Periphrastic topic-constructions

1. Are the following sentences correct? Give a √ if you think so, and a  if you don’t think so.
An example has been done for you.

Sentences √ or 
Example: He study Form 5. 
Example: He studies Form 5. √

i. According to Tung Chee Hwa, he said that $2 billion would be set aside for
education reforms.
ii. According to the doctor, Peter will recover completely.

iii. According to Ann, John and Mary had a fight yesterday.

iv. According to the Next magazine, it says that the singer has bought a big house.

v. According to Mary, she thinks you should start planning for your holiday.

2. Look at sentence (i) again. If the clause before the comma is A and the clause after the
comma is B,

i.e. According to Tung Chee Hwa, he said that $2 billion would be set aside for education reforms.
 _____________________  ___________________________________________
A B

circle the Subject of B.

3. What does the subject he refer to? ___________________________

4. Compare the subject of B with the source of the information in A. Are they the same
persons or different persons? ___________________

5. Now rewrite sentence (i), replacing the pronoun he in B by Tung Chee Hwa.

______________________________________________________________________

6. What is the problem with the sentence? ________________________________________

7. If P = Tung Chee Hwa (i.e. source of information),

QQQ = $2 billion would be set aside for education reforms (i.e. information)

Problem:  According to P, P said that QQQ .

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 Solution: According to P, P said that QQQ.

√ According to P, QQQ.

8. Look at sentence (i) again. What did Tung Chee Hwa say?

____________________________________________________________________________

9. Rewrite the sentence following the above suggestion.

____________________________________________________________________________

10. Now look at sentence (ii) again.

(ii) According to the doctor, Peter will recover completely.

 _________________  _____________________
A B

11. Circle the subject of B.

12. Compare the circled subject of B with the source of information in A. Are they the same?

_______________________

13. Is sentence (ii) correct? ___________________

14. Sentence (i) is incorrect because the source of information in A is repeated in B, but

sentence (ii) is correct because the source of information in A is NOT repeated.

15. We can do the same to determine whether sentences (iii) is correct.

(iii) According to Ann, John and Mary had a fight yesterday.

 _____________  ____________________________
A B

16. In sentence (iii), what is the source of information in A? _______________________

17. What is the subject of B? _________________________

18. Are they the same? ___________________

19. Is sentence (iii) acceptable? ___________________

20. Do sentences (iv) – (v) again to determine whether they are correct or not.

21. In each of the following sentences, label two parts before and after the comma using A and
B. Underline the sources of information in A, and circle the subject of B. Check to see if the

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 source of information in A is repeated in the subject position of B. If so, rewrite the
sentences using the solution suggested.

a. Based on the report, it said that a 5 percent increase was recorded in the past 5 months.

_________________________________________________________________________

b. According to the principal he said that there would be 3 new teachers joining the school.

___________________________________________________________________________

c. Based on a study done by a group of researchers, they reported that many local young
people are not interested in learning English.

___________________________________________________________________________

d. In my opinion, I think IT actually widens rather than bridging the gap between the rich
and the poor.

____________________________________________________________________________

e. According to Peter says, the accident occurred at 3 a.m. this morning.

____________________________________________________________________________

f. Based on the school regulation, you have to arrive at school before 8 a.m.

____________________________________________________________________________

g. According to her father, the daughter should do more housework for her mother.

____________________________________________________________________________

h. In the students’ opinion, the test should be postponed.

____________________________________________________________________________

22. Summarize a piece of news reported recently on TV or in a local newspaper. Describe what
the reporter discusses using structures like according to X, based on X, in X’s opinion, etc.