[Grammar] see (that) happening with this plant

[NAL123]

1) In the context of plants, to sprout is to begin to develop leaves and other parts, as we can see here happening with this plant.

2) In the context of plants, to sprout is to begin to develop leaves and other parts, as we can see that happening here with this plant.

I heard a native speaker say sentence (1) in a video. The underlined part in that sentence seems to me to be lacking a subject. Is the sentence correct as it is, or do we need "that" as in (2)?

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

1) In the context of plants, to sprout is to begin to develop leaves and other parts, as we can see here happening with this plant.

This is correct. To sprout is to begin to develop, as we see there. The part after the comma is an independent clause. Without "In the context of plants," the clause is still correct.

2) In the context of plants, to sprout is to begin to develop leaves and other parts, and we can see that happening here with this plant.

I've corrected your version. You can create a compound sentence with a comma and a conjunction (like and). The word as is not a conjuntion and cannot be used to create a compound sentence.

I heard a native speaker say sentence (1) in a video. The underlined part in that sentence seems to me to be lacking a subject. Is the sentence correct as it is, or do we need "that" as in (2)?

Using that is incorrect unless you also change as to and.

The native speaker was correct. The subject of the sentence is to sprout.

 

[NAL123]

The native speaker was correct. The subject of the sentence is to sprout.

In sentence (1) in the OP, how is "happening with this plant"connected with "as we can see here"? Or is there not any connection between them, ie, they are independent of each other?

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

In sentence (1) in the OP, how is "happening with this plant"connected with "as we can see here"? Or is there not any connection between them, ie, they are independent of each other?

Sorry, I used the term dependent clause wrong. I just correcting it.

Yes, there is a connection. A comma connects them. Standing alone, "In the context of plants" would not be a complete sentence.

 

[Tarheel]

I just corrected it.

 

[Phaedrus]

1) In the context of plants, to sprout is to begin to develop leaves and other parts, as we can see here happening with this plant.

2) In the context of plants, to sprout is to begin to develop leaves and other parts, as we can see that happening here with this plant.

I heard a native speaker say sentence (1) in a video. The underlined part in that sentence seems to me to be lacking a subject. Is the sentence correct as it is, or do we need "that" as in (2)?

Sentences (1) and (2) are completely different, and (2) is not what the speaker meant to say. In (2), the "as"-clause works like a "because"-clause.

In (1), by contrast, "as" functions like a relative pronoun; it could even be replaced by "which." It introduces the clause and has another function within it.

"As," in (1), functions as the object of "see" and refers to the verb phrase "begin to develop leaves and other parts." There needs to be a "gap" after "see."

The "as"-clause means we can see this plant beginning to develop leaves and other parts, i.e., we can see it sprouting: we can see sprouting happening.

 

[NAL123]

Sentences (1) and (2) are completely different, and (2) is not what the speaker meant to say. In (2), the "as"-clause works like a "because"-clause.

In (1), by contrast, "as" functions like a relative pronoun; it could even be replaced by "which." It introduces the clause and has another function within it.

"As," in (1), functions as the object of "see" and refers to the verb phrase "begin to develop leaves and other parts." There needs to be a "gap" after "see."

The "as"-clause means we can see this plant beginning to develop leaves and other parts, i.e., we can see it sprouting: we can see sprouting happening.

In the same video, I saw this sentence:

As you can already see the students wearing them (=earmuffs), earmuffs are a pair ear coverings such as these, which protect your ears against loud noises or cold temperatures.

What is the function of "as" here? It doesn't seem to be acting like a relative pronoun, as the object of the verb "see" "the students" is already there.

 

[GoesStation]

What is the function of "as" here? It doesn't seem to be acting like a relative pronoun, as the object of the verb "see" "the students" is already there.

Please provide the source of this quote. We require the source of all quoted text.

The sentence is ungrammatical. You should forget about it and move on.

 

[NAL123]

Please provide the source of this quote. We require the source of all quoted text.

The sentence is ungrammatical. You should forget about it and move on.

Both of my sentences were from the video: "LEARN ENGLISH with Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Learn English With TV Series)". You could find it on You Tube.

The first example sentence is from 2 minutes 28 seconds.
The second example sentence is from 9 minutes 48 seconds.

 

[Phaedrus]

In the same video, I saw this sentence:

As you can already see the students wearing them (=earmuffs), earmuffs are a pair ear coverings such as these, which protect your ears against loud noises or cold temperatures.

What is the function of "as" here? It doesn't seem to be acting like a relative pronoun, as the object of the verb "see" "the students" is already there.

I suspect you misheard the sentence, or that it was misprinted in the video.

The only grammatical interpretation of that sentence, on which "as" means "because" and "wearing them" is a reduced relative clause, is totally illogical.

Perhaps you are failing to hear a preposition or are mistaken about the sentence boundaries.

 

[Tarheel]

You could find it on YouTube.

I guess you mean I could if I wanted to. Otherwise, say:

You can find it on YouTube.

 

[Phaedrus]

The second example sentence is from 9 minutes 48 seconds.

OK, the teacher did say it, but he spoke incorrectly; he modeled terrible English. The sentence is wrong.

Perhaps, in his mind, he used "with" after "see": "As you can already see [with] the students wearing them, . . ."

 

[emsr2d2]

I clicked on your link and found the episode you mentioned, but neither of your sentences appears at either of the time stamps you gave.

 

[NAL123]

You could find it on YouTube.

I guess you mean I could if I wanted to. Otherwise, say:

You can find it on YouTube.

Yes, I meant that. Is it incorrect, because "could" is supposed to sound more polite?

 

[NAL123]

OK, the teacher did say it, but he spoke incorrectly; he modeled terrible English. The sentence is wrong.

Perhaps, in his mind, he used "with" after "see": "As you can already see [with] the students wearing them, . . ."

At 4:40-43 he says:

As we can hear Professor Sprout say, this Herbology class is taking place at Greenhouse number 3.

Is this sentence correct, or do we need a preposition after "hear"?

 

[NAL123]

I clicked on your link and found the episode you mentioned, but neither of your sentences appears at either of the time stamps you gave.

Example 1: 2:21-28

Example2: 9:47-49

 

[emsr2d2]

Please put me out of my misery! This is the only YouTube video I can find of Learn English with Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The topic of conversation at 2:20 to 2:30 is the word "mudblood", and at 9:48 he's talking about Professor McGonagall's Scottish accent. Neither of those are the topics of this thread.

 

[NAL123]

Please put me out of my misery! This is the only YouTube video I can find of Learn English with Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The topic of conversation at 2:20 to 2:30 is the word "mudblood", and at 9:48 he's talking about Professor McGonagall's Scottish accent. Neither of those are the topics of this thread.

Please search here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKD-D3pCWrA

 

[GoesStation]

Yes, I meant that. Is it incorrect, because "could" is supposed to sound more polite?

It's not natural in your sentence.

 

[GoesStation]

As we can hear Professor Sprout say, this Herbology class is taking place at Greenhouse number 3.

Is this sentence correct, or do we need a preposition after "hear"?

The sentence is correct. No preposition is possible.