There is one mistake in the conversation below. what is it and how would you explain it?
"Is John ill? He's lost a lot of weight."
"Yes, he is rather slender these days, isn't he?"
2007-01-20 04:54:55 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Teaching
The comma is correct! This is called a question tag and the comma is needed before the tag. The contraction is also correct as 'he's' is the shortened form of 'he is' and 'he has' and any English speaker should be able to easily distinguish which is meant. The only part of the conversation that sounds at all odd is the use of the word 'slender'. This is not because of it's literal meaning but rather the connotations of the word. Slender is used in a positive way and has positive connotations but if the first speaker assumes John may be ill then the use of a positive word to describe this would seem innapropriate. I would also add 'looking' - 'Yes, he is looking rather thin these days, isn't he?' The use of 'thin' sounds more appropriate as the word is more neutral. The use of 'looking' also reiterates that this is a personal opinion. Therefore, in answer to your question 'slender' is the only problem!!
2007-01-24 01:41:32 · answer #1 · answered by ammie 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The comment about no comma before "isn't he"--I've always learned that you need the comma. This is also the way it's done on this site http://english-zone.com/grammar/tags01.html . We pause slightly before saying "isn't he" which is why there is a comma. It's also a clause that is not connected by a conjunction or other part of speech.
Putting isn't he as it's own sentence just sits wrong with me but I'm unable to explain why. Perhaps it's because it's not a complete thought. I'd be more tempted to say that Yes should be it's own sentence, as yes is considered a complete thought as an answer to a question.
"He's" is a contraction for both "he has" and "he is", so that suggestion isn't correct.
So, perhaps:
"Is John ill? He's lost a lot of weight."
"Yes. He is rather slender these days, isn't he?"
Putting it this way also gets rid of the awkwardness of starting a sentence with Yes, when it's going to be a question. Yes is an affirmation, and you're asking for a confirmation on his being slender. You can't really have an affirmative sentence be a question at the same time.
2007-01-20 13:06:14 · answer #2 · answered by glurpy 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
the comma after days
should look like this "Yes, he is rather slender these days isn't he?"
the reason (i think) the comma shudent be there is because they are used to pretty much add a sentence inside a sentence. The way you can tell is that if you removed that insider sentence and both of sides of the outsider sentences make sense.
like "Yes, he is looking rather slender, isn't he" now if u remove the insider sentence it would only read "Yes isn't he" now that jus doesnt make any sense at all. so you add more details to the sentence. (the insider sentence)
2007-01-20 13:12:56 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
I agree that the comma after days IS needed and that "Yes" should be a sentence by itself.
2007-01-21 23:43:34 · answer #4 · answered by Bob T 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would be inclined to put a full stop before a capital "H" for "He" in the response. "Yes" is not a sentence of course but it is not part of the next statement and should be separated from it by either a full stop or a conjunction like "although".
2007-01-20 17:00:57 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Shouldn't there be 2 spaces after the ? in the first sentence. Also shouldn't you be able to remove the commas and whats between them and it still make sense, as in yes, he is rather slender these days, isn't he?.
Yes isn't he doesn't make sense.
2007-01-20 13:02:09 · answer #6 · answered by charlie 3 · 0⤊ 4⤋
The comma after days is un-needed.
The last portion of the statement is a full sentence with no pause except after the 'Yes'.
There is the use of the affirmative which flows into the statemented question. The statement forms and qualifies the question and thus should be written.......,
"Yes, he is rather slender these day isn't he?"
:~}
2007-01-20 13:00:58 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 4⤋
He has lost ... and not .... he's lost a lot of weight.
X's is used where something belongs to the subject ie John's car ... pupils' coats.
2007-01-23 19:39:30 · answer #8 · answered by john 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Instead of using the contraction for he is you need to use He has lost a lot of weight.
2007-01-20 18:40:50 · answer #9 · answered by cristal v 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
by putting a comma after days you change the infrence of the statement. Isn't he? becomes a question rather than an affirmation.
2007-01-20 13:02:49 · answer #10 · answered by welchy56 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋