The grammar of English
English textbooks say that the grammar of the following two sentences are right;
1, There is a sleeping boy.
2, There is a boy sleeping in the bed.
They also say that the following two are wrong;
3, There is a boy sleeping.
4, There is a sleeping boy in the bed.
I couldn't tell a difference between them.
The latter two sentences sound strange? or don't make sense?
...or no problem?
Search from various English teachers...
Corrections · 3
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Well, the last 2 ones mark them badly because depending on the context in which they are going to have different meaning or have a different focus depending on whether you put it in a sentence or in a question0
It feels like number 3 is missing something (a place). I wouldn't say number 4. The reason why, I do not know. I understand it though if used.
Putting "sleeping" before boy makes it an adjective. What kind of boy? A sleeping boy.
A boy sleeping, is a verb. So it feels more active and therefore more alive.
There is a boy sleeping ...(somewhere). If I just say there is a boy sleeping. Everyone will look at me like "so what?"
Sentences live in context.
Let's think of a situation. I come home from a vacation. I check over my house since it has been a few weeks. I come back to my wife to tell her. "There's a boy sleeping in our bed!?" This feels the most natural way this sentence would be used.
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3, There is a boy, sleeping.
4, There is a sleeping-boy in the bed.
I think they are now ok. Truthfully, I think 4, as you wrote it, was also good. Grammar books live in Grammarland.
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