[Grammar] Help me with the tense

[ngoc_lan]

The first boy or girl who (answer) _________ all the questions is to receive the singer's new album.

Can you give me the correct tense for it?

In my opinion, "answers" sounds OK because it looks like a conditional sentence. Is it right?

I hope to receive answers from you. Thanks

 

[david11]

Not a teacher.


I too think so.

 

[TheParser]

The first boy or girl who (answer) _________ all the questions is to receive the singer's new album.

***** NOT A TEACHER *****

(1) I agree with you and David.

(2) In my humble opinion, however, your sentence is NOT a so-called

conditional sentence.

(3) As I understand, "is to receive" is just another way to say "will receive."

 

[emsr2d2]

The first boy or girl who (answer) _________ all the questions is to receive the singer's new album.

Can you give me the correct tense for it?

In my opinion, "answers" sounds OK because it looks like a conditional sentence. Is it right?

I hope to receive answers from you. Thanks

May I suggest that it should be "The first boy or girl who correctly answers all the questions ..."

Anyone can answer the questions. The trick is to get the answers right.

 

[ngoc_lan]

So why does the key in my book give me the answer "Will answer". Is it correct, too? And why?

 

[emsr2d2]

So why does the key in my book give me the answer "Will answer". Is it correct, too? And why?

No, it's not correct. I have no idea why it would give that. In that situation, we use the present tense to express the future. I'm also not very happy with "is to". The sentence would be far more natural as:

The first boy or girl who correctly answers all the questions will receive/win a copy of the singer's new album.

This is the kind of error that, unfortunately, we find in grammar books all the time. If they're not written by native speakers, mistakes slip in.

 

[david11]

May I suggest that it should be "The first boy or girl who correctly answers all the questions ..."
.

Should this sentence be followed by a question mark madam?

 

[Rover_KE]

No. It's not a question.

 

[david11]

No. It's not a question.

Then what kind of structure is that? sir

 

[5jj]

Then what kind of structure is that? sir

It's a polite suggestion. Many years ago, teachers would insist that it was phrased as a question, and so we must use a question mark. However, in speech it does not have the intonation of a question, and most people do not now use the question mark.

ps. There are no 'sirs' or 'madams' in this forum. It's fine to use no form of address, or to use the username of the person you are addressing.

 

[david11]

It's a polite suggestion. Many years ago, teachers would insist that it was phrased as a question, and so we must use a question mark. However, in speech it does not have the intonation of a question, and most people do not now use the question mark

.

If I may say....

Is the above structure similar to that?

ps. There are no 'sirs' or 'madams' in this forum. It's fine to use no form of address, or to use the username of the person you are addressing.

I am not used to address elders and teachers by their name and I feel comfortable to address them as sir or madam.So, it is difficult for me to change that and I don't want to change.

Sorry sir I can't accept your advice.

 

[5jj]

.Sorry sir I can't accept your advice.

As several of us have said, over the years, that we prefer not to be addressed as 'sir/madam', then, if you choose not to follow this advice, you are addressing us in a way we we prefer not to be addressed.

 

[david11]

As several of us have said, over the years, that we prefer not to be addressed as 'sir/madam', then, if you choose not to follow this advice, you are addressing us in a way we we prefer not to be addressed.

It is really strange for me that a teacher not prefer a student to address him or her as sir/madam.

As far as I know addressing one as sir or madam is the most polite and respectful way.

Does it in anyway mean that the person addressed is old?

 

[5jj]

It is really strange for me that a teacher not prefer a student to address him or her as sir/madam.

In Britain, most students from the age of about 16/17 address their teachers by their first names.That may seem strange to you, but it is normal there.

As far as I know addressing one as sir or madam is the most polite and respectful way.

It is in some situations. It is neither polite nor respectful to do so if the person addressed has said that they prefer you to adress them by name.

Does it in anyway mean that the person addressed is old?

No.

There is a discussion that might interest you here:

According to sir, madam or moderator administrator + name

 

[david11]

In Britain, most students from the age of about 16/17 address their teachers by their first names.That may seem strange to you, but it is normal there.
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We would definitively get dismissed from college, If we address them(teachers) by their name.

There is a lot of cultural difference but I prefer to stick to my culture. At the same time I would not embarrass you by addressing you what you not prefer.

Thank you 5jj.

 

[ngoc_lan]

I'm also not very happy with "is to". The sentence would be far more natural as:

The first boy or girl who correctly answers all the questions will receive/win a copy of the singer's new album.

This is the kind of error that, unfortunately, we find in grammar books all the time. If they're not written by native speakers, mistakes slip in.

I often catch the phrase "to be to + Verb" in some English newspapers published in my country, Vietnam. What does it mean and are there any equivalent structures?
Is it natural if I use it in spoken/written English?
Thanks for helping me!

 

[spindoctorjimbo]

Boy, this is so cool. "Complex sentences can be fun" might be the title of the thread.

The relative pronoun above creates a clause. This single sentence, therefore, is possible to break into two sentences.

For example, "Some boy or girl can answer all the questions correctly. The first such child is to receive (a prize)."

Relative pronouns allow a writer or speaker to combine two ideas into one. The form of this sentence might easily be as follows: "The first boy or girl who can answer all the questions correctly is to receive (a prize)."

Such a simple question generates so many possibilities. "May I suggest that this sentence that I am writing is in fact an interrogatory, and hence is perfectly correct with a question mark following it?" The alternative is to say that it is some sort of idiomatic declarative sentence, despite the classic placement of the auxiliary verb at the beginning, which of course is 'always' a question.

 

[ngoc_lan]

Thanks, but I don't understand much. Can I use the structure "to be to + Verb" in spoken/written English? Is it natural when I use it? And one more thing, what does it mean?

 

[Rover_KE]

TheParser told you the meaning in post #3:

. . ."is to receive" is just another way to say "will receive."

You can use the structure if you want but you might as well use the simpler form.

Rover

 

[ngoc_lan]

Thanks a lot. You teachers here answer very quickly! I hope to learn more from you.
And Happy Lunar New Year! (Wishes from Vietnam!)