Re: "To run is good exercise"?!

martinphipps2@xxxxxxxxx wrote in message

> It seems that non-native speakers of English in Taiwan do not realize
> that "To run is good exercise" is not a good English sentence. A
> collegue today even said it was grammatically correct. I don't think
> it is: I would never start a sentence with an infinitive.


To say that would be wrong.

"To run is good exercise" isn't the most idiomatic sentence going, but
it's perfectly understandable and violates no rule that I can think
of.


> I have counter argued that you can meaningfully
> say "I watch the Summer Olympics because I love swimming" but not "I
> watch the Summer Olympics because I love to swim".

Yes you can say both; the second is a little more awkward but
understandable. If this is the worst your students do, be very glad.

-michael farris
.

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