Innamuris Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
making do
On the Great Plains, nineteenth-century settlers used mud and grass to build their homes, making do without timber and nails.
In the sentence above, could anyone explain whether 'making do' is a correct usage and what does that mean?
Thanks
In the sentence above, could anyone explain whether 'making do' is a correct usage and what does that mean?
Thanks
Top answer
Making do is correct usage. It is a relative clause reduced to a participial phrase. The relative clause would be who made do without....
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Making do is correct usage. It is a relative clause reduced to a participial phrase. The relative clause would be who made do without.... To form the participial phrase we remove the subordinator (who) and change the verb to the active participial (making). It is possible to argue that this sentence has the participial phrase in the wrong position - perhaps it should come after
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