Dear Editor: Subjects, objects, predicates and Soca Warriors’ stuttering CNL finish

Letters to the Editor Tuesday 28 March 2023 Global Football, National Football, Volley 1 Comment

“[…] I am captivated by the sentence: ‘However, coach Angus Eve’s troops lacked the ingenuity to really carve open their limited guests and could not quite wrestle the ball off them with the required regularity.’

“Sir, that declaration transported me to a method of inquiry learned, in primary school, to unlock the mysteries of subjects, objects and predicates…”

The following Letter to the Editor on Trinidad and Tobago’s costly 1-1 Concacaf Nations League draw with Nicaragua on 27 March 2023 was submitted to Wired868 by Chambi Sey:

Trinidad and Tobago forward Rundell Winchester (left) runs at Nicaragua defender Luis Fernando Copete during CNL B action in Bacolet on 27 March 2023.
(Copyright Daniel Prentice/ Wired868)

I write in response to your article regarding the tame, but decisive, draw between the national teams of Nicaragua and Trinidad and Tobago.

In particular, I am captivated by the sentence: ‘However, coach Angus Eve’s troops lacked the ingenuity to really carve open their limited guests and could not quite wrestle the ball off them with the required regularity.’

Sir, that declaration transported me to a method of inquiry learned, in primary school, to unlock the mysteries of subjects, objects and predicates.

To locate meaning within a sentence, we were taught that the verb(s) in the sentence should be identified, questioning as to who or what is “doing what” should follow, and a compatible answer responsive to that questioning should in turn be provided.

Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Senior Team head coach Angus Eve (far right) and Nicaragua coach Marco Figueroa (second from right) look on as fourth official Victor Rivas indicates six minutes of stoppage time during the Concacaf Nations League clash at Bacolet on 27 March 2023.
(Copyright Daniel Prentice/ Wired868)

For instance—relying on your sentence—a question posed would be: Who lacked the ingenuity to carve open their limited guests? A viable response would be: coach Angus Eve’s troops.

Similarly, another question posed could be: Who could not wrestle the ball from Nicaragua with regularity? A compatible response would be: coach Angus Eve’s troops.

Sir, how long would it take primary school students to conclude that the lack of ingenuity rests not with the troops?