// lism

arorag · Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 8:17 pm Post subject: // lism

It is an oversimplified view of cattle raising to say that all one has to do with cattle is leave them alone while they feed themselves, corral them, and to drive them to market when the time is ripe.

(A) all one has to do with cattle is leave them alone while they feed themselves, corral them, and to
(B) all one has to do with cattle is to leave them alone to feed themselves, to corral them, and
(C) all one has to do with cattle is leave them alone while they feed themselves and then corral them and
(D) the only thing that has to be done with cattle is leave them alone while they feed themselves, corral them, and
(E) the only thing that has to be done with cattle is to leave them alone while they feed themselves, to corral them, and

tomato1 · Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 10:07 pm Post subject:

Choice b shows parallel structure ...
is it B?

netigen · Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 12:17 am Post subject:

In my opinion, B is not parallel, read the sentence again this time like this -

Original - not parallel (missing to)
---------
It is an oversimplified view of cattle raising to say that all one has to do with cattle is (to) leave them alone while they feed themselves, (to) corral them, and to drive them to market when the time is ripe.

With B - not parallel (missing to)
-------

It is an oversimplified view of cattle raising to say that all one has to do with cattle is to leave them alone to feed themselves, to corral them, and (to) drive them to market when the time is ripe.

With C - parallel
--------
It is an oversimplified view of cattle raising to say that all one has to do with cattle is leave them alone while they feed themselves and then corral them and drive them to market when the time is ripe.

chidcguy · Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 1:12 pm Post subject:

leave them alone to feed themselves

is different from

leave them alone while they feed themselves

Former means if you wont leave them alone they wont feed themselves, latter does not make any such restrictions.

D & E change the meaning