But vs Yet

In China, they can demolish a perfectly legal property with 90 days notice.

On the 91st day they will demolish the property if it was constructed post 1977 and the land registration rules will be brought in.

As the owner (or original settler) of the land/property, you will be compensated a minimum of 1.36 times and maximum of 3.5 times what the property cost you.

OR

You will be given between 0.76 times to 1.8 times the land equivalent as compensation within a radius of 20 Kms of where you live

It’s 90% Money now and very few cases are compensated with equivalent land

The Compensation is IMMEDIATE and before the demolition notice

This means you get the money before you have to vacate your property

The entire money, tax free minus 25% which will be paid to the bank towards any mortgage you may have borrowed or whatever you owe the bank, whichever is lesser

So if my 2 Million RMB condo built in 2019 is demolished, I will get

2 Million * (0.93)* 1.78 = 3.31 Million RMB

If I owe the bank 1 Million RMB, then 827,700 RMB will be paid towards that loan

Law for Illegal Encroachment

Illegal properties are impossible in China post 2017 because every property is placed within a satellite grid with its own boundary as of 30/06/2017

From that day onwards, any encroachment can be settled in ten minutes with a simple satellite image as on 30/06/2017 and a resolution run which can show any encroachment

For Pre 2017 properties, any illegal encroachment will never be blamed on the purchasers of the property

Unlike India

Why?

Again Simple

The State verifies the property for you if it’s residential

You pay the fee, submit your escrow details where you prove you deposited the 15% down payment on the property and the State will examine all the history (Now digitized) and issue a clearance of the property and it’s legality

No more paper for properties purchased since 2010 except older deeds

So since the State clears legalities, the State will be responsible for mistakes and the State will compensate

The State HAS TO COMPENSATE within 60 days Or place the equivalent of what you paid for the property in Escrow in your name and take another 120 days to confirm legality or pay the money to you

Plus while I ain’t sure, I can pretty much say I strongly feel the officials will be taken to task for such a mistake

One thing in China – the Common man never suffers much

The laws and system are made for the common man rather than Plutocrats or a bunch of Rich Lawyers sitting in the Capital or a bunch of Illiterate politicians

The STEAL writing method is a technique used to develop characters indirectly, showing their personalities through their:

Speech: What they say and how they say it
Thoughts: What they think and believe
Effect on others: How other characters react to them
Actions: What they do
Looks: Their appearance and body language

Simple Example

Direct Characterization: “John was nervous”

Indirect Characterization:

John fidgeted with his tie (Actions), his voice cracking as he stammered,
“I-I’m ready for the presentation.” (Speech)

The audience exchanged worried glances (Effect on others).

John managed a sly grin and thought to himself, “You got this ole boy. Can’t fail me now!” (Thoughts)

He slowly took his grimy hands out of his pockets and took the microphone. (Looks)

ref – https://www.grammar-monster.com/glossary/gerund_phrase.htm

A gerund phrase is a phrase that consists of a gerund, its object, and any modifiers.

Removing the bug quickly is the way.

Here are the parts of the gerund phrase:

gerund: “removing”
direct object: “the bug”
modifier: “quickly”

I like singing songs in the shower.

Here are the parts of the gerund phrase:

gerund: “singing”
direct object: “songs”
modifier: “in the shower” // prepositions are simply called ‘modifiers’

Try to serve the soup without dropping the tray this time.
Here are the parts of the gerund phrase:
gerund: “dropping”
direct object: “the tray”
modifier: “this time”

Gerund with no direct objects

Here is an example without an object:

Moving quickly is the key to survival.

Here are the parts of the gerund phrase:
gerund: “moving”
modifier: “quickly”

Without modifier

I want to talk to you about buying those magic beans.

Here are the parts of the gerund phrase:
gerund: “buying”
direct object: “those magic beans”

[Eating blackberries quickly] will make you ill.

In the gerund phrase above:

“Eating” is the gerund.
(A gerund phrase always starts with the gerund.)

The word “blackberries” is the direct object of the gerund.
(The object of a gerund is also called the gerund complement.)

“Quickly” is a modifier (an adverb).

Same as above, but with an adverbial phrase

[Eating blackberries (without washing them)] will make you ill.

Gerund – “Eating”
direct object – blackberries
modifier is the phrase “without washing them.”

Just like “quickly” in the first example, it is an adverb.

In fact, “without washing them” is an adverbial phrase, where “without” is a preposition:

gerund phrase (“washing them”)
gerund (“washing”)
its direct object (“them”).

[Eating blackberries [without washing them]].

Gerund Phrase and Adverbial Phrase

How does adverbial phrases use gerund phrase?

Like all nouns, a gerund phrase can function as a subject, an object, or a complement within a sentence.

She hates waiting(ger) [for trains] modifiers.
(The gerund phrase is the direct object of the verb “hates.”)

She knew a lot about growing(gerund) tomatoes (gerund’s dir obj).
(The gerund phrase is the object of the preposition “about.”)

Her biggest mistake was caring(n) [too much] modifiers.
(The gerund phrase is a subject complement that completes the linking verb “was.”)

Purpose

Verb + ing Continuous form is used to show an action that is continuous or in general.

describe an ongoing action
描述 正在 进行 的行动

run + ing = running

Situation 1 (正在做的动作) – I am (helping verb) running(main verb). (This is used as a present participle to denote a continuous action now)

Situation 2 (形容词) – The running water is cold (present participle used as an adjective)

Situation 3 (现在进行时 作为名词 –> 动名词) – Sandy loves running. (running is used as a noun (gerund) at the object position. Its to describe the general continuous action that Sany likes to do)

Provide clarity and shorten the sentence

Ted serves the soup, and he does not drop the tray while he serves. (14)
Ted serves the soup without dropping the tray (8).

If you eat blackberries that have not been washed, they will make you sick. (14)
Eating blackberries without washing then will make you sick. (9)

ref – https://www.stylemanual.gov.au/grammar-punctuation-and-conventions/punctuation/commas

Put a comma after the close of any letter (personal or business).

Put a comma after the greeting of a friendly letter.

Examples:

Dear Aunt JoAnne,

Sincerely,

Use commas to set off a noun of direct address.

Examples:

Peter, please come over here.
Please come over here, Peter.
Please, Peter, come over here.

Use a comma in front of a direct quotation that is not at the beginning of a sentence.

Use a comma to separate information about the speaker in a direct quotation.

Examples:

Mrs. Scotto said softly, “The math test tomorrow consists of one thousand problems. Class dismissed.”

“The math test tomorrow,” Mrs. Scotto said softly, “has a thousand problems on it.”

Note: Commas (and periods) always go inside quotation marks.

Use commas to separate parts of addresses and places when they are written in a sentence.

Example:

She lived at 20 Joyce Road, Peabody, Massachusetts, until she moved to 51 Grove Street, Lynn, Massachusetts.

Put a comma after the day of the week, after the number of the day, and after the year when a date is within a sentence.

No comma is needed if only the month and year are in the sentence. (Never put a comma between the month and the number of the day.)

Examples:

They were married on Saturday, July 31, 1999, under stormy skies.
He was born in July 1976.

Use a comma before and after words and abbreviations when they are used to introduce an example or series.

Use a comma to set off etc.

Note: i.e. and e.g. are the abbreviations of Latin phrases.

i.e. means “that is to say” (Latin: id est)

e.g. means “for example” (Latin: exempli gratia)

Example:

There are a lot of science subjects one can take at the college, e.g., molecular biology, cosmology, advanced chemistry, quantum physics, etc.

Note: Do not use the phrase “and etc.” Et cetera already means “and so on,” so this is redundant.

ref – http://www.brainfuse.com/curriculumupload//1185321789404.html

Put a comma after an adverbial phrase at the beginning of a sentence.

An adverbial phrase is a group of words (without a subject or a verb) that does the work of an adverb. It modifies the verb and answers questions like how? where? when?)

Standard Form: Adverbial phrase, rest of sentence.

Example: In the distant future, we may all be driving electric cars.

Exception 1: If the opening adverbial phrase is very short the comma is optional.

Example: Before dawn we should prepare for our trip.

Exception 2: If the word after the adverbial phrase is a verb, do not use a comma after the phrase.

Example: In the depths of the wilderness lives a ferocious lion.

Use commas to set off nonrestrictive phrases and clauses

These phrases and clauses give information but are not really essential to the meaning of the sentence.

Sample Form: Subject, nonrestrictive clause, predicate.

Example: Katelyn, who is an only child, demands a lot of attention.

Do not use commas around restrictive clauses.

Restrictive clauses provide information essential to the meaning of the sentence.

Sample Form: Subject restrictive clause predicate.

Example: The boy [who broke the window] is at the door.

Use commas to set off nonrestrictive appositives.

An appositive is a noun that comes after another noun and gives additional information about it. An appositive can come in the middle or end of a sentence.

Examples:

Dr. Sogohan, the headmaster of our school, never shouts.
One person who never shouts is Dr. Sogohan, the headmaster of our school.

Do not use commas around restrictive appositives.

Restrictive appositives provide information crucial to the understanding of the sentence and should not be set apart with commas.
Example: The musician Bobby Groffman visited our town.

Put a comma after words like oh, yes, and no at the beginning of a sentence.

Form: Interjection, independent clause.

Example: Yes, I do have what you’re looking for.

ref – http://www.brainfuse.com/curriculumupload//1185318888766.html

Put a comma between independent clauses of equal value when there are three or more, and they themselves don’t have commas in them.

Form: First independent clause, second independent clause, and third independent clause.

An independent clause is a group of words containing a subject and a verb that could stand alone as a sentence. If your sentence contains multiple independent clauses, separate them with commas.

Example:

Aliens was a great movie, the people loved its originality, and I’m sure there will be more fans in the future.

Put a comma in front of a coordinating conjunction to join two independent clauses in a compound sentence.

Form: Independent clause, [conjunction] independent clause.

Example: I wanted to go swimming today, but the weather had other ideas.

Note: You don’t need a comma if the clauses are very short.

Example: You pitch and I’ll catch.

Do not put a comma in a compound verb. Use a comma only if the second verb has its own subject.

Example (no comma): David loves computers and got a job as a computer artist.

Example (with comma): David loves computers, and he got a job as a computer artist.

Put a comma after a dependent clause that comes before an independent clause in a complex sentence.

Do not put a comma if the independent clause comes first.

A dependent clause is a group of words containing a subject and verb that can’t stand alone as a complete sentence. A dependent clause typically begins with words like after, although, because, if, since when, while, etc.

Form: Dependent clause, independent clause.

Example: Whenever I see a rainbow, I think about my favorite movie.

Form: Independent clause dependent clause.

Example: I think about my favorite movie whenever I see a rainbow.

Put a comma between two adjectives–

1. when they describe the same noun, and

2. the word “and” could be put between the adjectives without changing the meaning.

Example (with comma): the fat, colorful parrot (fat and colorful parrot)

Do not use a comma between two adjectives if the second adjective and the noun go together as one item. If the word “and” doesn’t sound right between the adjectives, leave the comma out.

Example (no comma): white wedding gown

Use a comma to separate three or more items in a series.

Example: Pa bought potatoes, peaches, and peppers.

*Some writers don’t put a comma in front of the conjunction before the last item in the series. This is known as the Oxford comma, and while its use is becoming more popular, it’s still considered an optional addition.

Adverbial phrases can use gerund phrases to provide information about how, when, why, or where an action takes place. A gerund phrase consists of a gerund (a verb ending in -ing that functions as a noun) along with any modifiers or objects that accompany it.

When a gerund phrase functions as an adverbial phrase, it modifies a verb by answering questions such as “how?” “when?” “why?” or “where?”

Here’s how this works in practice:

How: The gerund phrase can describe the manner in which an action is performed.

Example: “He improved his skills [by practicing daily].”

In this sentence, “by practicing daily” is a gerund phrase that tells us how he improved his skills.

When: It can indicate the time of the action.

Example: “She sings [while studying].”

Here, “while studying” is a gerund phrase that specifies when she sings.

Why: It may provide a reason for the action.

Example: “She took the class [to learn dancing].”

In this case, “to learn dancing” expresses the purpose behind why she took the class.

Where: Although less common, gerund phrases can also describe a location related to the action.

Example: “He loves [running in the park].”

In this sentence, “in the park” modifies the action of running by specifying where he loves to run.

By including gerund phrases in a sentence, you create adverbial phrases that help convey additional context and details about the actions being described.

Usage issues

He (subj) glides (v)
[through the water] // where?
[like an eel] // how?
[to catch the freshest fish]. // why? note: fish is plural

There is no strict grammatical limit to the number of prepositional phrases you can combine for a subject in English, but practical considerations apply. While theoretically, you could construct a subject with numerous prepositional phrases, doing so can lead to sentences that are overly complex and difficult to read.

For example, you could say:

“The book on the table in the corner of the room under the window with the beautiful curtains belongs to my friend.”

In this example, there are multiple prepositional phrases used to specify the noun “book.” However, clarity and readability can suffer as you add more phrases.

In formal writing and communication, it’s generally advisable to keep sentences concise and clear. A good rule of thumb is to make sure your audience can easily follow your meaning. If a sentence becomes too convoluted, it may be better to break it into shorter, clearer sentences.

How do I break convoluted phrases into shorter clearer sentences?

Breaking convoluted prepositional phrases into shorter, clearer sentences involves identifying the core ideas and rearranging them for improved clarity. Here’s a step-by-step approach to help you:

Identify the Main Idea: Look for the main subject and verb in the original sentence. Understand what the sentence is trying to convey.

Isolate Prepositional Phrases: Find the prepositional phrases that are making the sentence lengthy or complex. Prepositional phrases often begin with words like “in,” “on,” “at,” “around,” “with,” “for,” etc.

Extract Key Information: Break down the information in the prepositional phrases into simpler parts. Consider what each phrase adds to the overall meaning.

Create Shorter Sentences: Rewrite the ideas using shorter sentences. Focus on clarity and ensure that each sentence conveys one main idea.

Use Clear Vocabulary: Opt for straightforward vocabulary that will enhance understanding without sacrificing meaning.

Check for Flow: When you write multiple sentences, ensure there’s a logical flow between them that makes it easy for the reader to follow.

Example
Original Sentence:
The proposal submitted by the committee in response to the recent changes in regulations put forth by the board of directors was unanimously accepted.

Breaking It Down:

Identify the Main Idea: The proposal was accepted.

Isolate Prepositional Phrases:

“submitted by the committee”
“in response to recent changes”
“in regulations”
“put forth by the board of directors”
Extract Key Information:

The committee submitted a proposal.
The proposal addressed recent regulatory changes.
The board of directors introduced the changes.
Create Shorter Sentences:

The committee submitted a proposal.
The proposal addressed recent changes in regulations.
The board of directors introduced these changes.
It was unanimously accepted.
Put it all together:

The committee submitted a proposal. This proposal addressed recent changes in regulations introduced by the board of directors. It was unanimously accepted.
By following these steps, you can effectively break down convoluted sentences into clearer, more concise statements.

Removing Ambiguity with prepositional phrases

Joe fed the shark in the cage.

(Does the prepositional phrase tell us where Joe was when he fed the shark, or does it tell us which shark Joe fed? In other words, is “in the cage” functioning as an adverb modifying “fed”

Joe (fed) the shark [in the cage]. // Joe went into the cage and fed that shark.

or an adjective modifying “shark?

Joe fed (the shark) [in the cage]. // so…there are sharks elsewhere ‘outside’ of the cage.

1) If you read it as an adverb (i.e., telling us where Joe was), you might assume there was just one shark.

2) If you read it as an adjective (i.e., “the shark that was in the cage”), you would assume there were other sharks.)

You can usually eliminate ambiguity by rewording your sentence with a relative clause:

• Joe was in the cage when he fed the shark. √
• Joe fed the shark that was in the cage. √

If your prepositional phrase is ambiguous, move it next to (usually immediately to the right of) whatever it’s meant to be modifying.

Ambiguous:

[is glass bottles] is meant to function as an adverb and modify ‘sell’?
or function as adjective and modify noun ‘anyone’?

We will not sell paraffin to anyone in glass bottles. X

Correct:

Move it after what you’re trying to modify.
We will not sell paraffin in glass bottles to anyone. √

Ambiguous:
Simon and his mother were reunited after 52 years in McDonald’s. X

[in McDonald’s] was meant to modify “reunited” but when we put it at the end it reads as if after 52 years in McDonald’s, they reunited.

This is not what we’re. trying to say. Hence, we want to put prepositional phrase “in McDonald’s” AFTER what we’re trying to modify: reunited. We want to say they were reunited in McDonald’s, so we move the location McDonald’s after ‘reunited’.

Correct:

Simon and his mother were reunited [in McDonald’s] after 52 years.