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Query: Many people, when they get older,...



 
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ESL Forum | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
the usage of "hang out" | "otherwise" vs "or else"
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Query: Many people, when they get older,... #1 (permalink) Sun Apr 20, 2008 15:42 pm   Query: Many people, when they get older,...
 

Many people, when they get older, want to return to their hometown
=> is the above sentence grammatically correct? I find the phrase "when they get older" here so strange...
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Sad... something we never have again, I know... I guess I really really know.. Sad

Sorry seems to be the hardest word...
Nessie
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Joined: 16 Feb 2008
Posts: 1102

Query: Many people, when they get older,... #2 (permalink) Sun Apr 20, 2008 17:03 pm   Query: Many people, when they get older,...
 

.
Why do you find it strange, Nessie? Is it only the word order that you find strange?
.
Yankee
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Joined: 16 Apr 2006
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Query: Many people, when they get older,... #3 (permalink) Sun Apr 20, 2008 17:39 pm   Query: Many people, when they get older,...
 

Yes, the word order, Amy, I simply have never seen this syntax so I wonder if it is correct or not...
_________________
Sad... something we never have again, I know... I guess I really really know.. Sad

Sorry seems to be the hardest word...
Nessie
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 16 Feb 2008
Posts: 1102

Query: Many people, when they get older,... #4 (permalink) Sun Apr 20, 2008 18:36 pm   Query: Many people, when they get older,...
 

Hi Nessie

The most common word order would probably be this:
Many people want to return to their hometown when they get older.

This would probably be the second most common word order:
When they get older, many people want to return to their hometown.

It is also possible, though not as common, to write the sentence the way you posted it. You might say that the commas are used as a signal to indicate that one clause is interrupting the other.
.
Yankee
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 16 Apr 2006
Posts: 8265
Location: USA

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the usage of "hang out" | "otherwise" vs "or else"
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