Just as...so....

[GK]

Just as the free computer operating system Linux has of late become even more crash resistant, so support for it within the computer industry has been growing.

a)
b) as with the free operating system Linux that has of late become even more crash resistant, so the
c) as the free computer operating system Linux has of late become more crash resistant, so it has been that
d)
e)

Can you please explain what is the best choice out of a, b and c and why? Also, I thought the correct idiom is 'just as X so too Y'. This sentence uses 'just as X so Y'. Obviously that is acceptable as well? Thanks.

[StaceyKoprince]

Yep! There are all kinds of weird little idioms such as this one. The general idea is that "just as X is true / is so, Y is true / is so."

Whenever you have these kinds of "paired" idioms (with X and Y), you need to use parallelism for the two items X and Y.

A says Just as X [noun verb (that is, independent clause), so Y [noun verb (another independent clause)] That looks pretty good

B says Just as with X [noun that verb (that is, not an independent clause), so Y [noun verb (independent clause)] Hm. Not so good. I've got a "with X" but no "with Y" and X isn't an independent clause while Y is. Elim B.

C - the only difference here is at the end: "so" vs "so it has been that." The latter is wordy. I can say the same thing just using "so." And the X starts with the noun I'm discussing (the operating system) while this one starts with "it has been that" before getting to the noun I want to talk about: support. Not very parallel. Elim C.

[GK]

Yep! There are all kinds of weird little idioms such as this one. The general idea is that "just as X is true / is so, Y is true / is so."

Whenever you have these kinds of "paired" idioms (with X and Y), you need to use parallelism for the two items X and Y.

A says Just as X [noun verb (that is, independent clause), so Y [noun verb (another independent clause)] That looks pretty good

B says Just as with X [noun that verb (that is, not an independent clause), so Y [noun verb (independent clause)] Hm. Not so good. I've got a "with X" but no "with Y" and X isn't an independent clause while Y is. Elim B.

C - the only difference here is at the end: "so" vs "so it has been that." The latter is wordy. I can say the same thing just using "so." And the X starts with the noun I'm discussing (the operating system) while this one starts with "it has been that" before getting to the noun I want to talk about: support. Not very parallel. Elim C.

Thanks Stacey. Very nice explanation.

[StaceyKoprince]

You're welcome!

[vietst]

Stacey Koprince,
Nice explaination.
Could you tell me more about the phrase " has of late become even more crash resistant"?
Thanks

[sheetal]

As you mentioned in Just as X, so Y noth X & Y should be parallel.

In ans choice (A), does "support" act as a noun or verb? I think it is verb ..right?

Is there a quick way to determine if a word is acting as a verb or noun.

Thanks,
Sheetal

[RonPurewal]

In ans choice (A), does "support" act as a noun or verb?

it's a noun.

you can figure this out by looking for the subject of 'has been growing'; the only viable option is 'support', so that must be a noun. (the other nouns and pronouns in that clause are all objects of prepositions, and so are precluded from being the subject.)

[RonPurewal]

Could you tell me more about the phrase " has of late become even more crash resistant"?
Thanks

'of late' is an idiomatic expression - another one to add to the vast library of idiomatic expressions in your head - that means, roughly, the same as 'lately' or 'recently'. therefore, that clause has the same construction as the following:
'linux has recently become more crash-resistant'
hopefully it's easier to see in this version.

[vipul_ohri]

abc

[RonPurewal]

can the idiom 'just as....so to...' be without the 'so to' part. although maintaining the parallel structure on both the sides..........

hmm?

"just as ... so to" would invariably be incorrect. in the "just as ... so ..." construction, both "just as" and "so" must be followed by clauses.
where have you seen "...so to"?

--

yes, i believe you can have either
"just as X, so Y"
or
"just as X, Y"
where X and Y are parallel clauses.

[krishnakumarhod]

The question is

Just as the free computer operating system Linux has of late become even more crash resistant, so support for it within the computer industry has been growing.
A. as the free computer operating system Linux has of late become even more crash resistant, so
B. as with the free computer operating system Linux that has of late become even more crash resistant, so the
C. as the free computer operating system Linux has of late become even more crash resistant, so it has been that
D. like with the free computer operating system Linux becoming even more crash resistant of late, so
E. like the free computer operating system Linux that has of late become even more crash resistant, so it is that

For benefit of people who want to see the full question

[mschwrtz]

Thanks krishnakumarhod. Yes, good to see the whole question.

[sachin.w]

Hi,

is usage of 'just like' always wrong?

[tim]

no. did you see that written as a rule in one of our books or the official guide?

[stephanie.liakos]

Hi - I came across this and am surprised that one of these answers is incorrect. I woudl think they were both correct since they both seem to follow the forms "just as x, so y" and "just as x, y". Would you please confirm which is correct (assuming not both are correct) and why? Thank you!

QUESTION: Just as listening to Franklin D. Roosevelt's famous fireside chats helps students of history understand the 1930s, an era marked by incredible domestic economic distress and unparalleled foreign conflict, so Abraham Lincoln's famous Second Inaugural Address helps students grasp the immense strife and challenge America faced in the post-Civil War era.

C) reading Abraham Lincoln's famous Second Inaugural Address helps students grasp the post-Civil War era, a time of immense domestic challenge and strife
D) so reading Abraham Lincoln's famous Second Inaugural Address helps students grasp the post-Civil War era, a time of immense domestic challenge and strife