2

Possible Duplicate:
Using the gerund two times in a row

Here is the sentence:

Just as on smoking, voices now come from many quarters (insisting or insist) that the science about global warming is incomplete, that it's Ok to keep pouring fumes into the air until we know for sure.

Which is correct in the parentheses above, insisting or insist? Which role does it play here, attribute or some thing else? And could you help me analyze the grammar?

Improve this question
0

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
2

The correct form of the verb there in your sentence is insisting:

Just as on smoking, voices now come from many quarters insisting that the science about global warming is incomplete . . .

What’s going on here is that English often uses the ‑ing form of a verb along with a verb of motion:

  • Peter went running all the way home.
  • Paula came in crying.
  • Then they came back begging for more money.
  • That rascal goes around complaining about everything.
  • The rescued nuns arrived singing praises of thanksgiving in full voice.

How you want to analyze that is up to you. You could say it is an adverbial verbal phrase that attaches to the motion verb. You could also say it is creating a sort of progressive tense, like am thinking does.

Improve this answer
5
  • Thanks for your answer,but I am still in a haze.If I remove the part now come from many quarters，then it would become Just as on smoking, voices (insisting or insist) that the science about global warming is incomplete ,here voices insist that ... is just the proper form,in my opinion.And this is where I am stucked.
    – withparadox2
    Commented Aug 12, 2012 at 4:15
  • @paradox2 If you remove the finite verb come, then you need one for your sentence, so would need to change insisting to insist to carry that weight.
    – tchrist ♦
    Commented Aug 12, 2012 at 4:29
  • Do you mean that voices now insist that the science about global warming is incomplete is not a complelte setence?But it just looks right.
    – withparadox2
    Commented Aug 12, 2012 at 4:36
  • More question,is it correct to say voices now coming from many quarters insist that...?
    – withparadox2
    Commented Aug 13, 2012 at 3:09
  • @paradox2 Yes, that’ll do.
    – tchrist ♦
    Commented Aug 13, 2012 at 3:10
2

Insisting makes more sense here.

Just as on smoking, voices now come from many quarters insisting that the science about global warming is incomplete, that it's Ok to keep pouring fumes into the air until we know for sure.

The reason why the progressive makes more sense here is because it's attached to the verb come. If you remove that part then there is no verb of motion and the simple present form of the verb makes more sense.

Just as on smoking, voices insist that the science about global warming is incomplete, that it's Ok to keep pouring fumes into the air until we know for sure.

Improve this answer
2
  • Isn't come from many quarters works as attribute of voices?Why it would have influence on insist?
    – withparadox2
    Commented Aug 12, 2012 at 4:33
  • If you remove from many quarters it becomes: voices now come insisting...* As you can see come and insisting are closely connected. Now, if you remove come it reads: voices now *insisting, which is wrong and hence should be replaced with insist.
    – Noah
    Commented Aug 12, 2012 at 5:10

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .