[Grammar] The changes have been greater than we ever envisaged.

[newkeenlearner]

Hi everyone,
I am writing to ask for help about the underlined parts.Which one sound correct?

The changes have been greater than we ever envisaged.

The changes have been greater than we ever envisaged them.

Many thanks.

 

[andrewg927]

No need to repeat "them".

I am not a teacher.

 

[emsr2d2]

I agree that there is no need to use "them". It wouldn't, however, be repetition because "them" hasn't been used earlier in the sentence.

 

[Rover_KE]

Andrew, there is no need to make us read the OP again by quoting it in full when your reply immediately follows it.

 

[andrewg927]

Sometimes when I reply on my mobile phone, it automatically does that. I don't know why. If it bothers you that much, I will just lay off using my phone. No worries.

 

[newkeenlearner]

I agree that there is no need to use "them". It wouldn't, however, be repetition because "them" hasn't been used earlier in the sentence.

Does n't "them" refer back to "changes'?

 

[Sue01]

Hi,

Yes, you're quite right. In any event, your sentence sounds much more natural without "them", in my opinion.

Sue

 

[emsr2d2]

Doesn't "them" refer back to "changes'?

It refers back to "changes" but it is not repetition of the word "them". It is unnecessary in any case.

 

[Barb_D]

I wonder if "envisage" is a more BrE use.

I would have said "envision" and found "envisage" rather strange, as it's a rather uncommon word in my experience.

 

[Rover_KE]

You're right, Barb.

Click here, then change the corpus to American English.