I won't punish the child admitting breaking the window.

[sitifan]

1. I won't punish the child who admitted breaking the window.
2. I won't punish the child admitting breaking the window.
3. The terrorists who sent a threatening message asked for an immediate end to bombings.
4. The terrorists sending a threatening message asked for an immediate end to bombings.
(#1 is quoted from Practical English Grammar by Wu Pingzhong and Wu Pingwen, the other sentences were made by a Taiwanese)
Which of the above sentences is not acceptable to native speakers?

 

[Barque]

Sentences 1 and 3 sound normal. Sentence 2 doesn't sound natural. Sentence 4 doesn't sound very natural either.

 

[5jj]

Practical English Grammar by Wu Pingzhong and Wu Pingwen

I can find no trace of this book. Who are the publishers?

 

[sitifan]

I can find no trace of this book. Who are the publishers?

https://www.books.com.tw/products/0010543374?sloc=main
Practical English Grammar, consisting of 6 volumes, was published by Linking Publishing Company.
Sentence #1 is quoted from Volume 5, page 37.

 

[Tarheel]

1. I would say, "I won't punish the child who admitted to breaking the window." (Apparently, the others will be punished.)

3. Apparently, there are two or more groups of terrorists. There are those who sent the threatening message, and there are the others.

 

[tedmc]

I wouldn't use "who" with a relative clause, or a participle, after "terrorist", for the reason Tarheel stated.

I would write "The terrorists sent threatening message asking for an immediate end to bombings.

 

[Tarheel]

@tedmc I think "demanding an immediate end to the bombings" would fit better there.

 

[Skrej]

I'm okay with 1, 3, and 4 as written. #2 is not acceptable to me.

I would write "The terrorists sent a threatening message asking for an immediate end to bombings.

You need an indefinite article before 'threatening' for certain. The definite article before 'bombings' is optional, although if the bombings have already been mentioned then I agree with Tarheel it's better with it.

 

[Tarheel]

Terrorists don't make requests. They make demands, which is reinforced by "threatening message" in that sentence.

That was my point.