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Guest
Today I took note of two different instances of this kind of elided parallel verbal construction. The first of the instances was verbal so, while I noted it, I glossed it over. However, the second instance came quickly on the heels of the verbal example, and was in writing, and from a different source, so it provoked me to reach out to my friends at AWWW.
(verbal) "I think the character has and is evolving."
(written) "[The group] has been and continues to improve."
I have no trouble understanding these, but I feel that grammar would force me to choose the wordier unelided sentences:
I think the character has evolved and is evolving.
The group has been improving and continues to improve.
Do I need to chill?
No chill needed. Perfectly logical. I do not like either original construction, but would reword to save a word/ink/tree ...
"I think the character has been, and is evolving."
"[The group] has been, and continues improving."
(commas probably optional in both)
The first one works fine, but I'm a little unsure of the second. "The group continues improving." Hmmm. Kinda' works, but the "improving" seems like it's hanging out there, begging for clarification about what is being improved. But I'd get the meaning as is. My two cents.
Glenn, I'm with you. I don't believe that any group, ever, has been improve. Your wordier renditions are probably the way I would construct these sentences.
Heimhenge, I would keep the commas you have and add more, after is and continues. The versions with no comma or only one could too easily be interpreted as: "I think the character has been. Oh, and it[he/she] is evolving, too." That, at any rate, is how my brain works it out.
Peter
tromboniator said:
I would keep the commas you have and add more, after is and continues. The versions with no comma or only one could too easily be interpreted as: "I think the character has been. Oh, and it[he/she] is evolving, too." That, at any rate, is how my brain works it out.
Yeah, I often struggle with commas. There's a whole 'nuther thread on the forum about serial commas, and the style guides seldom agree. For me, when a "pause" is indicated, I use the comma. In fact, for multiple items in a list, I pretty much always use the serial comma. In this case, with such short sentences, I didn't really think a second comma was needed. I hear what you're saying about "has been" but I don't think omitting the second comma changes the implied meaning. Others will no doubt disagree.
johng423 said:
Here is what I think is a similar situation.
Sign on highway: WATCH YOUR SPEED - WE ARE
Message understood, but not what I consider to be true "parallel construction."
My revised version: WATCH YOUR SPEED - WE DO
Better?
Here, I feel, is an example where the Highway Patrol is suggesting that they ARE watching right now... as in having always on remote radar units... or to at least give the driver the impression that they ARE watching right now.
The WE DO would not have the same tone in my interpretation.
Martha Barnette
Grant Barrett
Grant Barrett
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