Understanding the structure of English sentences is crucial, especially when it comes to word order. The question ‘Who do you think is the man?’ presents an interesting use of the verb ‘think.’ In this article, we will break down why ‘think is’ is used correctly and how sentence construction works in this context.
1. The Role of ‘Think’ in the Sentence
In the sentence ‘Who do you think is the man?’, the verb ‘think’ is a transitive verb that requires an object. However, in this case, it is used in a more indirect way. ‘Think’ is part of a question where you are asking someone about their opinion or perception of a subject.
‘Think’ is followed by ‘is,’ which is the verb in a subordinate clause. This clause, ‘is the man,’ serves as the complement of ‘who,’ which is the object of the question. Essentially, the structure of the sentence is in a form of an indirect question.
2. The Use of ‘Is’ After ‘Think’
In English, when ‘think’ is used in a question about someone’s opinion of a state or identity, it is common to follow it with a form of the verb ‘to be’ (in this case, ‘is’). This is because the clause following ‘think’ describes or identifies the subject.
For example, ‘Who do you think is the man?’ means that you are asking about the identity of the man in question. The word ‘is’ here links the subject (‘the man’) to the implied action or state, showing that ‘the man’ is the subject of the thought or judgment being made.
3. The Word Order in Questions
In English, the word order in questions can differ from statements. In statements, the order is typically subject-verb-object. However, in questions, especially indirect ones, the subject and verb may be inverted, or in this case, ‘think’ takes its usual position, but the object (‘who’) is placed at the beginning of the sentence. This inversion is part of what makes the question structure work.
So, while ‘Who do you think is the man?’ may seem a bit tricky because of its structure, it’s perfectly correct grammatically. The subject of the clause is ‘the man,’ and the verb ‘is’ connects it with the subject of the indirect question (‘who’).
4. Common Mistakes to Avoid in Similar Sentences
When constructing sentences with verbs like ‘think,’ it’s important to be careful about word order. A common mistake is to place ‘is’ directly after ‘who’ without the correct structure. For example, ‘Who is you think the man?’ is incorrect. The correct order is ‘Who do you think is the man?’ because the auxiliary ‘do’ is needed in the question formation.
5. Conclusion: The Correct Use of ‘Think is’
In conclusion, ‘think is’ is used correctly in the sentence ‘Who do you think is the man?’ due to the sentence’s structure as an indirect question. The verb ‘think’ requires a clause that follows its own rules for word order, which involves using ‘is’ as a linking verb after the subject ‘the man.’ Understanding this structure is key to mastering English sentence formation, particularly in indirect questions.
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