grammatically speaking...

[Joyce, Thomas F.]

3-2-1:  I don't understand why this is even hard.

-----Original Message-----
From: Joanne M. Despres [mailto:jdespres at MERRIAM-WEBSTER.COM]
Sent: Monday, January 06, 2003 1:38 PM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: grammatically speaking...


I'd agree, though I see this as an issue of idiomaticness rather than
grammaticality.  That is, all phrases (I think) are possible within the
constraints of English grammar, but some would occur more
naturally in English than others:  #1 is perfectly idiomatic, #2 is not
perfectly idiomatic in spoken use, though it might appear natural in
some written contexts, and #3 is extremely unidiomatic in either
spoken or written form.

Joanne D.
Merriam-Webster. Inc.

On 6 Jan 2003, at 14:23, O'Bryant, Susan F wrote:

> I vote for #3 as best, then #2, then #1.
>
> *********************************************
> RE:
>
> Hello!
> i have got a question. Could you arrange these sentences from the most
> correct to the most uncorrect forms?
>
> 1) You open us your heart
> 2) You open to us your heart
> 3) You open your heart to us
>
> Which is the best (grammatically speaking)?
>
> Thanks.
> Andrew


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