OG12-3 were to begin 可否用？

beijin111

Although various eighteenth- and nineteenth Century American poets had professed an interest in Native American poetry and
had pretended to imitate Native American forms in their own works, until almost 1900, scholars and critics did not begin seriously to study traditional Native American poetry in native languages.

(A) until almost 1900, scholars and critics did not begin seriously to study
(B) until almost 1900 scholars and critics had not begun seriously studying
(C) not until almost 1900 were scholars and critics to begin seriously to study
(D) it was not almost until 1900 when scholars and critics began to seriously study
(E) it was not until almost 1900 that scholars and critics seriously began studying
答案是E，选出来很容易，但是我想问一下C选项，to begin seriously to study为什么awkward and wordy？还有were to begin 这个用法对吗？

贰乙〇

C 是倒装，有个were to be结构，在第六版曼哈顿上were to be 用于unlikely case（in the future），但是本句话应该是真是发生的事，不能用were to be结构；
下面是来自于外网上的一段解释：were to begin表示主观的将来时，这种用法manhattan认为是indicate obligation or future time，而这种形式GMAT认为是有歧义的，所以用will或者should比较好；应该改为；inverted construction不是GMAT preferred的结构

Frennie

可以用一个词began来说的话。用了were to begin。。。不是很awkward and wordy么。。

luopite

be to do和be going to在GMAT的语法中是不用的。

xuyingkitty

把答案背下来。果然不用规则用类比做题目才是真正的牛人。

qingbo

悲剧。。。第一次 错； 第二次复习做 再次错； 刚看到题目做了下，还是错了。。。。

天使追梦

be to do 是将来时，WERE TO BEGIN...是过去将来时（WOULD），不符合NOT UNTIL的句意和用法吧

-- by 会员 newport (2010/9/14 2:00:32)

过去将来时为什么就不对呢？
另外OG为什么说它awkward and wordy？

newport

be to do 是将来时，WERE TO BEGIN...是过去将来时（WOULD），不符合NOT UNTIL的句意和用法吧

天使追梦

与楼主问题一样~求解答！~

xuyingkitty

[quote]
我认为是因为这个时间状语即可以修饰前面,也可以修饰后面.

-- by 会员 zxkingsey (2010/2/27 21:13:05)

[quote]
恩,这么理解似乎说得通.