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 #2 (permalink) Sat Apr 15, 2006 16:51 pm "only US" or "only WE"? |
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| It should be, "Only we can settle the problem," because the pronoun here is the subject and should be in the subject form. Take out "only", and you can see that, "Us can settle the problem," is definitely wrong. |
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Jamie (K)
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 24 Feb 2006
Posts: 6552
Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA
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| #3 (permalink) Sat Apr 15, 2006 17:28 pm "only US" or "only WE"? |
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Thank you Jamie!
I followed the very same line of reasoning, but I suspected that the peculiar emphatic construction introduced by "only" could imply the use of a personal pronoun complement.
Thank you very much again for your help! |
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Polly
I'm new here and I like it ;-)
Joined: 08 Apr 2006
Posts: 17
Location: Italy
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| #4 (permalink) Sat Apr 15, 2006 19:11 pm Breaking grammar rules |
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To emphasize the subject a bit more, you could also turn the sentence around and say: We are the only ones who can settle the problem.
Moreover, the phrase 'it's (only) us' is also commonly used. Likewise, in everyday English you would say 'it's me' -- 'it's I' would sound far too pedantic and stuffy. It's one of those cases where even grammar experts advise breaking the rule. |
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Conchita
Language Coach
Joined: 26 Dec 2005
Posts: 2826
Location: Madrid, Spain
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| #5 (permalink) Sat Apr 15, 2006 19:44 pm Breaking grammar rules |
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| Conchita wrote: |
| It's one of those cases where even grammar experts advise breaking the rule. |
Another one: Once I saw some proofreaders and a writer go around and around over the sentence, "Here's you." "Here you are," would have conveyed the wrong message, and, "Here are you," sounded ungrammatical even though it was correct. Finally we just left it as, "Here's you." |
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Jamie (K)
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 24 Feb 2006
Posts: 6552
Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA
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| #6 (permalink) Sat Apr 15, 2006 20:06 pm Here etc |
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Hi Jamie,
You said:
| Quote: |
| Another one: Once I saw some proofreaders and a writer go around and around over the sentence, "Here's you." "Here you are," would have conveyed the wrong message, and, "Here are you," sounded ungrammatical even though it was correct. Finally we just left it as, "Here's you." |
All the same really aren't they? Or are they?
Here's you telling Polly about the right case for the pronoun
That's you doing it now and no-one else is.
Here you are telling everyone about the proof reader
Look at what you're doing now!
Here are you telling us about something else
Who said you could do that?
Well, Polly I imagine you must be surprised at all this attention.
Happy Easter
Alan
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Present Simple |
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Alan
Co-founder
Joined: 27 Sep 2003
Posts: 13890
Location: UK
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| #7 (permalink) Sat Apr 15, 2006 21:50 pm "only US" or "only WE"? |
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Thank you Conchita, Jamie and Alan!
Your remarks are really precious.
Happy Easter (or Buona Pasqua, if you prefer!) |
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Polly
I'm new here and I like it ;-)
Joined: 08 Apr 2006
Posts: 17
Location: Italy
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| How to pronounce route? | Which one is correct, please |
