Wordwizard

1) We thought Tom had stolen the jewel, but we found out that it had been stolen by another man whose name was Jack Smith. 2) We thought Tom had stolen the jewel, but we found out that it had been stolen by another man, whose name was Jack Smith. 3) We thought Tom had stolen the jewel, but we found...

Which are correct: 1) As in the last three years, next year our production will increase. 2) As with the last three years, next year our production will increase. 3) In this operation, as in all other operations of this kind, there is a high risk of bleeding. 4) In this operation, as with all other ...

I came across the expression 'military trades' and I began wondering what it meant exactly. I suppose the term covers the jobs of technicians and engineers who work in the army, but what about people who work in the arms industry and also, what about regular soldiers, officers etc.? Gratefully, Navi

Are these sentences correct: 1) John Smith, a doctor and stamp-collector, walked in. 2) John Smith, a doctor and a stamp-collector, walked in. 3) John Smith, the doctor and stamp-collector, walked in. 4) John Smith, the doctor and the stamp-collector, walked in. In all cases John Smith is both a doc...

Thank you both very much, I think I can come up with examples, but I am not sure they work! What do you think of these two: 1) The poison of lies had entered their friendship. Trust was now impossible. (The poison is most probably the lies) 2) When Tom learns that you've been telling him poisonous l...

I came across the expression 'poison of lies' and started wondering what it could mean. I see two possibilities: First possibility: The lies are the poison. The 'of' is appositive and works the same way it works in 'the city of London' . The city is London. It doesn't belong to London. If the 'of' i...

Thank you both very much, Phil, your reply makes perfect sense. The real world does affect the way sentences are used and understood. I had another question. a) This is a high-spec phone for teenagers. That is your sentence and makes perfect sense. However, would this one work at all: 3) This is a p...

1) This is an expensive phone for teenagers.
2) This is a phone that is expensive for teenagers.

Aren't these sentences ambiguous?

a) It is an expensive phone and it is for teenagers.
b) It is a phone that teenagers will find hard to afford.


Gratefully,
Navi

Which are correct:

1) His recent short stories are some of the best stories by any American writer.

2) His last movie is the best movie of any German director this year.

3) His last album is the most popular album of any jazz musician this year.


Gratefully,
Navi

1) Today we sold twenty sandwiches and sodas. Could this mean: Twenty sandwiches and twenty sodas? 2) Today we sold thirty ties and T-shirts. Could this mean: thirty ties and thirty T-shirts? (obviously ties and T-shirts do go in pairs, so they were definitely sold separately) 3) There were thirty ...

Are these sentences correct:

1) He would look like Superman if Superman had fifty pounds of fat on him.
2) He looks like Superman if Superman had fifty pounds of fat on him.

Gratefully,
Navi

I am talking with a friend about a man who is dancing on a stage. Another friend arrives and asks: -What are you talking about? 1) We're talking about the man dancing over there. 2) We're talking about the dancing man over there. Are '1' and '2' both grammatical? Same situation, but the man is playi...

1) I have been sleeping a lot better since I was in the hospital. 2) I have been sleeping a lot better since I have been in the hospital. Do both sentences mean that I started sleeping a lot better when I was hospitalized? Which imply that I am no longer in the hospital? ===========================...

Are these correct: 1) Anyone who saw and recognized him should have reported him to the police, but no one did. I am sure many people saw him and knew who he was, but no one dared report him to the police. 2) Anyone who went up this sidewalk before me should have picked up that banana skin. This is ...

Thank you all very much, I had misspelt 'venues'. That was a tough one to spot. Tony has a sharp eye! It is true that I am probably capable of coming up with unambiguous sentences. But I believe that ambiguous sentences are quite common. Context in general disambiguates them. One doesn't even notice...