IS this the correct use?

[bikramksingh]

Hi,

Please tell me if writing "All you did was created" is correct in the sentences like the one written below?

"All you did was created a statue"

Thanks
Bikram

 

[emsr2d2]

Hi,

Please tell me if writing "All you did was created" is correct in the sentences like the one written below?

"All you did was created a statue"

Thanks
Bikram

No. The sentence should read:

All you did was create a statue.

I'm sure someone else will give you the full grammatical reason for this, but I can assure you that it is "create" not "created".

 

[bikramksingh]

Hi,

Thanks for correcting the typo.

but, my issue was this: do i need to add any pronoun after "All you did" before i write "create a statue" in the sentence?

 

[emsr2d2]

Hi,

Thanks for correcting the typo.

but, my issue was this: do i need to add any pronoun after "All you did" before i write "create a statue" in the sentence?

Are you asking if you can say "All you did was you created a statue"?

 

[bikramksingh]

Are you asking if you can say "All you did was you created a statue"?

Yes. This is what i want to say, and I want to know if
a. this construction is right or not, and

b. If I can do away with the second You

 

[emsr2d2]

Yes. This is what i want to say, and I want to know if
a. this construction is right or not, and

b. If I can do away with the second You

Well, the answer is yes and no!!

If you keep the second YOU, then the sentence is:

All you did was you created a statue.

If you dispense with the second YOU, it becomes:

All you did was create a statue.

 

[bikramksingh]

You mean to say i cannot dispense with the second you?

 

[emsr2d2]

You mean to say i cannot dispense with the second you?

You CAN dispense with the second YOU but if you do so you need to ensure that you then use "create" not "created".

If you want to use "created" then you must keep the second "you".

 

[ratóncolorao]

Well, the answer is yes and no!!

If you keep the second YOU, then the sentence is:

All you did was you created a statue.

If you dispense with the second YOU, it becomes:

All you did was create a statue.

What about :

All you did was to create a statue?

Thank you

 

[bikramksingh]

What about :

All you did was to create a statue?

Thank you

I am not so sure about the "to" here. This construction looks incorrect to me. Let's see what others had to say.

 

[kfredson]

What about :

All you did was to create a statue?

Thank you

No, I would suggest that it is not correct to include "to." All you did was...what? Create a statue. You didn't "to create a statue."

On the other hand, if you were to include it I doubt that most people would notice it to be a mistake.

Perhaps others have thoughts on this.

 

[ratóncolorao]

No, I would suggest that it is not correct to include "to." All you did was...what? Create a statue. You didn't "to create a statue."

On the other hand, if you were to include it I doubt that most people would notice it to be a mistake.

Perhaps others have thoughts on this.

Let's put it this way:

To create a statue was all you did.

Creating a statue was all you did.

Create a statue was all you did ¿?


a)To smoke is not good for your health

b)Smoking is not good for your health

c)Smoke is not good for your health ¿?

In my example "smoking" is taking as the fact of doing a certain thing. It can be regarded as a noun, can't it? In a), the use of full infinitive can also be taken as a noun. But, what really confuses me is the use of bare infinitive. Could you please explain it to me?

Going back to the first example : all you did was (to) create a statue - obviously I am not a native speaker, therefore a have not got your benefit; nevertheless, it doesn't sound right to me without TO.

Thank you.:roll: