[Grammar] The Japanese are much less interested in social networking sites,

[newkeenlearner]

The Japanese are much less interested in social networking sites, spending an average of just two and a half hours per person per month on these sites.

Is this sentence equivalent with one above?

The Japanese are much less interested in social networking sites, who spend an average of just two and a half hours per person per month on these sites.

 

[emsr2d2]

Your second sentence is incorrect with "who spend".

Much less interested than who?

 

[newkeenlearner]

I was thinking about two alternatives. I hope that 'll be correct.

The Japanese, who spend an average of just two and a half hours per person per month on these sites, are much less interested in social networking sites.

OR

The Japanese are much less interested in social networking sites, because they spend an average of just two and a half hours per person per month on these sites.

 

[andrewg927]

Remove "per person" and your second sentence will be correct.

 

[newkeenlearner]

Remove "per person" .

Source: Essential words for IELTS

your second sentence will be correct.

Thanks. May I ask what is wrong with this sentence Andrewg927?
The Japanese, who spend an average of just two and a half hours per month on these sites, are much less interested in social networking sites.

 

[Rover_KE]

You need to put social networking before the first 'sites' rather than the second 'sites'.

 

[newkeenlearner]

You need to put social networking before the first 'sites' rather than the second 'sites'.

So great point. Thanks so much. I am really careless and this will cause a problem in an IELTS exam.
The Japanese, who spend an average of just two and a half hours per month on social networking sites, are much less interested in these sites.

Can I add "per person" too?

 

[Raymott]

"The Japanese are much less interested in social networking sites, because they spend an average of just two and a half hours per person per month on these sites."

You have the causation backwards. They spend less time there because they are less interested - not vice versa.

 

[Tdol]

Out of interest, is this true overall? They have homegrown social media that are more popular than some used globally, so things like Facebook had a lower market penetration there than many countries.

 

[newkeenlearner]

You have the causation backwards. They spend less time there because they are less interested - not vice versa.

What you meant was that the following sentence is OK, and if we swap the two sentences, it no longer makes sense:

Because the Japanese spend an average of just two and a half hours per person per month on social networking sites, they are much less interested in those sites.

 

[andrewg927]

It should be "because they are less interested in social networking sites, the Japanese spend an average of just two and a half hours per month on these sites."

 

[andrewg927]

So great point. Thanks so much. I am really careless and this will cause a problem in an IELTS exam.
The Japanese, who spend an average of just two and a half hours per month on social networking sites, are much less interested in these sites.

Can I add "per person" too?

Don't use "per person". It is redundant. "An average" already conveys "per person".

 

[Lynxear]

The Japanese are much less interested in social networking sites, spending an average of just two and a half hours per person per month on these sites.

Is this sentence equivalent with one above?

The Japanese are much less interested in social networking sites, who spend an average of just two and a half hours per person per month on these sites.

Your first sentence is the best one of the two. As mentioned in other posts I would remove the "per person" as it is redundant when you state this is an average.

"The Japanese are much less interested in social networking sites, spending an average of just two and a half hours per month on these sites. "

 

[newkeenlearner]

Thanks Lynxear for your comment.

Your first sentence is the best one of the two.

You are definitely right. However, if I am going to use these structure in my sentences, I 'll have to know how these forms come from. That's why I really wan to know what the original form of these structures are. If I know this, I'll use it in my essays correctly; otherwise, I might make mistakes, as a result of just memorizing and misusing them.

 

[newkeenlearner]

It should be "because they are less interested in social networking sites, the Japanese spend an average of just two and a half hours per month on these sites."

So helpful. Many thanks. Now I got it. So the reverse of the sentence mentioned above doesn't work.
As a conclusion, these two sentences are correct:

The Japanese, who spend an average of just two and a half hours per month on social networking sites, are much less interested in those sites.

AND

Because the Japanese are much less interested in social networking sites, they spend an average of just two and a half hours per month on these sites.

 

[Lynxear]

This pedant would speak of the better​ (one) of the two

Of course you are correct. I shall have to scrutinize my responses better as well as yours too for that matter.