B. "I have an image of him sitting on the crook of his mother's hip, head rested consolingly on her shoulder, soaking up comfort."

1) Is sentence B correct English?

2) Does this part "sitting on the crook of his mother's hip" describe "him"?

3) Even if "sitting on the crook of his mother's hip" describes "him", is sentence B still correct English?

Question

B. "I have an image of him sitting on the crook of his mother's hip, head rested consolingly on her shoulder, soaking up comfort."

1) Is sentence B correct English?

2) Does this part "sitting on the crook of his mother's hip" describe "him"?

3) Even if "sitting on the crook of his mother's hip" describes "him", is sentence B still correct English?

akiblutea · Answer

@leopard10

Hello!

Yes, sentence B is correct English.

This sounds like it came from a book and the author wants to give us an idea of a small boy sitting on his mother's lap.

"crook of his mother's hip" = sitting on his mother's lap, right up against her hip.

Another saying similar to this one would be: "Tucked into his mother's lap".

The part in question 2, is talking about where the boy is. So it is describing the phrase "image of him" and not just "him".

So, the writer wants us to understand that he is remembering the boy while he was sitting on his mother's lap (very close, snuggly, tucked in close).

Please let me know if you have any questions.

poodles · Answer

I have an image of him perched on his mother’s hip, head resting contentedly on her shoulder, soaking up her comfort.

Hips do not have a crook.

We could say he was in the crook of her arm, because if the arm is bent at the elbow it creates the shape we could call a crook. “in the crook of the arm” means in the bent part. Hips do not bend. No crook there.

Consolingly would be how the mother would be acting if she is comforting her child.

She patted his back consolingly after he lost the race.

Do not say rested, because you have sitting and soaking, so please keep the format the same and use resting.

If you want to use the word crook, say:
I have an image of him sitting in the crook of his mother’s arm, head resting contentedly on her shoulder, soaking up her comfort.

poodles · Answer

Yes, “perched on his mother’s lap” describes “him”

Also, I forgot to mention why you cannot say “consolingly” about the boy. The person doing the consoling would be the one who is looking at him or touching him consolingly. In this sentence the boy is not consoling his mother, and we do not see a reason why she would need to console him, so I chose contentedly, which sounds relaxed and restful.

poodles · Answer

Yes, it is correct. I personally would add “his” before head, his head resting contentedly...although “his” is not necessary. I also would not personally use  the term soaking up, although it works fine.

I might say “I have an image of him perched on his mother’s hip, his head leaning contentedly on her shoulder, resting in her comfort (or, her comfortable grasp (or embrace, if she is hugging him)).