Life of Feihua

[a10fouru]

Three tired monkeys, left to swing during swimming, under duress yet they were

[feihua]

I disagree with the above incomplete sentence.

And I disagree with the below incomplete sentence.

Three tired monkeys, left to swing during swimming, under duress yet they were

We can remove the phrase in the middle to understand the proper syntax:

Three tired monkeys, left to swing during swimming, under duress yet they were

IMO the word "they" is inappropriate. The reason is because we are using two nouns as the subject before we have introduced a verb - only one noun should be used. We could have used the verb before the word "under," however, in that case we still could not have used another noun for the subject before the verb.

Again IMO, but with regards to the verb (again, "were"), it is not truly correct. The past-present-future tense becomes skewy. The contrast to under duress should be resolved before introducing the verb.

Three tired monkeys, left to swing during swimming, under duress yet they were....

Nonetheless, yet is the last acceptable word. There is no need to inform the listener of the subject twice when we should be using the time to inform them of the contrast. We could have inserted "they" after the word monkeys to be fair. However, while grammatically correct, it would have remained an unnecessary usage. Again, it would have been correct, thus playable, but only because we still had not determined the time reference. "Left" is our operative, however, and establishes the time reference.

How do we concur?

[a10fouru]

It sounds like I can say it out loud where it makes more sense than reading it.

Maybe punctuated like this:

Three tired monkeys, left to swing during swimming under duress, yet they were

[feihua]

Right. There is a slight possibility it could be correct but we cannot change the punctuation after it has been set.

"A slight possibility," he said.

If we say "Three tired monkeys, yet they were..." then the sentence is noticeably out of whack.

The key word is "yet." By placing the comma after "duress," we have changed the object of the contrast from duress to the monkeys.

Most likely, or perhaps, more efficiently, instead of using a noun such as they, we should have maintained the continuity with another particle.

a10fouru, in all fairness to Poker Viking, you can try and continue the sentence but I tend to believe it will be difficult for you to come up with another verb or adjective that enables the contrast to be fulfilled. We are not able to use the comma after duress because "yet" must be part of the phrase, not segregated.

Three tired monkeys, left to swing during swimming, under duress yet they were

See.....had we introduced "were" before the word "left," we would have a shot at continuing the sentence: Three tired monkeys were left to swing during swimming, under duress yet they

The word "they" remains inappropriate.

I am happy to defer to Wilbury and his editing skills if we can get him in on this. Let's see what Poker Viking has to say. Literally, of course.

[PokerViking]

How about this:



Three tired monkeys, left to swing during swimming, under duress yet again

[feihua]

Yeah that is fine but it is too late.

You start.

EDIOT: Use one word that begins the world's longest sentence. Our record is 11 words.

I have seen Japanese housewives giggle at such a length.

[PokerViking]

Once

[feihua]

a104u, you're up OR we can reverse the batting order (because we are using the Art Linkletter rules.)

You are free to choose.

Sayeth Poker Viking, "Once....

[JonV]

Bunch of grammar nits.

[feihua]

Originally Posted by JonV

Bunch of grammar nits.

Sitting in future tents, no doubt. When the world gets adverse, we get adverbial.