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Vicky Gaeul
Hi! I've been learning English since forever, I have a high level, but there's still some things that I don't quite understand. For example, why is the following question correct?:
"Who wrote the lyrics?"
Why is it not: "who did write the lyrics?"
If you can, please throw me the gramatical explanation, no matter how technical, thank youđ
22 okt. 2023 23:30
Antwoorden · 6
5
When the question word (who) is the subject of the sentence, no auxiliary is used. An auxiliary is only used when the question word is the object. So it's:
Who saw you? - 'who' is the subject
Who did you see? - 'who' is the object
23 oktober 2023
They are equally correct. Let's look at the difference between these two sentences:
1. Sally wrote the lyrics.
2. Sally did write the lyrics.
They mean the same, however the second gives extra emphasis to the fact that Sally wrote the lyrics. #2 is like saying
2*." Yes indeed, it was Sally who wrote the lyrics." You would say #2, for example, in an argument with someone who claims that Sally did not write the lyrics. You would respond by saying "Yes, she did. Sally did write the lyrics".
You would ask the question "Who did write the lyrics?" in a conversation with a friend like this:
Friend: Bob didn't write the lyrics. Jane didn't write the lyrics. Paul didn't write the lyrics.
You: OK then, but who did write the lyrics?
23 oktober 2023
The second sentence is correct as long as the word "did" is emphasised. Imagine that there has been a misunderstanding about who wrote the lyrics for a song.
For example...
"We have just found out that John Smith didn't write the lyrics to the song."
"Well, if it wasn't John Smith who wrote the lyrics, then who đ
đđ
write the lyrics?"
The word "did" is emphasised both verbally when being spoken, and when being written.
23 oktober 2023
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Vicky Gaeul
Taalvaardigheden
Koreaans, Spaans
Taal die wordt geleerd
Koreaans
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