Google
English-Test.net
Find penpals and make new friends today!
 
punctuality
timeliness
growth
convenience
profit
TOEIC test: Vocabulary Words: Noun List Answer
 
Username
Password
 Remember me? 
Search   Album   FAQ   Memberlist   Profile   Private messages   Register   Log in 

Phrase "we came back to believing"



 
ESL/EFL Worksheets and Handouts for Students Printable, photocopiable, clearly structured
Designed for teachers and individual learners
For use in a classroom, at home, on your PC
ESL Forum | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
Words are a life. vs Words is a life. vs Words is a way of life. | Meaning of adjunct
Listening exercises
Message
Author
Phrase "we came back to believing" #1 (permalink) Fri Jul 10, 2009 6:12 am   Phrase "we came back to believing"
 

From http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/05/business/05corner.html?pagewanted=3&8dpc&_r=1
There was so much good momentum and we were asking all sorts of good questions and launching new, good ideas. But ultimately, they took away resources and energy from the fundamental core of what we do, which we came back to believing was the most powerful thing. The obsession with truly staying focused on our core mission, I think, came from that.

Does we came back to believing equate to we believe? Is it a comment clause and thus parenthetical?

Thanks
Clunker
New Member


Joined: 04 Jul 2009
Posts: 7

we came back to believing #2 (permalink) Sat Jul 11, 2009 0:43 am   we came back to believing
 

It seems to mean that they believed, and then they did not believe, and then they believed again. I don't see it as parenthetical to the text.
_________________
Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's
Mister Micawber
Language Coach
Mister Micawber

Joined: 17 Jul 2005
Posts: 8378
Location: Yokohama, Japan

Here is all you want to know about English! Click to subscribe to free email English courseAre you a native speaker of English? Then you should read this!English grammar exercises — improve your English knowledge and vocabulary skillsWant to learn about the future tenses? Read this story and smile
we came back to believing #3 (permalink) Sat Jul 11, 2009 2:08 am   we came back to believing
 

Thank you.
Clunker
New Member


Joined: 04 Jul 2009
Posts: 7

we came back to believing #4 (permalink) Sat Jul 11, 2009 9:33 am   we came back to believing
 

Mister Micawber wrote:
It seems to mean that they believed, and then they did not believe, and then they believed again. I don't see it as parenthetical to the text.


I just want to learn that is such a clause commonly used or necessary to be used to express the concept of what the author means?

I am asking this question since this is the first I have ever run across such a clause or phrase.

Thanks in advance.
Emir
You can meet me at english-test.net


Joined: 10 Jul 2006
Posts: 98

we came back to believing #5 (permalink) Sat Jul 11, 2009 14:00 pm   we came back to believing
 

Yes, Emir, the phrase is part and parcel of the utterance, to my mind. It defines how they approached their core activity. Grammatically, of course, you can remove the part you are talking about, but then the text says less.
_________________
Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's
Mister Micawber
Language Coach
Mister Micawber

Joined: 17 Jul 2005
Posts: 8378
Location: Yokohama, Japan

Display posts from previous:   
Words are a life. vs Words is a life. vs Words is a way of life. | Meaning of adjunct
ESL Forum | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms Phrase "we came back to believing" All times are GMT + 1 Hour
Page 1 of 1
Latest topics on English Forums
Use of "yet to" and "as far as conserned"there is / there are after place adverbialsNew reference bookThe Best way to Memorize English vocabularyThere was a party last night. You could/were able hear the music half a mile-awayMeaning of 'I'm just wandering off on a tangent'About type of grammar: Noun, pronoun, preposition, adjectives...Difference between apartment and condoHow small is "small fortune"?Sentence: This is possibly one of the elder accommodations here, definitely...Use of yetMy definition of a redundancy... vs My definition of redundancy...Sentence: He was the man who learned the English...Usage of will after when'A or B' : plural? singular?Use of behaviour, treat and attitudeWas to/Was going to/WouldDifference between appointement, date, meetingPhrase "we came back to believing"

 
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Subscribe to FREE email English course
First name E-mail