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Read the dictionary definition below, then answer the question!:-)
1. Spin the bottle:a game in which people sitting in a circle spin a bottle in the middle and when the bottle stops spinning and points to someone, that person must do something, such as kiss another person.
What if we use 'kissing' here- to me it seems to be correct. what's the rule working here?
And also this one:
2. Stubble: short stiff pieces left in the field after wheat, corn, etc. is cut.
What would be the connotation if we changed 'in' to 'on'? What's the rule of thumb for using prepositions in such cases?
Thnx,
Rafee
I am glad someone raises questions like these which I always want to but hesitate for fear of sounding pedantic.
My view about those 2 examples though is, though not based on any rules I can invoke right off, very definitely unequivocal: both are most definitely correct.
Similarly:
At that conference all you should do is kiss and shake hands.
At that conference all they do is kissing and shaking hands.
Workers are busy in the field.
Players are ready on the field.
None of the alternatives would cause me any hesitation if I heard them. Upon close scrutiny, I do prefer both in their original forms: kiss over kissing; in over on.
I prefer kiss because of the parallel construction with what leads into it:
1. Spin the bottle:a game in which people sitting in a circle spin a bottle in the middle and when the bottle stops spinning and points to someone, that person must do something, such as kiss another person.
Take out the "do something" and replace it with "kiss another person."
" ... that person must kiss another person." It is impossible to say " ... that person must kissing another person."
A small tweak of the introduction, and kissing seems right.
" ... that person is selected for performing some prearranged action, such as kissing another person." In this case "kiss another person" would not work as well.
There is a less objective reason for my slight preference for "in the field" over "on the field." The stubble, I think, refers to the pieces still rooted to the ground, and not to the debris that has been severed and left on the field. The use of in more strongly describes how part of the stubble still remains imbedded in the earth.
Again, neither one of the alternatives would sound the least bit strange, especially in informal discourse.
I agree that "in the field" is correct, "on the field" is wrong, but not because it makes sense; only because prepositions are one of those tricky areas which every language handle differently. For no particular reason we live in Denver, never on or at.; but we're on time and on the train, and at work and at the hospital (unless we're a patient there and then we're in the hospital). There's no reason we couldn't say all these differently, and in other languages they do.
About "kiss", I agree with Glenn and Rafee that it could be either one, "kiss" or "kissing".
So, notice this definition please:
Sliding door: A door that slides open from side to side, rather than swinging from one side on hinges.
Could I change it this way?
Sliding door: A door that slides..., rather than swing from... .
(I have contradictory feelings about it.)
Swinging is the most natural choice. Swing would not be correct. Swings would be possible, but it is less conversational. The adverbial phrase following also makes swings questionable choice. Such a construction would be more likely if the verb phrase were simpler:
A window that slides, rather than pivots.
A window that slides, rather than pivoting.
Martha Barnette
Grant Barrett
Grant Barrett
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