Google
English-Test.net
Find penpals and make new friends today!
 
attentive; conscious of
representative
aware
large
unsatisfactory
TOEIC practice test: Online word games: Free Verb Noun Adjective Game Answer
 
Username
Password
 Remember me? 
Search   FAQ   Memberlist   Profile   Private messages   Register   Log in 

Help me out: Doug's sisters are in Oregon and N.Y



 
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
In the novel 'Digital fortress', I read: 'going two for two' | Young Ones Of Animals
Listening exercises
Message
Author
Help me out: Doug's sisters are in Oregon and N.Y #1 (permalink) Sat May 20, 2006 4:34 am   Help me out: Doug's sisters are in Oregon and N.Y
 

Hi everyone...

I just need to know why the follow-up sentence is wrong: "Doug's sisters are in Oregon and N.Y". According to my grammar book that sentence should be like it comes: "His sisters are in Oregon and N.Y"

Hence, my question is, why the first one is wrong? 'cause to me it sounds quite right...so anyone can help me out?

********************
P.D: Grammar Book's definition: "Possesive adjectives replace possesive nouns."

That's not quite clear for me....
_________________
Sergio M.
"Life is too short to grieve in sorrow"
Serzige
I'm here quite often ;-)


Joined: 03 Apr 2006
Posts: 119

Question #2 (permalink) Sat May 20, 2006 8:03 am   Question
 

Hi Sergio,

Your two sentences are different and both are fine. What is your question?

Alan
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story 'the' vs. 'a/an'
Alan
Co-founder
Alan Townend

Joined: 27 Sep 2003
Posts: 9114
Location: UK

English grammar exercises — improve your English knowledge and vocabulary skillsHere 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!In this story you'll learn everything about the passive voice
Help me out: Doug's sisters are in Oregon and N.Y #3 (permalink) Sat May 20, 2006 8:53 am   Help me out: Doug's sisters are in Oregon and N.Y
 

Hi

If there was first a question such as "Where are Doug's sisters?", then it would usually be preferable to replace "Doug's" with the possessive pronoun "his" in the reply: "His sisters are in Oregon and N.Y"

Your grammar book probably considers your sentence "wrong" for this reason.

Amy
Yankee
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 16 Apr 2006
Posts: 8265
Location: USA

Help me out: Doug's sisters are in Oregon and N.Y #4 (permalink) Sat May 20, 2006 13:55 pm   Help me out: Doug's sisters are in Oregon and N.Y
 

Ok...maybe Myself wasn?t clear.
My question is if the first sentence is correct in terms of saying "Doug's sisters are..." wherever, so is it right? I mean, to state that sentence when it has a plural connotation...Is that ok to say Doug's sisters? or could not be, gramatically, possible? My grammar book uses his in that sentence instead.

My issue is that I've got problems with possesives (i.e. nouns adjectives)...so please help me out....

I hope this time I made my point....thanks...

SEE YA!!!
_________________
Sergio M.
"Life is too short to grieve in sorrow"
Serzige
I'm here quite often ;-)


Joined: 03 Apr 2006
Posts: 119

Help me out: Doug's sisters are in Oregon and N.Y #5 (permalink) Sat May 20, 2006 17:01 pm   Help me out: Doug's sisters are in Oregon and N.Y
 

Hi Sergio

Yes, the sentence "Doug's sisters are in Oregon and N.Y." is grammatically correct.

Going back to what I wrote before, if you are having a conversation and it is already clear that you're talking about Doug, then it would be normal to replace "Doug" with a pronoun (he, him, his, etc.).

You can use "Doug's" or "his", no matter if it's one sister (singular) or two sisters (plural). You can say:
"Doug's sister" / "his sister"
--- OR ---
"Doug's sisters" / "his sisters"

Does that answer your question?
Amy
Yankee
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 16 Apr 2006
Posts: 8265
Location: USA

Help me out: Doug's sisters are in Oregon and N.Y #6 (permalink) Sat May 20, 2006 20:17 pm   Help me out: Doug's sisters are in Oregon and N.Y
 

Hey...Amy thanks. You always have been aswering my concerns and I appreciate that...Of course you answered my question, it was quite clear...!
_________________
Sergio M.
"Life is too short to grieve in sorrow"
Serzige
I'm here quite often ;-)


Joined: 03 Apr 2006
Posts: 119

Display posts from previous:   
In the novel 'Digital fortress', I read: 'going two for two' | Young Ones Of Animals
ESL Forum | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms Help me out: Doug's sisters are in Oregon and N.Y All times are GMT + 1 Hour
Page 1 of 1
Latest topics on English Forums
Used to: negative and interrogativeDifference between DIGEST and MAGAZINEReader's Digest: The Best Way To Eat Chicken...Willing/unwilling to accept challenges...Where is causitive: Shah Jehan got Taj Mahal built in memory"telephone" or "the telephone"Use of commaOrder or request: ORDERING food or REQUESTING to bring foodIf you change your mind after doesn't?Expression: When seen from above, the cars looked like toysAbsolute Participial PhraseI'm from Cambodia vs. I come from Cambodia'I help her to kill him' vs. 'I help her kill him''It stops raining' vs. 'It stops to rain'Clause: He ran towards the goal, receiving the ball...How do you say: How do you pronounce Hungary?"an advice" is wrong (some advice is correct)Difference between two adjectives SKILLFUL and SKILLEDHelp me out: Doug's sisters are in Oregon and N.Y

Discover English-test.net
meaning of CongratulatedEmail reply correctionJoining two sentences into one.Bad English gives a bad impressionSAT Sample Test: Vocabulary Quizzes: Noun Vocabulary ListSAT practice test: Online word games: Free Nouns QuizDefine duration, intercession, fungus, asperity, fixture, excellency, mysticRussian Learning Audio Tapes: Paul PimsleurEsl beginner games: ScandalEnglish grammar quiz: English Slang Idioms (204)Poetry on Record: 98 Poets Read Their Work, 1888-2006, Volume 2 audiobook download

 
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