Is this sentence correct? A quick analysis of a sentence about preparing lunch
English, being a global language, is used by millions of people worldwide. However, it is not uncommon to come across sentences that may seem grammatically incorrect or awkwardly structured. One such sentence that has sparked a debate is: “Then, she walked back into the kitchen to prepare her lunch; rice and beans with spicy sauce. It took her almost one hour to finish cooking. Therefore, she set the food on table.” This article aims to dissect this sentence, analyze its structure, and determine whether it is grammatically correct or not.
Breaking Down the Sentence
The sentence in question is actually a series of three sentences. Let’s break them down:
- “Then, she walked back into the kitchen to prepare her lunch; rice and beans with spicy sauce.”
- “It took her almost one hour to finish cooking.”
- “Therefore, she set the food on table.”
Analysis of Each Sentence
First Sentence
The first sentence is grammatically correct but could be improved for clarity. The semicolon is used correctly to connect two closely related ideas. However, it might be clearer to say, “Then, she walked back into the kitchen to prepare her lunch: rice and beans with spicy sauce.” Using a colon instead of a semicolon makes it clear that the second part of the sentence is explaining what her lunch is.
Second Sentence
The second sentence, “It took her almost one hour to finish cooking,” is grammatically correct. It clearly communicates that the process of cooking took nearly an hour.
Third Sentence
The third sentence, “Therefore, she set the food on table,” is not grammatically correct. The word “therefore” is used to show cause and effect, but there’s no cause-effect relationship here. A more appropriate transition might be “Finally” or “Then”. Additionally, it should be “the table”, not “table”. So a corrected version could be, “Finally, she set the food on the table.”
Conclusion
In conclusion, while the sentence in question has some minor errors and areas for improvement, the overall meaning is still clear. With a few tweaks, it can be made grammatically perfect. Remember, English is a flexible language and often, context and clarity are more important than rigid adherence to grammar rules.
