'Something's function is .........ing'?!

[Mehrgan]

Hi there,

Can we use an '-ing' form after 'function' in the following sentence:

'...cognitive strategies's function is manipulating or transforming the target language by the learner...'

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Hi there,

Can we use an '-ing' form after 'function' in the following sentence:

'...cognitive strategies' function is manipulating or transforming the target language by the learner...'

No. It's just a simple noun.

It would be better to say: "...cognitive strategies' function is to manipulate or transform...." In this kind of sentence, an infinitive is a better object.

 

[Rover_KE]

Yes, we can, but your sentence fragment should begin '...cognitive strategy's function...' or '...the function of cognitive strategy...'

 

[MikeNewYork]

No. It's just a simple noun.

It would be better to say: "...cognitive strategies' function is to manipulate or transform...." In this kind of sentence, an infinitive is a better object.

Charlie, in the original, "manipulating" and "transforming" are gerunds and they ARE nouns. You can change them to infinitives (also nouns) and that is OK, but the infinitives are not verbal objects. They are predicate nominatives (noun complements). Linking verbs do not take a direct object.