Correct sentences

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SEPerson
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Joined: Wed Feb 04, 2015 5:25 pm
Status: Learner of English

Correct sentences

Post by SEPerson »

Hello,people.I am having trouble over the following sentences.Here are five sentences:
1.The car is driving along the road in the direction of the city.
2.The car is driving in the direction of the city along the road.
3.I do not like the idea of me going to this place alone.
4.I do not like the idea of myself going to this place alone
5.I do not like the idea of going to this place alone.
Could you please tell me which of these five sentences are correct and which are wrong?And could you please explain to me why?I searched a lot of books and sites for similar sentences,but have not managed to find anything similar so far.I shall be very grateful to you if you answer my questions.
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Tukanja
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Re: Correct sentences

Post by Tukanja »

Hi,
in mu humble opinion, the word order/syntax in your 1) is better than in your 2), furthermore, "along the road" is redundant/superfluous in both sentences.

Solutions
11a) The car's being driven in the direction of the city.
(I prefer the Passive Voice since it looks a bit strange to me that a car is able to drive itself. I would say, "The car is going to..." but not "The car is driving to...". On the other hand, if I got it properly, NES also say "The flight has put down" which might mean that the airliner, passengers, luggage, or whatever was in the plane, have altogether landed.(??))

The two sentences that follow, might be possible as well
11b) The car is being driven towards the downtown.
11c) I'm driving the car towards the downtown.

To me, all three word orders below are possible
31a) I don't like the idea of me, alone, going to this place.
31b) I don't like the idea of me going alone to this place.
31c) I don't like the idea of me going to this place alone.

Which one I use, depends on both the context and the mood I'm in. Probably, I would use 31a and 31b in written and 31c in spoken English. Also, I might lay particlular stress on "alone" so that the interlocutor/company is aware of either my heart being in my mouth or me just being careful.
On the other hand, I think, grammarians would say that formal "I do not" shouldn't be used with informal "me going", and I wouldn't argue the toss, though, as a learner I do use a combination of formal and informal English all the time.

In your 4) "myself", alone, wouldn't work to me.
If I really want to emphasise my anxiety, I would say

41a) I do not like the idea of me myself going to this/that place.

Finally, a teacher should correct my post so that eventually you are not led astray.
SEPerson
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Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Feb 04, 2015 5:25 pm
Status: Learner of English

Re: Correct sentences

Post by SEPerson »

Thank you.But I have already learnt which of them are correct.The sentences 1,2,5 are correct.There is no need to say ''me'' and ''myself'' as i did in the sentences 3 and 4 because the subject is I.
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