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ESL forum >
Grammar and Linguistics > Please help me...
Please help me...
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Istruka
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Please help me...
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Hello, I have a doubt when ordering words to make a sentence. I have: they / on / Spain / holiday / in / were Should I write They were on holiday in Spain. or They were in Spain on holiday. |
24 Feb 2016
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redcamarocruiser
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both are possible. It depends on the context. What was being asked? 1. Where did they go for the summer break? They were on holiday in Spain. 2. I haven �t seen the Browns recently. Where were they? They were in Spain, on holiday. |
24 Feb 2016
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Istruka
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Thank you so much. I think it is the first one because there are no comas. You �re a life saver!!! |
24 Feb 2016
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SVieira
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If there are no other constraints (regarding context), I would go for "They were on holiday in Spain", because references to time and to place can always be placed at the end of the sentence, in order not to break any other constructions; and taking into account that "to be on holiday" is a phrase on ist own...
Going for "They were in Spain on holiday" sounds less neutral to me, as it seems to imply precisely what Mary suggested.
Sandra |
24 Feb 2016
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lucifora
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Hi! "They were on holiday in Spain" sounds correct to me. "To be on holiday" cannot be separate as it �s a phrase of its own... Even if you want to insist on the fact that their holiday destination was Spain. But as it was answered before, the other sentence would be OK with a coma, as if adding the information "on holiday" afterwards... Val |
24 Feb 2016
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teresasimoes
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Out of a context, I think the second sentence is better according to the basic rule, that is, place before time. They were in Spain on holiday. |
25 Feb 2016
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cunliffe
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They were on holiday in Spain. |
25 Feb 2016
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