Questions tagged [what-clefts]
Questions concerning wh-clefts (pseudo clefts), the reasons they are used, agreement with plural-form delayed semantic subject.
13 questions
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Clauses in wh-cleft sentences
In sentences like
What Mary bought was a first edition.
which part would be the dependent and which would be the independent clause?
How could I break this down into a formula, something like "...
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Is the sentence "What I need to do is sweeping them off" grammatically correct?
I think "What I need to do is sweeping them off" should be What I need to do is (to) sweep them off"
Can "sweeping" be allowed to be used? or grammatically wrong and never be ...
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What are the rules of copular "to be" tense in pseudo-cleft sentences?
What are the rules for the tense usage of copular "to be" in pseudo-cleft sentences?
I have several examples:
What I didn't like was the end of the movie. --> was
What changed his mind ...
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“What I saw was…” vs “What I saw were…”
Someone says I need to use "was", someone says to use "were". Which one is correct?
What I saw were a driver and an attendant.
or
What I saw was a driver and an attendant.
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Usage of: "What is certain is that...." common English?
Can you confirm the following expression is used in common and formal cases?
"What is certain is that..."
As a native German, studying academic English, it sounds slightly strange. May I ask ...
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Verb Agreement in English Wh-Clefts: 'What differentiates A from B is/are ...'
Question one: Which of the following sentences are grammatically correct?
1) What differentiate apples from oranges are their colors and sizes.
2) What differentiates apples from oranges is their ...
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Pseudo-cleft sentences with the verbs of perception
I know we must use bare infinitives with these verbs in the Active.
e.g. I saw a lady cross the street.
There are other verbs with which we are supposed to use a bare infinitive in the Active.
e.g. ...
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What I've done is [past participle or bare infinitive]
What I've done is plant an idea in your head.
What I've done is chosen the products of several investment companies with proven track records.
I was wondering why the bare infinitive sounds right in ...
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"What I'm doing is watching TV." — Why does it have to be the gerund-participle ('watching')?
What I do is watch TV.
What I did was watch TV.
What I had done was watch TV.
...
But,
What I am doing is watching TV.
The only possible form of watch in the last sentence is ...
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Is this sentence correct? "What I want to do is read this book."
"What I want to do is read this book."
Is it correct? Or, can I say:
"What I want to do is to read this book."
"What I want to do is reading this book."
Are all of the three sentences correct?
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Singular or plural verb after "what"
Which sentence is more grammatically correct?
He is being tried on what look like trumped-up charges.
He is being tried on what looks like trumped-up charges.
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"What I have to do is" + verb inf [duplicate]
I'm confused about the following examples, and I'm pretty sure I've seen both of them in books and white papers.
What I have to do is find her.
What I have to do is to find her.
What I would like to ...
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Is this an inversion? If so, why would you use an inversion in this case?
Here's a quote from a CNN transcript, wherein a consumer psychologist says the following:
"What is relatively new are shoppers turning on other shoppers."
If "what is relatively new" were the subject,...
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