Comments on: Reading Exercise: Classic Horror

By: Phil Williams

Phil Williams — Sun, 28 Nov 2021 10:21:52 +0000

In reply to jaime.

Hi Jaime,
It may very well be too advanced for most learners, but it does depend on level (after all, with enough work eventually learners need more and more advanced material!). Glad to hear it’s helping you improve though.
“of a thing” is an excellent point to pick out – you’re absolutely correct, it’s technically redundant and it’s the sort of phrase I see word processors now highlight, but it’s a good indicator of the style and period of a piece. Such seemingly redundant phrases create a particular kind of style, as they’re the sort of phrases a fairly formal or academic speaker might slip into sentences. It does not serve a grammatical function as such but shows a particular manner of speaking.
E.g.

Best,
Phil

By: jaime

jaime — Sat, 27 Nov 2021 11:47:25 +0000

At first. I notice that only one British make a point about subjective on the whole text and I think I understand their point. Is the text too hard for non-natives?
Now I’m going to state my point. Please be kinds to me, I just want to contribute with a view of an English learner.
As a learner, I need to read this text several times so I can understand the situation, later appear the “adjectives” I’d have used others if I’d have had to write the event. The use of adjectives is always a nightmare if I want to try to sound British. I guess is a question of time and being on the ball to use them better. From time to time I run into grammar structures that I don’t know. GREAT for me ( It is rather a nuisance of a thing to have round one’s neck) here “of a thing” is redundant to me?
After doing the exercise I read it again and everything is clearer and I guess I’ve learned.
Finally, my best wishes to Phil who help us learn English.

By: Dawn Newday

Dawn Newday — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 20:45:59 +0000

Thank you :- ) Nice to get approval among the teasing!

By: Phil Williams

Phil Williams — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 18:37:48 +0000

In reply to Bolaji.

I’m glad to hear it!

By: Phil Williams

Phil Williams — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 18:37:30 +0000

In reply to Dawn Newday.

Hi Dawn,

No you’re absolutely right, grammatically speaking, and it makes an interesting point as indeed, you would expect someone in that time period to have used the stricter subjunctive. Though I’d note, despite him using quite academic language at times, M.R. James could also be quite capable of simple and straightforward language. Your English friends have a point too, though; we really don’t put a huge emphasis on correctly using the subjunctive, and this kind of slip is very common, which I would’ve thought to be even more common in modern usage, but perhaps was common even back then!

Phil

By: Dawn Newday

Dawn Newday — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 15:41:51 +0000

I would not dare to question the original writer’s use of English, but I was puzzled by the structure of the sentence at the point you have marked as [5]:

“I wish that landlady would learn to laugh in a more cheering manner; it makes one feel as if there was someone dead in the house.[5]”

As M.R. James was writing at the end of the 19th century, I would have expected him to use the subjunctive:

“ ;it makes one feel as if there WERE someone dead in the house.”

on the basis that it is reporting a supposition, not an actual fact or event.

Am I being too enthusiastic in my use of the subjunctive? (I am often accused of this by English friends who say that it is not important).

I would appreciate any views that other contributors might have, WERE they to have any ;- )

N.B. I have had to use capital letters for emphasis, as this site seems not to take bold type, underlining or italics. Please do not think I am shouting.

By: Bolaji

Bolaji — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 11:41:29 +0000

I found this interesting. Thanks for sharing