Park sang joon Posted 11 years ago
Grammar
State + an object + to do(be)
Somewhere on Easter Island, The Broker and his assistant Mrs. Tickle prepare an army of Doombots to conquer the world. Back in Utopia, Shuri asks for the X-Men's assistance in retaking Wakanda. Unfortunately, Cyclops states that their global status is fragile at best and that last thing they need to look like aggressors to the rest of the world, who may unite against them. Therefore, he cannot sanction any X-Man's involvement, to which T'Challa understands.
I'd like to know whether the verb "state" can take an object and an objective complement, as in "states that last thing they need to look like aggressors."
Thank you in advance for your help.
I'd like to know whether the verb "state" can take an object and an objective complement, as in "states that last thing they need to look like aggressors."
Thank you in advance for your help.
Top answer
That's not what you've got. " An objective complement is a noun or adjectives that qualifies the direct object. "Like aggressors" is a prepositional phrase, so it can't do that job.
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That's not what you've got. The object of "States" is the clause introduced with "that." Well, it would be a clause if you'd included a verb: "that the last thing they need *is* to look like aggressors."
An objective complement is a noun or adjectives that qualifies the direct object. "Like aggressors" is a prepositional phrase, so it can't do that job.
"The last thing they
An objective complement is a noun or adjectives that qualifies the direct object. "Like aggressors" is a prepositional phrase, so it can't do that job.
"The last thing they
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You know that "Cyclops" is singular even though it ends in an 's', right?
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Thank you, deadrat, for your very helpful answer.
By the way, Whatever law "is" can be omitted by?
By the way, Whatever law "is" can be omitted by?
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Sorry, I didn't understand your question. Did you want to know why the "is" can't be omitted?
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I'm so sorry for my poor English. 
I meant "By the way, Whatever law can "is" be omitted by?"
In other words, I can'
I meant "By the way, Whatever law can "is" be omitted by?"
In other words, I can'
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No need to apologize. You speak at least one more language than I do.
If you're talking about
is that [the] last thing they need [is] to look like aggressors
I don't understand either. The "is" cannot be omitted and leave a grammatical result.
If you're talking about
is that [the] last thing they need [is] to look like aggressors
I don't understand either. The "is" cannot be omitted and leave a grammatical result.
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Thank you for your kindness.
Then, do you think the author has by accident dropped "is"?
Then, do you think the author has by accident dropped "is"?
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Yes, I think that's what happened, and I even think I know why.
The subject is something they need, so this sense groups the words like this:
that (last thing they need) to look like aggressors
but it's easy for the eye to see another clause:
that last thing (they need to look like aggressors)
The subject is something they need, so this sense groups the words like this:
that (last thing they need) to look like aggressors
but it's easy for the eye to see another clause:
that last thing (they need to look like aggressors)
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