Wordwizard

1) Every incident of a policeman arresting an innocent person was reported. 2) Every incident of policemen arresting innocent people was reported. Is there any difference in the meanings of these sentences? Does '1' rule out the cases where more than one policeman was involved and/or more than one ...

Thank you both very much,

So '1' and '3' do not necessarily imply that he could buy more than one house, but has instead decided to buy just this one. Is that correct?


Gratefully,
Navi

Can one use: 1) He can buy many houses, but he has decided to buy this one. instead of: 2) There are many houses he can buy, but he has decided to buy this one. Can one use: 3) He can buy many other houses, but he has decided to buy this one. instead of: 4) There are many other houses he can buy, bu...

Thank you very much, Phil, I am interested in ambiguity, but I try to avoid it when I speak. My interest is basically theoretical. In practice, context almost always clarifies things. Even when people make mistakes, the meaning generally gets through because there is a huge context involved that imm...

Thank you both very much, How about: 3) He did it as only he could. (in the way only he could do it in) 4) He did it, as only he could. ( because he was the only one who did it) I am not sure either work, but maybe '4' is ambiguous. 5) Only Tom could save us. And he it, as only he could. 6) Jeff com...

1) I played chess as my father did. 2) I played chess , as my father did. Which of the above sentences correspond to which of the following meanings: a) I played chess because my father did. b) I played chess while my father did. c) I played chess the way my father did. d) I played chess and so did...

1) He did it as he could.

Could '1' mean: "He did it because he could"?

2) People forget as people can.

Can '2' mean: 'People forget in the way they can.'

Gratefully,
Navi

Are these sentences correct:

1) Now you will see something better than you would have if you'd gone to the other show.
2) I saw something better than I would have at the other show.

Gratefully,
Navi

Which are correct:

1) He was limping with a sprained ankle.
2) He was limping, with a sprained ankle.

3) I noticed that he was hurt with a sprained ankle.
4) I noticed that he was hurt, with a sprained ankle.


Does the 'with' imply causality in those sentences?

Gratefully,
Navi

1) Engineers in Italy work hard. 2) Engineers in Italy are well-paid. 3) People in Italy work hard. 4) People in Italy are well-paid. Do these mean: a) All the engineers/people in Italy b) Most engineers/most people in Italy c) Some engineers/some people in Italy d) At least some engineers/at least...

Thank you very much, Tony, 1) I can't regularly eat lunch at home. a) Regularly I can't eat lunch at home. b) I can't eat lunch at home regularly It seems to me that in 'a' ' Regularly' modifies 'can't' but in 'b' it modifies ' eat lunch at home' . Consider: A) Seventy percent of the time, I can't e...

Thank you all very much,

1) I can't regularly eat lunch at home.
a) regularly I can't eat lunch at home.
b) I can't eat lunch at home regularly


In this case, is there a difference between 'a' and 'b'?
Does '1' mean 'a' or 'b'?

Gratefully,
Navi

1) John is the man to repair your computer.

Does that mean:
a) John is the best person for the job
or:
b) John is the only person for the job
or:
c) John is the person who has been assigned the task of repairing your computer

Gratefully,
Navi

Is this sentence correct:
1) I can't frequently eat lunch at home.

If it is, does it mean:
a) Frequently I can't eat lunch at home.
or
b) I can't eat lunch at home frequently.

Gratefully,
Navi

Is this correct: 1) I didn't talk to her male co-worker; I didn't talk to her boyfriend; and I didn't talk to another man who knows her. But I've talked to quite a few men who are close to her. \Here 'another man that knows her' is a specific man the speaker has in mind. The speaker has talked to qu...