my dreams come true, despite the fact that people might think they would be an impediment.
3 those are the only places where it is possible for them to die at any time.

[Tdol]

Glad we got there. I must admit that things like 'not in spite of' are conceptually tricky to fathom out.

[jiang]

Dear Tdol,
I agree with you. So actually I only understand your paraphrase but I don't understand the grammar because I can't find a singular example like 'not in spite of'. But I am glad I understand your explanation.

Jiang

Originally Posted by Tdol

Glad we got there. I must admit that things like 'not in spite of' are conceptually tricky to fathom out.

[Tdol]

It's rare, but here are a couple from the British National Corpus:

The reason for this I think is, not in spite of, but because their work is so, ultimately, sociological

1 CKL to develop her tennis skills in accordance with her academic studies, and not despite them. How, though does she cope with being coached for
2 HRM Rhetorically, she asks: What if Thatcher was re-elected not despite the repugnance that many feel of her image, but also in

[jiang]

Dear Tdol,
Thank you so much for your help. May I say, it might seem awkward, that the meaning of ' not in spite of ' or 'not despite' is very close to 'not because of'?

Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thank you in advance.
Jiang

Originally Posted by Tdol

It's rare, but here are a couple from the British National Corpus:

The reason for this I think is, not in spite of, but because their work is so, ultimately, sociological

1 CKL to develop her tennis skills in accordance with her academic studies, and not despite them. How, though does she cope with being coached for
2 HRM Rhetorically, she asks: What if Thatcher was re-elected not despite the repugnance that many feel of her image, but also in

[Tdol]

It's like not (not because of)