please, about gramma question.

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caijq
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Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Dec 08, 2020 7:14 am
Status: Learner of English

please, about gramma question.

Post by caijq »

I read this sentence in a vocabulary book. So I think grammar definitely right.
But I'm confused about "absolute loyalty" position.
let's see the sentence.
"But what perhaps most astonishing about Mr. Jobs was the absolute loyalty he managed to inspire in customers."
I only can understand the sentence form is "But what perhaps most astonishing about Mr. Jobs managed to inspire in customers absolute loyalty."
So what about the original sentence gramma, which teacher can explain my question. Thanks a lot.
HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR
alexanderfinn
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Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Feb 16, 2021 1:28 pm
Status: Teacher of English

Re: please, about gramma question.

Post by alexanderfinn »

I think you mean 'grammar', however, to deal with your question, the book is correct in the position of 'absolute loyalty'. The verb 'inspire in' needs the thing that is inspired directly after the verb 'inspire'.

Further examples:

The captain inspired great fighting spirit in the team.

However you can have a different effect with 'inspire someone TO do something'. For example, 'My teacher inspired me to go to University.' or ''She was inspired by her parents not to accept that a woman is limited by her gender.'
caijq
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Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Dec 08, 2020 7:14 am
Status: Learner of English

Re: please, about gramma question.

Post by caijq »

First of all, thank you teacher.
You said the verb 'inspire in' needs the thing that is inspired directly after the verb 'inspire'.
From my perspective, the thing is "loylty".
Maybe the difference of thinking between Chinese and English causes me confused.
caijq
Member
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Dec 08, 2020 7:14 am
Status: Learner of English

Re: please, about gramma question.

Post by caijq »

alexanderfinn wrote: Tue Feb 16, 2021 3:45 pm I think you mean 'grammar', however, to deal with your question, the book is correct in the position of 'absolute loyalty'. The verb 'inspire in' needs the thing that is inspired directly after the verb 'inspire'.

Further examples:

The captain inspired great fighting spirit in the team.

However you can have a different effect with 'inspire someone TO do something'. For example, 'My teacher inspired me to go to University.' or ''She was inspired by her parents not to accept that a woman is limited by her gender.'
First of all, thank you teacher.
You said the verb 'inspire in' needs the thing that is inspired directly after the verb 'inspire'.
From my perspective, the thing is "loylty".
Maybe the difference of thinking between Chinese and English causes me confused.
alexanderfinn
Member
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Feb 16, 2021 1:28 pm
Status: Teacher of English

Re: please, about gramma question.

Post by alexanderfinn »

In the sentence from your book, we have: 'but what was most inspiring about Mr Jobs was ..........'

This tells us that it is going to identify something, so it must be followed by a noun or a noun phrase. In this case the noun is 'loyalty'. If you wanted to emphasise the inspiration here you would have to change the construction so that you have:

'....was the way in which he inspired loyalty....'

or

'.... was the fact that he inspired loyalty....'

or something similar.
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