1. She seems to be nice.
2. She seems nice.
3. She seems to be a nice person.
4. She seems a nice person.
5. The parcel seems to be a gift for out children.
6. The parcel seems a gift for out children.
7. What seems to be the trouble?
8. What seems the trouble?
9. She seems to be a farmer.
10. She seems a farmer.
11. He seems to be the owner of the car.
12. He seems the owner of the car.
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According to Cobuild Usage, #6 and #8 don't seem to be a good usage or wrong. Why is that?
Are both okay in #9 and #10? Is #12 wrong?
1. She seems to be nice.
2. She seems nice.
3. She seems to be a nice person.
4. She seems a nice person.
5. The parcel seems to be a gift for our children.
6. The parcel seems a gift for our children.
7. What seems to be the trouble?
8. What seems the trouble?
9. She seems to be a farmer.
10. She seems a farmer.
11. He seems to be the owner of the car.
12. He seems the owner of the car.
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According to Cobuild Usage, #6 and #8 don't seem to be a good usage or wrong. Why is that?
Are both okay in #9 and #10? Is #12 wrong?
Omitting the verb phrase "to be" in 6, 8, 10, and 12 makes no sense. She seems a farmer? She appears a farmer? She's conjuring up a farmer as she might a ghost? It means nothing. Sometimes it's okay to omit the phrase "to be" and it still makes sense (the verb "to be" is assumed). In all cases, each example, including the "to be" is best.
In Cobuild Usage, #6 and #8 are considered incorrect because they omit the verb "to be" after the adjective "nice" and "trouble." The correct forms would be #2 "She seems nice" and #7 "What seems to be the trouble?"
Regarding #9 and #10, both are grammatically correct, but they have slightly different meanings. In #9 "She seems to be a farmer," the phrase "to be" indicates that she is currently working as a farmer. In #10 "She seems a farmer," the phrase "a farmer" describes her occupation, but it doesn't necessarily imply that she is currently working as a farmer.
As for #12, it is more common to include the verb "to be" after the adjective "seems" to indicate someone's role or ownership. So, #12 "He seems the owner of the car" is not a standard usage. The preferred form would be #11 "He seems to be the owner of the car."
In these sentences, the main difference lies in the use of the verb "seem" and the inclusion of the infinitive "to be." Let's break it down:
1. "She seems to be nice." - This sentence uses the verb "seem" followed by the infinitive "to be." It is a common and grammatically correct structure to express an impression or perception about someone's character.
2. "She seems nice." - This sentence omits the infinitive "to be" but still conveys the same meaning. It is a more concise and casual way of expressing the impression.
3. "She seems to be a nice person." - Similar to the first sentence, this sentence adds further description by using the infinitive "to be" and the article "a." It is also a grammatically correct form.
4. "She seems a nice person." - This sentence omits the infinitive "to be" but still includes the article "a." While it may be understandable, it is generally considered non-standard or less common usage.
5. "The parcel seems to be a gift for our children." - This sentence uses the verb "seem" followed by the infinitive "to be." It is a correct and clear way to communicate that the parcel gives the impression of being a gift for the children.
6. "The parcel seems a gift for our children." - This sentence omits the infinitive "to be" and lacks the article "a" before "gift." This usage is not as common or natural, and it may sound awkward or incomplete. It is typically advised to include the infinitive "to be" and the article "a" for clarity and grammatical correctness.
7. "What seems to be the trouble?" - This sentence uses the verb "seem" followed by the infinitive "to be." It is the correct and idiomatic way to inquire about the nature of a problem or difficulty.
8. "What seems the trouble?" - This sentence omits the infinitive "to be." While it may still be understandable, it is less common usage and may sound incomplete or less formal.
9. "She seems to be a farmer." - This sentence uses the verb "seem" followed by the infinitive "to be." It is a correct and clear way to express the impression that she is a farmer.
10. "She seems a farmer." - This sentence omits the infinitive "to be" but still communicates the same meaning. It is a less common usage, but it can still be understood. However, it is generally recommended to include the infinitive "to be" when using "seem" in this context.
11. "He seems to be the owner of the car." - This sentence uses the verb "seem" followed by the infinitive "to be." It is a grammatically correct and clear way to convey that he appears to be the car's owner.
12. "He seems the owner of the car." - This sentence omits the infinitive "to be" but includes the article "the" before "owner." This usage is not common or natural, and it may sound incomplete or ungrammatical. It is advisable to include the infinitive "to be" for clarity and correctness.