... the best part has being together as a family again.

Status
Not open for further replies.

kadioguy

Key Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2017
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Chinese
Home Country
Taiwan
Current Location
Taiwan
(From the Facebook page of American Institute in Taiwan)

"I’m having a great holiday season in Turkey with my family! We’ve spent time in both Istanbul and Ankara, but the best part has being together as a family again.” --- AIT Director Oudkirk

[Source]
----
1. Should it be "been"?

2. Does the green part suggest that to Oudkirk, being together as a family again is greater than taking a trip itself in Turkey?
 

Tarheel

VIP Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2014
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
1. In my opinion "been" is missing, and it should be before "being".

2. Yes. More important than the trip is being together as a family.
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
It should be "... the best part has been being together as a family".

What has the best part been?
[The best part has been] being together as a family.
 

kadioguy

Key Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2017
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Chinese
Home Country
Taiwan
Current Location
Taiwan
a. The best part has been being together as a family.
b. The best part is being together as a family.
----
Why did the writer use (a)? What does (a) mean, as opposed to (b), in this case?

Does (a) mean something like this?

(Until now) We’ve spent time in both Istanbul and Ankara, but (until now) the best part has being together as a family again.
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
a. The best part has been being together as a family.
b. The best part is being together as a family.
----
Why did the writer use (a)? What does (a) mean, as opposed to (b), in this case?

Does (a) mean something like this?

(Until now) We’ve spent time in both Istanbul and Ankara, but (until now) the best part has been being together as a family again.

Using (a) leaves open the possibility that some part of the rest of the festivities might be better than the family being together so yes, your "Until now" understanding is correct. Using (b) refers only to the current situation, and could also be used to express a general fact - the speaker thinks that the best of part of every holiday season is being with family.
 

Rover_KE

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jun 20, 2010
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
England
He probably meant to write '... but the best part was being together as a family again".
 

kadioguy

Key Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2017
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Chinese
Home Country
Taiwan
Current Location
Taiwan
Using (a) leaves open the possibility that some part of the rest of the festivities might be better than the family being together so yes, your "Until now" understanding is correct. [...]
If you don't mind, could you tell me why it is "some part" rather than "some parts"?

Does "part" here mean "used with singular nouns to refer to a person, place, thing or time that is not known or not identified, as in There must be some mistake"?
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/some_1?q=some
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top