Forum newsfeeds
Forum Newsfeeds


Sites for Teachers

Sites for Teachers


Go Back   UsingEnglish.com ESL Forum > Learning English > Ask a Teacher

Notices

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1 (permalink)  
Old 13-Dec-2007, 15:09
Newbie
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Country: Hungary
Posts: 28
Current Location: Budapest
First Language: Hungarian
Member Type: English Teacher
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
borsbali is on a distinguished road
Default It is YOU

Hello!

Would you say 'It is you who has to go' OR 'It is you who have to go'? Why?

Thanks,

Balázs.
Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
  #2 (permalink)  
Old 13-Dec-2007, 15:32
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Country: Canada
Posts: 1,155
Current Location: Alberta
First Language: English
Member Type: Other
Thanks: 0
Thanked 12 Times in 12 Posts
Naamplao is on a distinguished road
Default Re: It is YOU

Quote:
Originally Posted by borsbali View Post
Hello!

Would you say 'It is you who has to go' OR 'It is you who have to go'? Why?

Thanks,

Balázs.
It would depend on what "you" represented. If it was a singular person then #1 would apply....if "you" was plural then sentence #2 would apply.

You would eliminate this decision by using "must" instead of "has/have to"

It is you who must go. This would apply to singular or plural forms of "you"
Reply With Quote
  #3 (permalink)  
Old 14-Dec-2007, 09:18
Newbie
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Country: Hungary
Posts: 28
Current Location: Budapest
First Language: Hungarian
Member Type: English Teacher
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
borsbali is on a distinguished road
Default Re: It is YOU

Ok, thanks, but let us say another example:

- It is me who is (or AM?) to blame.
- It is you who is (or ARE?) to blame.
- It is him/her who is to blame.
- It is us who is (or ARE?) to blame.
- It is you who is (or ARE?) to blame.
- It is them who is (or ARE?) to blame.

Please, help me which vern form to use when.

Thanks,

Balázs.
Reply With Quote
  #4 (permalink)  
Old 14-Dec-2007, 11:17
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Country: Canada
Posts: 1,155
Current Location: Alberta
First Language: English
Member Type: Other
Thanks: 0
Thanked 12 Times in 12 Posts
Naamplao is on a distinguished road
Default Re: It is YOU

Quote:
Originally Posted by borsbali View Post
Ok, thanks, but let us say another example:

- It is me who is (or AM?) to blame.
- It is you who is (or ARE?) to blame.
- It is him/her who is to blame.
- It is us who is (or ARE?) to blame.
- It is you who is (or ARE?) to blame.
- It is them who is (or ARE?) to blame.

Please, help me which vern form to use when.

Thanks,

Balázs.
I am not going to comment on which of these are correct or not. There is a lot of controversy on this topic.

I will say though that this is not a good sentence construction and as written it sounds horribly old fashioned to me. I would write the sentences as follows:

I am the one to blame.
You are the one to blame.
He is the one to blame.
We are the ones to blame.
You are the ones to to blame.
They are the ones to to blame.


Better sentences with no controversy.
Reply With Quote
  #5 (permalink)  
Old 14-Dec-2007, 11:43
Newbie
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Country: Hungary
Posts: 28
Current Location: Budapest
First Language: Hungarian
Member Type: English Teacher
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
borsbali is on a distinguished road
Default Re: It is YOU

Thanks a lot for the quick and proper answer.
I might teach though "It is me who is to blame" OR "It is I who am to blame" as gramatically right sentences when it comes to prepare my pupils for the language exam in Hungary

Thanks a lot, bye,

Balázs.
Reply With Quote
  #6 (permalink)  
Old 14-Dec-2007, 11:48
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Country: vietnam
Posts: 39
Current Location: city
First Language: english
Member Type: Student or Learner
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
thanhthanh.esl is on a distinguished road
Default Re: It is YOU

[quote=borsbali;236737]Thanks a lot for the quick and proper answer.
I might teach though "It is me who is to blame" OR "It is I who am to blame" as gramatically right sentences when it comes to prepare my pupils for the language exam in Hungary

Thanks a lot, bye,

Well, in my opinion, it can be written :It's me, who is to blame "
Reply With Quote
  #7 (permalink)  
Old 14-Dec-2007, 16:41
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Country: Canada
Posts: 1,155
Current Location: Alberta
First Language: English
Member Type: Other
Thanks: 0
Thanked 12 Times in 12 Posts
Naamplao is on a distinguished road
Default Re: It is YOU

Quote:
Originally Posted by borsbali View Post
Thanks a lot for the quick and proper answer.
I might teach though "It is me who is to blame" OR "It is I who am to blame" as gramatically right sentences when it comes to prepare my pupils for the language exam in Hungary

Thanks a lot, bye,

Balázs.
As I said....this is very controversial. Some opinion goes one way, others go the other. If you wish to review this opinion just put this phrase exactly as I have written it into the Google search engine:

"It is I who" esl

You will find a lot of discussion about the use of this construction and you can make up your own mind.

If I was teaching this construction, I would find out the acceptable form for your examination. I would teach that form and explain the controversy. THEN I would show the better alternative that I have shown earlier which is a better construction and has no controversy.
Reply With Quote
  #8 (permalink)  
Old 17-Dec-2007, 11:45
Newbie
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Country: Hungary
Posts: 28
Current Location: Budapest
First Language: Hungarian
Member Type: English Teacher
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
borsbali is on a distinguished road
Default Re: It is YOU

Ok, got it.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Tags
you

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


New To Site? Need Help?

All times are GMT. The time now is 22:06.


vBulletin, Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.2.0
Copyright © 2002 - 2008 UsingEnglish.com