Why Quorans Fail to Provide Sample Sentences When Asking Grammar Questions

In the vast landscape of online forums and QA sites like Quora, grammatically intricate questions are a common occurrence. However, many users who ask such questions fail to provide sample sentences that could aid potential answerers in giving more realistic and precise responses. Instead, answerers are left guessing what the asker means and often have to delve into the nuances of the question on their own.

Common Reasons for Lack of Sample Sentences

There are several reasons why so many Quorans ask intricate questions about grammar but fail to provide sample sentences. Some possible explanations include:

Forgetting or Neglecting to Include Sample Sentences

One common issue is that users might forget to include sample sentences. It is easy to get absorbed in the complexities of the question and overlook the necessity of providing concrete examples. Additionally, some users might neglect this step without realizing it, or run out of space to include such details in their original post.

Ignoring the Comment Section

Another possibility is that users are unaware that they can add unlimited amounts of information by using the comment section. By clicking on the comment icon, users can easily expand on their initial question and provide the necessary context and examples. This underutilization of the comment section often leads to more accurate and helpful answers.

Question Motivations

Some users who ask intricate grammar questions might have ulterior motives. For diploma-mill students or know-it-alls (OPs or original posters), the primary goal is often to avoid plagiarism accusations. They may be copying and pasting sentences from other sources and using them without proper attribution. In these cases, providing sample sentences could be seen as a potential risk since the sentences could be easily traced back to their source.

Personally, I have encountered many questions that seem to be leveraging this strategy, and in such cases, I often respond with a nonsensical comment without providing any examples. The lack of context and ambiguity in these questions often make it clear that they are not genuine inquiries.

Lazy or Lack of Knowledge

In other instances, the questioner might simply lack the knowledge to come up with examples or may be too lazy to provide them. Providing sample sentences requires a certain level of understanding and linguistic creativity, which may not be present in all users.

Contorted Examples and Mystery Sentences

Interestingly, there is also a somewhat opposite phenomenon where some questions present contorted examples that no one would ever write or say in real life. These questions often come from published works and are used as blind tests to gauge understanding. In one recent example, a sentence used several complex verb tenses, constructed in a way that no normal English speaker would ever use. It turned out that the sentence came from an English translation of a novel by a Japanese writer, which tends to use a stream-of-consciousness style. This makes the sentence meaningful in its original context but raises questions about its usability in everyday English.

Conclusion

The practice of providing sample sentences when asking grammar questions is crucial for receiving meaningful and precise answers. Users should take the time to include these examples, utilizing the comment section if necessary. This not only helps answerers to provide better responses but also ensures that the questions asked are genuine and helpful to the broader community.