{"id":56,"date":"2013-12-11T03:19:00","date_gmt":"2013-12-11T03:19:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/monkeygrammar.org\/index.php\/2013\/12\/11\/a-secret-between-verbs-and-subjects\/"},"modified":"2020-04-14T14:43:50","modified_gmt":"2020-04-14T14:43:50","slug":"a-secret-between-verbs-and-subjects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mindpowerasia.org\/a-secret-between-verbs-and-subjects\/","title":{"rendered":"A secret between verbs and subjects"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Summary<\/span><\/b>:<\/span><\/b> <\/span>What you are going to learn is probably one of the <\/span>many secrets<\/span> in English: the method of <\/span>going left<\/span>.  That is, first, you learn why \u2018<\/span>Tomorrow will go to office\u2019 <\/span>is wrong, through a sense of humor.  Then, you get the method of making good sentences.  Whenever you see a verb, go left and see if there is <\/span>a match<\/span> between the verb and the subject and you know the sentence is right.   <\/span><\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
A. Learning English the Wrong Way:<\/span><\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
<\/a><\/div>\n
If you think there is <\/span>nothing wrong<\/span> with \u2018<\/span>Tomorrow will go to office<\/span>\u2019, then <\/span>think again<\/span>.  It is something like English, but not English.  <\/span><\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
But aren\u2019t people telling you that <\/span>as long as<\/span> you can communicate<\/span>, <\/span>it is okay<\/span>?  No it is not, absolutely not.  Why?  It is because there is <\/span>something <\/span>hidden<\/span> in English sentences<\/span>, a <\/span>hidden secret<\/span> that does not allow you to do so.<\/span><\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
B. A Hidden Secret in English: A Match between Verbs and Subjects<\/span><\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
To get the hidden thing in English, you have to go back to <\/span>\u2018<\/span>Tomorrow will go to office<\/span>\u2019 again, asking yourself <\/span>3<\/span><\/b> questions:<\/span><\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
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  1. Which word is the <\/span>verb<\/span> <\/span>(in the sentence)?<\/o:p><\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Which word is the <\/span>subject<\/span> (in the sentence)?<\/o:p><\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Is there<\/span> a match<\/span> between the verb and the subject?<\/o:p><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    <\/a><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span><\/div>\n
    So the first two questions are pieces of cakes.  The <\/span>verb is \u2018go\u2019 <\/span>and the <\/span>subject is \u2018tomorrow<\/span>\u2019.  But <\/span>what does \u2018a match\u2019 mean<\/span>?   <\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
    <\/div>\n

    \n<\/span><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span><\/div>\n
    <\/div>\n
    <\/div>\n

    \n<\/span><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span><\/div>\n
    <\/div>\n
    Before you know what a match is, you have to learn <\/span>what it is not<\/span> from the sentence.  There are questions for you to work on:<\/span><\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
    1. How can<\/span> \u2018tomorrow\u2019 go to office?<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n

    <\/span>
    \n<\/b><\/p>\n

    <\/div>\n

    <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

    2. Does \u2018tomorrow\u2019 have legs<\/span>?<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n

    <\/span><\/p>\n


    \n<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n

    <\/span><\/p>\n


    \n<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n

    <\/span><\/p>\n

    3. Can \u2018tomorrow\u2019 take a bus<\/span> <\/span>or drive<\/span>?<\/b><\/span>
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    \n<\/span><\/div>\n

    <\/span><\/p>\n

    <\/a>In other words, in \u2018<\/span>Tomorrow will go to office<\/span>\u2019 you treat tomorrow as <\/span>a living thing<\/span>, <\/span>a person<\/span>, or <\/span>an office worker<\/span>.  But actually it is <\/span>not<\/span><\/b>.  <\/span><\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span><\/div>\n
    <\/div>\n

    \n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
    When you use \u2018<\/span>will go to office<\/span>\u2019 you are referring to a real person.  But obviously, <\/span>\u2018tomorrow\u2019 is not a person\u2019s name<\/span> (well, unless you change your name to  \u2018tomorrow\u2019 now).  So, in a word, \u2018<\/span>Tomorrow will go to office<\/span>\u2019 <\/span>doesn\u2019t make any sense<\/span> in English as it breaks a rule: a match between verbs and subjects.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
    <\/div>\n
    <\/div>\n
    <\/div>\n
    <\/div>\n

    \n<\/span><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span><\/div>\n
    C. Learning English the <\/span>Right<\/span><\/i><\/span> Way: Going <\/span>Left<\/span><\/i><\/span>
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    \n<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n
    So there is an<\/span> <\/span>easy<\/span> way to check if you write (or speak) <\/span>good English<\/span> or not: <\/span>Going <\/span>left<\/span>.<\/span><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span>
    \nHow? <\/span><\/b><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span><\/b><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span><\/b><\/div>\n
    <\/a><\/div>\n
    <\/div>\n
    <\/div>\n
    <\/div>\n
    <\/div>\n
    <\/div>\n
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    1. <\/span><\/b>Locate<\/span><\/span> the verb in a sentence.<\/span><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span><\/div>\n

    2.<\/b><\/span> <\/span>Go to<\/span> the left of the verb to find the subject.<\/span>
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    \n<\/span>3. <\/b><\/span>Check<\/span> if there is a match.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n


    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span><\/b><\/div>\n

    \n<\/b><\/div>\n

    \n<\/b><\/div>\n
    \n<\/div>\n

    \n<\/b><\/div>\n
    So let\u2019s check the sentence below with the three steps:<\/span><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span><\/b><\/div>\n

    \n<\/b><\/div>\n

    \n<\/b><\/div>\n
    At last month\u2019s meeting our CEO discussed the difficulties in hiring new technicians.  <\/span><\/div>\n

    \n<\/b><\/div>\n

    \n<\/b><\/div>\n

    \n<\/b><\/div>\n

    \n<\/b><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span><\/b><\/div>\n
    \n\n\n\n\n\n<\/colgroup>\n\n\n\n
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    Step 1<\/span><\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		\n
    Verb<\/span><\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		\n
    discussed<\/span><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n
    Step 2<\/span><\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		\n
    Subject<\/span><\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		\n
    (our) CEO<\/span><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n
    <\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span><\/div>\n
    And about step 3, is there <\/span>a match<\/span> between \u2018CEO\u2019 and \u2018discussed\u2019?  Yes, there is a match.  <\/span><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span><\/div>\n

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    \n<\/span><\/div>\n

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    But <\/span>what about this:<\/span><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span><\/b><\/div>\n
    Last month\u2019s <\/span>meeting<\/span> <\/span>discussed<\/span> the difficulties in hiring new technicians.  <\/span><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span><\/b><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span><\/div>\n
    <\/a><\/div>\n
    There is <\/span>a mismatch <\/span>between \u2018meeting\u2019 and \u2018discussed\u2019.  Why?  A meeting is <\/span>not<\/span> a living thing<\/span>, so:<\/span><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span><\/b><\/div>\n
    How can<\/span> a meeting discuss anything?<\/span><\/div>\n
    <\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span><\/div>\n
    <\/div>\n
    <\/div>\n
    I guess you have got the secret, right?<\/span><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span><\/div>\n

    \n<\/span><\/div>\n
    —————————————————–<\/span><\/div>\n
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