The person winning/holding the badminton title this year will receive a prize.

[Matthew Wai]

1. People wanting to pay less tax will take to the streets tomorrow.
2. The person winning the badminton title this year will receive a prize.
3. The person holding the badminton title this year will receive a prize.

On another forum, people said that 1. was correct because 'wanting' was a state but 2. was incorrect because 'winning something' was an event.
I guess 'holding something' is a state, then is 3. correct?

 

[lotus888]

The sentences would sound better with "who."

1. People who want to pay less tax will take to the streets tomorrow.
2. The person who wins the badminton title this year will receive a prize.
3. The person who holds the badminton title this year will receive a prize.


P.S. You should not put a period next to a number in the middle of a sentence.



--lotus

 

[SoothingDave]

2 is fine. 3 is odd, because the prize doesn't go to the holder, it goes to the winner.

 

[Matthew Wai]

The sentences would sound better with "who."

I know the present participles in my sentences do not sound good, but which of them is grammatically understandable?

 

[emsr2d2]

I have no problem with 1.

 

[bhaisahab]

I have no problem with 1.

Nor has anyone else, Ems. Unless I'm mistaken.

 

[emsr2d2]

Lotus' first reply said sentence 1 would sound better with "People who want" rather than "People wanting". I disagree. I find them equally acceptable.

 

[Matthew Wai]

I have no problem with 1.

Then what are the problems with my sentences 2 and 3?

 

[emsr2d2]

I didn't say there were problems with 1 and 2. I chose to comment only on 1 because someone else had said that "wanting" could be improved upon.

In my opinion, 1 and 2 are fine but 3 should be "winning" not "holding".

 

[bhaisahab]

Lotus' first reply said sentence 1 would sound better with "People who want" rather than "People wanting". I disagree. I find them equally acceptable.

Sorry, Ems. I stand corrected.

 

[Matthew Wai]

'The person winning the badminton title last year died last month.'
Can 'winning' apply to 'last year'?

 

[MikeNewYork]

No, that should be "who won".

 

[Matthew Wai]

1. Peter informed on John stealing the diamond.
2. Greed motivated John stealing the diamond.
3. The corrupt security guard connived at John stealing the diamond.

'Stealing the diamond' happened in the past, is it wrong to use the present participle here?

 

[bhaisahab]

I don't find them at all natural. In fact, I'd call 1 and 2 wrong.

 

[MikeNewYork]

I would include #3 as wrong.

 

[Matthew Wai]

1. Peter informed on John about stealing the diamond.
2. Greed motivated John to steal the diamond.
3. The corrupt security guard connived at John's stealing the diamond.

Are they correct now? If not, please correct them.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Numbers 1 and 2 are OK.

Number 3 would be correct as "The security guard connived with John to steal the diamond".