Wordwizard

1) With Freud, he believed in the existence of unconscious drives. 2) Along with Freud, he believed in the existence of unconscious drives. 3) Like Freud, he believed in the existence of unconscious drives. Does '1' imply that they were associated? Does it imply they were contemporaries? How about ...

Which are correct and which are natural: 1) He is the man I have to find the brother of. 2) He is the man of whom I have to find the brother. 3) He is the man the brother of whom I have to find. 4) This is a word I have to find the meaning of. 5) This is a word of which I have to find the meaning. 6...

Which are correct: 1) There's no way I will help a man like him. 2) No way I will help a man like him. 3) No way will I help a man like him. 4) In no way I will help a man like him. 5) In no way will I help a man like him. '1', '2' and '3' are supposed to mean the same thing. '4' and '5' are suppose...

Are these sentences correct: 1) That movie was not interesting and boring. 2) This book is not a little disturbing and extremely pretentious. 3) This book is not a little disturbing and pretentious. In '3' does 'not a little' modify 'pretentious'? Would a comma before 'and' change things? 4) This bo...

1) We want to score so many times that our rivals just give up. 2) We want to score so many times that our rivals will just give u p. 3) We wanted to score so many times that our rivals just gave up. 4) We wanted to score so many times that our rivals would just give up. Which are grammatical and m...

Would anyone use: 1 )Jane lived longer than her husband. instead of: 2) Jane outlived her husband. Let's assume that Jane died three years after her husband at the age of 82 and that her husband died at the age of 85. Could one use '1' in that case? Would some people use it in that case? Things get ...

1) Tom is second-best after Harry.
2) Tom is second-best, after Harry.

Isn't the comma necessary?

I think '1' is saying that someone else is best after Harry and Tom is second-best after Harry.

The idea is that Harry is best and Tom is second-best.

Gratefully,
Navi

Thank you very much, Phil,

And no, your formulation wasn't inadequate at all. Now that I think about it, I see that I was being overly picky. Sometimes, my common sense stops functioning when I am dealing with language.

Thanks again.

Respectfully,
Navi

Which of these sentences are correct:

1) That was kind of you to say.
2) That was kind of you to do.

3) That gesture was kind of you to make.
4) That gratuity was kind of you to give.

I think '1' and '2' work and '3' and '4' are strange!

Gratefully,
Navi

Thank you very much, Phil, This is quite a reply. Fantastic! Indeed in '1' the listener is being offered a choice. But let us say a secretary is asking me to wait before I can go in and see the doctor. Could she say: 3) You may wait in the waiting room till the doctor finishes with the other patient...

1) You may hang up or dial one for more options. 2) You might hang up or dial one for more options. I've heard '1' used as a suggestion or instruction in pre-recorded messages, Would '2' work here? And is 'may' used elsewhere for instructions? I don't remember having encountered such a usage. I thi...

1) It happened too long ago for me to remember. 2) It happened so long ago that I don't remember. 3) It happened too long ago for me to care to remember. 4) It happened so long ago that I don't care to remember. 5) It happened longer ago than I remember. 6) It happened longer ago than I care to rem...

Which is correct: 1) He was into video games as teenagers usually are. 2) He was into video games, as teenagers usually are. Do they mean the same or is there a difference in the meanings? Could '1' mean: a) He was into video games in the same way teenagers usually are. or: b) He was into video game...

Which are correct:

1) As far back as I have been working here, he has been the accountant.
2) So far back as I have been working here, he has been the accountant.
3) Ever since I have been working here. he has been the accountant.


Is there any difference in their meanings?

Gratefully,
Navi

Thank you very much, Shelley, You read my mind! I am impressed. Those are the kinds of sentences I often hear these days and that's why when I wanted to come up with sentences starting with 'too late' and 'embarrassingly too late' I came up with them. But, for the record, I have to say that I did in...