I don’t see “result” as a process that gives us anything.  We can take something from it, I suppose.  Maybe this relates to that avoidance of first person by making abstract ideas incapable of human-like actions.  We human beings do the subtracting to yield a result.  The equivalence said to obtain in the algebraic equation is between numbers not processes. 

 

From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Brett Reynolds
Sent: Tuesday, June 02, 2009 8:40 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Parallel structure and homework; ATEG Digest - 29 May 2009 to 30 May 2009 (#2
Importance: Low

 

 

On 2-Jun-09, at 10:29 AM, Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar wrote:



The result of subtracting the square of one number from the square of a second gives the same number as is obtained by adding the two numbers, subtracting the first from the second, and then multiplying the results of these two calculations.

 

I think it is the very length of this sentence that caused the confusion and introduced the illogical verb "gives" referring back to the gerund "subtracting" instead of the subject noun "result."

 

How did you arrive at that conclusion? It certainly looks to me as though it refers to 'result'.

 

Best,

Brett

 

-----------------------

Brett Reynolds

English Language Centre

Humber College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

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