Three of the Olympic Games "all" were stopped

[sitifan]

Although modern Olympic Games didn't happen for several times, it's put off for the first time in history. Three of the Olympic Games all were stopped because of World War, 1916, 1940, and 1944.
(My bold.)
Source: written by a Taiwanese teacher of English.

Is the word "all" obligatory, optional, or redundant in the above quotation?

 

[Rover_KE]

It’s redundant, but not the worst fault in that quote. The whole extract is badly written.

Why do you have to persist with this person’s writings?

 

[tedmc]

"...Games were all stopped..." would be better, though "all" is still redundant. "All" after a noun seems like literal translation from Chinese.
"...didn't happen for several times" is bad English.

 

[emsr2d2]

Source: written by a Taiwanese teacher of English.

Who is this person and can we find their work online? I would love to have a look at more of their stuff and see if they get anything right! Every single time you quote them, we point out errors in their writing (teaching) and we frequently ask you why you insist on using their examples. I don't recall you ever explaining why.

 

[PaulMatthews]

Three of the Olympic Games all were stopped because of World War, 1916, 1940, and 1944.

It’s optional.

Grammatically it’s an adjunct in clause structure and thus is optional. Semantically, it conveys an entirety meaning, again optional. Personally, I find it stylistically inelegant and would omit it.

Further, as a quantificational adjunct, its position should preferentially be after the auxiliary verb “were”:

Three of the Olympic Games were all stopped because of World War, 1916, 1940, and 1944.

 

[5jj]

It’s optional.

I regard it as incorrect in that position.

 

[teechar]

Although modern Olympic Games didn't happen for several times,

That's not very well phrased.

it's put off for the first time in history.

I have no idea what that means.

... were stopped because of

"Stopped" is not the best verb here. It suggests the games started and then stopped. Consider something like "cancelled" instead.

@sitifan: please respond to post #4 above.

 

[PaulMatthews]

I regard it as incorrect in that position.

I said in my answer that it should preferentially come after "were". How much clearer could that be?

 

[5jj]

It suggests that the original position is, if not desirable, at least possible. I believe that it is not possible.

Incidentally, I find the use of the word 'preferentially' less than natural there.

 

[PaulMatthews]

It suggests that the original position is, if not desirable, at least possible. I believe that it is not possible.

Incidentally, I find the use of the word 'preferentially' less than natural there.

It;s not ungrammatical, so I would avoid the words "not possible".

There's nothing unnatural about my use of "preferentially" there.

 

[sitifan]

Who is this person and can we find their work online?

I am forced to use the questions. I don't know who wrote the questions, but I am sure that they were written by Taiwanese teachers.

 

[5jj]

It;s not ungrammatical

I believe that it is.

 

[emsr2d2]

I am forced to use the questions. I don't know who wrote the questions, but I am sure that they were written by Taiwanese teachers.

Who is forcing you to use these questions? Are you not in a position to point out to the person/people forcing you that the content is practically useless as far as teaching anyone English is concerned?

 

[sitifan]

Who is forcing you to use these questions? Are you not in a position to point out to the person/people forcing you that the content is practically useless as far as teaching anyone English is concerned?

In Taiwan, many English grammar and usage books written by teachers or even professors are full of errors, which lead to a lot of poor test questions. I am not in a position to point that out publicly!

 

[teechar]

I doubt if any native speaker of English would use "all" in any position in that sentence. I strongly advise the OP and other learners not to use it like that.
@sitifan , if you managed to scan the above page, why can't you tell us the title and author of the book?

 

[emsr2d2]

Although the modern Olympic Games didn't happen for several times, it's put off been postponed for the first time in history. Three of the Olympic Games all were stopped cancelled because of World Wars, in 1916, 1940, and 1944.

Seven errors in such a short piece is appalling. I feel very sorry for @sitifan if he/she really is forced to use this teaching material but, if that's the case, I don't really see the point of us constantly looking at the material. Presumably, the students have to use the material as written.

 

[sitifan]

I doubt if any native speaker of English would use "all" in any position in that sentence. I strongly advise the OP and other learners not to use it like that.
@sitifan , if you managed to scan the above page, why can't you tell us the title and author of the book?

It's quoted from a practice test, not from a book. Only the publisher knows who wrote the practice tests.

 

[dunchee]

It's quoted from a practice test, not from a book. Only the publisher knows who wrote the practice tests.

So this "practice test" IS the source. What's its title? What's the name of the publisher?

 

[tedmc]

It;s not ungrammatical, so I would avoid the words "not possible".

There's nothing unnatural about my use of "preferentially" there.

I think "preferably" is more appropriate and natural. "Preferentially" is to do with preference and partiality.

 

[PaulMatthews]

I doubt if any native speaker of English would use "all" in any position in that sentence. I strongly advise the OP and other learners not to use it like that.
@sitifan , if you managed to scan the above page, why can't you tell us the title and author of the book?

Repetition. I and others have already said that it should follow “were” and that “all” is optional, the latter point being what the OP asked about.