[Grammar] Appropriate preposition

Status
Not open for further replies.

sane

Junior Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2008
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
(Afan) Oromo
Home Country
India
Current Location
United States
[FONT=&quot]Are these sentences correct?[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]1. [/FONT][FONT=&quot]He topped the list of successful candidates in ( or at/of /for) the civil service exam.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
2. If he were born in the USA, he would be world famous.
 

Raymott

VIP Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Member Type
Academic
Native Language
English
Home Country
Australia
Current Location
Australia
[FONT=&quot]Are these sentences correct?[/FONT]


[FONT=&quot]1. [/FONT][FONT=&quot]He topped the list of successful candidates in [STRIKE]( or at/of /for) [/STRIKE]the civil service exam.[/FONT]


2. If he were born in the USA, he would be world famous.
Yes, they are.
 

sane

Junior Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2008
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
(Afan) Oromo
Home Country
India
Current Location
United States

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
2. If he were born in the USA, he would be world famous.

I would use If he had been born in the USA...
 

bhaisahab

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 12, 2008
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
Ireland
So would I, "were" doesn't work for me at all.
 

sane

Junior Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2008
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
(Afan) Oromo
Home Country
India
Current Location
United States

Raymott

VIP Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Member Type
Academic
Native Language
English
Home Country
Australia
Current Location
Australia
I would use If he had been born in the USA...
So would I, but I'm still reluctant to call the original wrong.

How about, "If it were made of silver, it would be tarnished by now"?
Here 'made (of silver)' is adjectival, as is 'born (in the US)'.
"If he were US-born, he would be famous by now."
No?
 

bhaisahab

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 12, 2008
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
Ireland
I'd say "If it were made of silver.." is present tense. Present tense with "born" doesn't sound right to me.
 

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
So would I, but I'm still reluctant to call the original wrong.

How about, "If it were made of silver, it would be tarnished by now"?
Here 'made (of silver)' is adjectival, as is 'born (in the US)'.
"If he were US-born, he would be famous by now."
No?

If he were US-born works for me, but the original doesn't seem adjectival to me.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top