I was sailing on a river, enjoying it all.

[diamondcutter]

I was sailing on a river, enjoying it all.
Then I saw a boat in front of me go down a waterfall.
What an adventure!

(Source: Kid’s Box 6, an English textbook, CUP)

In the first sentence, I want to know if the word “all” refers to the word “it”, functioning as its appositive.

 

[jutfrank]

No, it doesn't.

 

[diamondcutter]

Thanks, Jutfrank.

Do you mean the "all" is an adverb?

 

[jutfrank]

No. Forget about trying to understand the grammar. You just need to know that it all is another way to say 'everything'. In this case, it means 'everything' in the sense of the whole experience.

 

[diamondcutter]

The original sentence:
I was sailing on a river, enjoying it all.

My versions:
1. I was sailing on a river, and I was enjoying it all.
2. I was sailing on a river, and I enjoyed it all.

I think my first version has the same meaning as the original one and my second version is also acceptable. What do you say?

 

[Tarheel]

They're okay.

 

[jutfrank]

I think my first version has the same meaning as the original one

Right.

and my second version is also acceptable. What do you say?

What do you mean by 'acceptable'? Your first version is equivalent to the original.

 

[diamondcutter]

I mean my second version will make sense in a certain context but I don't know what context it is.

 

[jutfrank]

Your second version is not good. How do you justify using the continuous aspect in the first clause but not the second?

 

[diamondcutter]

In the original sentence, the main clause uses the the continuous aspect. According to the general rule, the action of the participle phrase happens at the same time as that of the main clause. That’s the reason why I used the the continuous aspect to rewrite the the participle phrase in my first sentence.

 

[jutfrank]

Right. That's why your second sentence in post #5 is not good.

 

[Tarheel]

I mean my second version would make sense in a certain context, but I don't know what that context would be.

How can you possibly know it would make sense if you don't know how you would be using it?

 

[diamondcutter]

I should have asked if my second sentence might be acceptable.