Periphrastic topic-constructions
- Are the following sentences correct? Give a√ if you think so, and a if you don’t think so. An example has been done for you.
Sentences / √ or
Example: He study Form 5. /
Example: He studies Form 5. / √
i. According to Tung Chee Hwa, he said that $2 billion would be set aside for
education reforms.
ii. According to the doctor, Peter will recover completely.
iii. According to Ann, John and Mary had a fight yesterday.
iv. According to the Next magazine, it says that the singer has bought a big house.
v. According to Mary, she thinks you should start planning for your holiday.
- Look at sentence (i) again. If the clause before the comma is A and the clause after the comma is B,
i.e. According to Tung Chee Hwa, he said that $2 billion would be set aside for education reforms.
______ ______
A B
circle the Subject of B.
3. What does the subject he refer to? ______
4. Compare the subject of B with the source of the information in A. Are they the same
persons or different persons? ______
5. Now rewrite sentence (i), replacing the pronoun he in B by Tung Chee Hwa.
______
6. What is the problem with the sentence? ______
7. If P = Tung Chee Hwa (i.e. source of information),
QQQ = $2 billion would be set aside for education reforms (i.e. information)
Problem: According to P, P said that QQQ .Solution: According to P, P said that QQQ.
√ According to P, QQQ.
8. Look at sentence (i) again. What did Tung Chee Hwa say?
______
9. Rewrite the sentence following the above suggestion.
______
10. Now look at sentence (ii) again.
(ii)According to the doctor, Peter will recover completely.
______ ______
A B
11. Circle the subject of B.
12. Compare the circled subject of B with the source of information in A. Are they the same?
______
13. Is sentence (ii) correct? ______
14. Sentence (i) is incorrect because the source of information in A is repeated in B, but
sentence (ii) is correct because the source of information in A is NOT repeated.
15. We can do the same to determine whether sentences (iii) is correct.
(iii) According to Ann, John and Mary had a fight yesterday.
______ ______
A B
16. In sentence (iii), what is the source of information in A? ______
17. What is the subject of B? ______
18. Are they the same? ______
19. Is sentence (iii) acceptable? ______
20. Do sentences (iv) – (v) again to determine whether they are correct or not.
- In each of the following sentences, label two parts before and after the comma using A and B. Underline the sources of information in A, and circle the subject of B. Check to see if the source of information in A is repeated in the subject position of B. If so, rewrite the sentences using the solution suggested.
a. Based on the report, it said that a 5 percent increase was recorded in the past 5 months.
______
b. According to the principal he said that there would be 3 new teachers joining the school.
______
c. Based on a study done by a group of researchers, they reported that many local young
people are not interested in learning English.
______
d. In my opinion, I think IT actually widens rather than bridging the gap between the rich
and the poor.
______
e. According to Peter says, the accident occurred at 3 a.m. this morning.
______
f. Based on the school regulation, you have to arrive at school before 8 a.m.
______
g. According to her father, the daughter should do more housework for her mother.
______
h. In the students’ opinion, the test should be postponed.
______
22. Summarize a piece of news reported recently on TV or in a local newspaper. Describe what the reporter discusses using structures like according to X, based on X, in X’s opinion, etc.
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