[Grammar] He seems/seems to be right

[kadioguy]

a. He seems right.
b. He seems to be right.

(Source: my original sentences.)
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Do they mean the same thing?

 

[emsr2d2]

They're both grammatically possible. The second sounds more natural to me but, as ever, without more context I can't be absolutely sure.

 

[kadioguy]

They're both grammatically possible. The second sounds more natural to me but, as ever, without more context I can't be absolutely sure.

You could still give us the context you had in mind.

I don't know how many times we have to say this: Context is important.

Thank you both.

Here is the context in my mind:

A: What do you think about Tom's opinion?

B:
a. Well, he seems right.
b. Well, he seems to be right.

 

[Tarheel]

In that case they mean the same thing.

 

[emsr2d2]

We don't usually consider other people's opinions to be right or wrong. We agree with them or we don't.

 

[Tarheel]

We don't usually consider other people's opinions to be right or wrong. We agree with them or we don't.

I think many would disagree with that. As for me, sometimes I'm right, and sometimes I'm wrong.

 

[Tarheel]

Here is the context in my mind.

I suggest:

Here's what I have in mind.

(Don't you want to be like me? ;-) )

 

[beachboy]

Not a teacher

Shouldn't it be "What do you think OF Tom's opinion"?

 

[kadioguy]

Shouldn't it be "What do you think OF Tom's opinion"?

I think both are acceptable.

https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/think-about

 

[Rover_KE]

beachboy, don't forget to add 'Not a teacher' when you reply to a post.

 

[beachboy]

beachboy, don't forget to add 'Not a teacher' when you reply to a post.

My fault, thanks for remindiing me. What about the answer to my question? Any comments?

Not a teacher.

 

[Matthew Wai]

The answer is based on a trusted dictionary. What do you think about it?

 

[Rover_KE]

My fault, thanks for reminding me. What about the answer to my question? Any comments?

kadioguy answered it in post #10.

 

[beachboy]

The answer is based on a trusted dictionary. What do you think about it?

I think, I mean, I'm sure the example mentioned in the trusted dictionary doesn't refer to the same context posted. My question refers to opinions. I've made this mistake here, I've been corrected HERE, and I wonder if I learned correctly. Hope I won't have to look for my post, because the post wasn't about it. Let's see if somebody answers my question.

 

[beachboy]

kadioguy answered it in post #10.

If I understood well, they mean the same in the example mentioned in the dictionary, not when it comes to opinions. That's what was told me here, a couple of months ago.

 

[beachboy]

https://www.usingenglish.com/forum/threads/249862-What-are-you-thinking-about

 

[Matthew Wai]

If I understood well, they mean the same in the example mentioned in the dictionary, not when it comes to opinions. That's what was told me here, a couple of months ago.

Sorry, which teacher(s) here told you that "about" did not apply to "opinions"?

 

[beachboy]

Sorry, which teacher(s) here told you that "about" did not apply to "opinions"?

Take a look at post #18.

 

[jutfrank]

Shouldn't it be "What do you think OF Tom's opinion"?

It's not clear because What do you think of/about Tom's opinion? is a strange and unnatural thing to ask in the first place. Perhaps kadioguy simply means Do you agree with Tom? or Do you share Tom's opinion?

We tend to use think of when we want to focus on our judgements/evaluations of things.

A: What do you think of my new hairstyle?
B: I don't think much of it, to be quite honest.

This is not the same use as the one shown in post #10.