National Academy of Sciences[edit]
Also in 1999, the National Academy of Sciences adopted a similar stance. Its publication Science and Creationism stated that "Scientists, like many others, are touched with awe at the order and complexity of nature. Indeed, many scientists are deeply religious. But science and religion occupy two separate realms of human experience. Demanding that they be combined detracts from the glory of each."[7]
In the sentence, "demanding that they be combined detracts from the glory of each," the word "they" is the subject.
If so, what role does the word "detract" serve? It is only a verb. What is the subject of the verb detracts?
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Fri 6 Nov, 2015 01:27 am
@oristarA,
oristarA wrote:
Context:
National Academy of Sciences[edit]
Also in 1999, the National Academy of Sciences adopted a similar stance. Its publication Science and Creationism stated that "Scientists, like many others, are touched with awe at the order and complexity of nature. Indeed, many scientists are deeply religious. But science and religion occupy two separate realms of human experience. Demanding that they be combined detracts from the glory of each."[7]
The simple subject is the gerund "Demanding." The complete subject is the gerund/noun phrase "Demanding...combined." "they" can't be the subject of the main verb because it's bound up in a relative clause, "that..."
National Academy of Sciences[edit]
Also in 1999, the National Academy of Sciences adopted a similar stance. Its publication Science and Creationism stated that "Scientists, like many others, are touched with awe at the order and complexity of nature. Indeed, many scientists are deeply religious. But science and religion occupy two separate realms of human experience. Demanding that they be combined detracts from the glory of each."[7]
The simple subject is the gerund "Demanding." The complete subject is the gerund/noun phrase "Demanding...combined." "they" can't be the subject of the main verb because it's bound up in a relative clause, "that..."
That's it.
Such grammatical structure can even make some native English speakers confused in understanding.
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