I want to hold it again.

[tzfujimino]

Hello.:-D

One of my students wrote in her writing assignment. (The sentences below are actually a connected piece of text):

1. I enjoyed playing the saxophone with my friends.
2. I was a member of the brass band club.
3. I loved our club and playing the sax.
4. I had to practice hard because we had a concert.
5. It was very hard, but I want to hold it again.

Would #4 sound better if I corrected it to "We had to practice hard because we had a concert."?

The "I want to hold it" part in #5 doesn't sound OK to me. I would correct it to "I want to play in a concert again."

Are my corrections OK?

Thank you.

 

[ichibanrfx]

Hello Fujimino,

(I'm not a teacher, but a native English speaking ALT in Japan)

I think number 4 is okay using "I" (maybe the other members in the brass band club didn't need to practice). The sentence also sounds fine using "we".

Number 5 sounds strange to me. I agree with your correction.

 

[Tdol]

I is OK, but we does sound better to me for #4 as she is talking about playing in a band. I feel the same way as both of you about #5.

 

[5jj]

I assumed that she wanted to hold the saxophone again.

 

[tzfujimino]

I assumed that she wanted to hold the saxophone again.

Thank you, 5jj.

(The meaning of) the "hold" she tried to convey is often seen in the passive:

"The concert will be held at the Royal Albert Hall."

The original sentence is ambiguous, isn't it?

 

[emsr2d2]

Unless she singlehandedly organised the concert she refers to, she can't say "I held a concert" or "I want to hold a concert again". Only the organiser can say that. She could say "I want to take part in a concert again". I, too, thought she meant she liked the feeling of holding a saxophone and wanted to hold one again.