Has America conducted elections this year?

Piscean

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I give up.
 

jutfrank

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Now that seems very confusing. ‍
How in sentence 1 mayor can be a subject? People should be the subject in sentence 1.

The person or thing 'doing' the action is the agent. In passive sentences, the subject is not the agent of the action. You have to understand the difference between agent (which is related to meaning) and grammatical subject (which is related to grammar).

A new mayor has been elected.

Here, A new mayor is the subject of the sentence and has been elected is its verb phrase.

Is it compulsory that every sentence should've a subject?

No, but nearly all sentences do.

John is being bullied at school.
How John can be a subject in this? John isn't doing any action. 😵

That's right—John isn't doing any action. In fact, he's receiving the action. In this case, we call John the 'patient'. The agent isn't expressed in the sentence but we understand there probably to be some other kids at his school who are the agents. Because the sentence doesn't mention explicitly who is doing the bullying, we have to guess.

Still, John is the grammatical subject of the sentence and is being bullied is its verb phrase. Don't confuse subjects with agents.
 
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emsr2d2

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The subject of a sentence is someone who performs an action. In post #24 @emsr2d2 mentioned said that the mayor isn't doing anything. How can the mayor can be the subject then?
Please refer to the attached image.
You're still trying to run before you can walk. You're attempting to analyse sentences and structures that are beyond your level. Look at the corrections I had to make to your post in the quote box. You're still struggling with the use of articles and you haven't grasped the correct word order for questions yet. I suggest you go back to basics.
 

emsr2d2

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Is it compulsory that every sentence should've should have a subject?
Note that you can only use the contraction "should've" when it's part of a longer modal verb construction. It's not just short for "should have" when "have" indicates possession.

You should have gone to the park yesterday > You should've gone to the park yesterday. ✅
We should have left twenty minutes ago > We should've left twenty minutes ago. ✅
I should have read that book before writing an essay on it > I should've read that book before writing an essay on it. ✅

You should have a shirt on > You should've a shirt on. ❌
We should have another loaf of bread in the freezer > We should've another loaf of bread in the freezer. ❌
I should have something to eat before bed > I should've something to eat before bed. ❌
 

jutfrank

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😵
Subject of a sentence is someone who performs an action. In post #24 @emsr2d2 mentioned that "mayor" isn't doing anything. How mayor can be subject then?
Please refer attached image.

Ah, I've just properly noticed this post! This is why you're confused.

No, the first part of what it says in the screenshot is wrong. The subject is often someone who performs an action, but there are many many cases, including all passive sentences, where that is not the case.
 
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The person or thing 'doing' the action is the agent. In passive sentences, the subject is not the agent of the action. You have to understand the difference between agent (which is related to meaning) and grammatical subject (which is related to grammar).

A new mayor has been elected.

Here, A new mayor is the subject of the sentence and has been elected is its verb phrase.



No, but nearly all sentences do.



That's right—John isn't doing any action. In fact, he's receiving the action. In this case, we call John the 'patient'. The agent isn't expressed in the sentence but we understand there probably to be some other kids at his school who are the agents. Because the sentence doesn't mention explicitly who is doing the bullying, we have to guess.

Still, John is the grammatical subject of the sentence and is being bullied is its verb phrase. Don't confuse subjects with agents.
Okay. This cleared many of my doubts. I'll read more about grammatical subject and agent. I was confusing between the two.
 
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You're still trying to run before you can walk. You're attempting to analyse sentences and structures that are beyond your level. Look at the corrections I had to make to your post in the quote box. You're still struggling with the use of articles and you haven't grasped the correct word order for questions yet. I suggest you go back to basics.
Yes, I agree with you. I started conversation with a very simple doubt, i.e. where I've to use "been". But the things got complicated beyond my anticipation. I got confused, and I can't remain confused. That's how I'm. My doubts haunt me day and night. It's very important to clear doubts.
 
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Ah, I've just properly noticed this post! This is why you're confused.

No, the first part of what it says in the screenshot is wrong. The subject is often someone who performs an action, but there are many many cases, including all passive sentences, where that is not the case.
Exactly, you got it right why was I confused. I'll read more about it.
 
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Note that you can only use the contraction "should've" when it's part of a longer modal verb construction. It's not just short for "should have" when "have" indicates possession.

You should have gone to the park yesterday > You should've gone to the park yesterday. ✅
We should have left twenty minutes ago > We should've left twenty minutes ago. ✅
I should have read that book before writing an essay on it > I should've read that book before writing an essay on it. ✅

You should have a shirt on > You should've a shirt on. ❌
We should have another loaf of bread in the freezer > We should've another loaf of bread in the freezer. ❌
I should have something to eat before bed > I should've something to eat before bed. ❌
Does the same goes with "could've" and "would've"?
 
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Please refer to the post #24.
In the following sentence who is the recipient of the action?
1. Have the local elections been held yet?
 

jutfrank

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In the following sentence who is the recipient of the action?
1. Have the local elections been held yet?

The main verb is held and the recipient is the local elections. There is no explicit agent in the sentence, but we understand it to be whichever political body you're talking about.

[Edit: Sorry, Piscean, I didn't see your post #52]
 
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emsr2d2

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Okay. This has cleared up many a lot of my doubts confusion. I'll read more about grammatical subject and agent. I was confusing getting confused between the two.
Yes, I agree with you. I started this conversation thread with a very simple doubt question, i.e. "Where I've to should I use "been?" But However, the things got more complicated beyond my anticipation than I had anticipated. I got confused no comma here and I can't don't like to remain confused. That's how I'm I am. My doubts haunt me day and night. It's very important for me to clear up doubts.
Note that you can't use "I'm" at the end of a sentence. It has to be followed by something - an adjective, a noun, a verb in the continuous.
Does the same goes with "could've" and "would've"?
Yes.
 

emsr2d2

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You people are amazing. @jutfrank @Piscean @emsr2d2 . ❤❤❤❤❤
Learning English will be a nice journey with all of you.
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