happens to be

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1
  1. He happens to be the correct person that I am looking for.
  2. Today is my birth day that just happens to be Wednesday, which is the day I was born.
  3. Raman fought with Mohan, who just so happens to be his superior in school.
    Please correct the above sentences and comment.
    Thanks.
2

  1. He happens to be the correct person. / He happens to the the person that I am looking for.
    You cannot add ‘correct’ to the second sentence above.

  2. Today is my birthday and it just happens to be a Wednesday, which is the day I was born.
    ‘Birthday’ is one word. You could say ‘Today is my birthday which…’. You then need to avoid the repetition of which by separating that into two sentences:
    Today is my birthday which just happens to be a Wednesday. I was also born on that day of the week.

  3. Raman fought with Mohan, who just happens to be his superior in school.

‘Just’ is not required in either of those sentences (2 and 3). It should only be used if you wish to emphasis some sort of coincidence, so it seems a little out of place in the last example.

3

You cannot add ‘correct’ to the second sentence above. (Why not if it is ‘He happens to be the correct person I am looking for.’?)

  1. Today is my birthday which happens to be a Wednesday, the day of the week I was born. (Why not this single sentence?)

Typo, typo! To err is human; to forgive divine!

4

What on earth is the matter with you? Have you forgotten a similar recent thread?
Yes, there are a couple of typos - I was using a mobile phone. It seems to have made your day. I’m so glad something has made you happy!

Regarding the more sensible of the two comments, think about it by turning it on its head. How can it ‘happen to be in the incorrect person you are looking for?’ That would be completely illogical!
It happens to be the wrong person.
It happens to be the correct persn.

It happens to be the person I am looking for.
It does not happen to be the person I am looking for.

5

Now, keep your cool, and consider this to be a discussion. It’s only a question; not questioning you. You may treat it as you wish. In either case I would like your convincing answer.

I was looking for a right/suitable/proper person to assist me. Now ‘X’ happens/has happened to be the right/suitable/proper person I was looking for to assist me. If this usage is not acceptable, there IS some issue that concerns the angle/view of thinking.

6

There does not appear to be a question there at all. You’ve made a statement which doesn’t mean a lot to me.
All I can tell you is that these are the correct permutations (and they match the advice I gave earlier). Perhaps you can work out whatever it is you’re looking for from that.

I was looking for the right person to assist me.
Now X happens/happened to be the right person to assist me.
Now X happens/happened to be the right person.
Now X happens/happened to be the person I was looking for.

I was looking for a suitable person to assist me.
Now X happens/happened to be a suitable person to assist me.
Now X happens/happened to be a suitable person.
Now X happens/happened to be a person who can/could assist me.

I was looking for the correct person to assist me.
Now X happens/happened to be the correct person to assist me.
Npw X happens/happened to be the correct person.
Now X happens/happened to be the person I was looking for.

7

Look at the sentence: Now X happens/happened to be the person I was looking for.
Now can one understand the kind of person I was looking for - whether the person is right or suitable or proper or apt or able or good or tall or clever or intelligent? So, to make it clear in a standalone sentence I think Now ‘X’ happens/has happened to be the right/suitable/proper person I was looking for is the alternative.

8

Yes. Look at the statements:
Now X happens/happened to be the right person to assist me.
Now X happens/happened to be a suitable person to assist me.
Now X happens/happened to be the correct person to assist me.

If the prior statement ‘I was looking for the — person to assist me.’ is not used, then those statements are the ones that would be required.
Where the prior statement is used (I would argue that it is needed in your example - and the fact that you have started it with ‘now’ indicates that at some level you understand that too) then that makes the type of person clear so either of the other options can also be used to follow it.